History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week - John N. Andrews

without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and
he died; as the Lord commanded Moses." (Num.
15:32-36)
The following facts should be considered in
explaining this text: 1. That this was a case of
peculiar guilt; for the whole congregation before
whom this man stood in judgment, and by whom
he was put to death, were themselves guilty of
violating the Sabbath, and had just been excluded
from the promised land for this and other sins.
(Eze. 20:15, 16 comp. with Num. 14:35) 2. That
this was not a case which came under the existing
penalty of death for work upon the Sabbath; for the
man was put in confinement that the mind of the
Lord respecting his guilt might be obtained. The
peculiarity of his transgression may be learned
from the context. The verses which next precede
the case in question read thus:--
"But the soul that doeth aught presumptuously,
whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the
same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be
cut off from among his people. Because he hath
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