Bible Strands

Numbers 15:18

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land to which I am bringing you

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The LORD commands Moses to address the Israelites at the moment they prepare to enter the territory He is bringing them to. This directive opens the legislative section on land-based offerings.

The words — The Hebrew verb דַּבֵּר (da.Ber) translates as "speak," and the phrase בְּ/בֹֽאֲ/כֶם (be./vo.'a./Khem) literally means "when you come/enter." These terms establish the command as a conditional instruction tied directly to territorial arrival.

The thread — The identical formula "when you enter the land" appears in Numbers 15:2 and Deuteronomy 26:1 to mark the shift from wilderness wandering to settled inheritance. Each occurrence introduces covenant obligations specific to agricultural life.

Why it lands — The text requires the people to implement divine ordinances immediately upon crossing into the territory. It demands that worship and provision be structured around land possession rather than wilderness survival.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

דַּבֵּר֙da.Berspeakאֶל־'el-toבְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelוְאָמַרְתָּ֖ve./'a.mar.Taand/ you will sayאֲלֵהֶ֑ם'a.le./Hemto/ themבְּבֹֽאֲכֶם֙be./vo.'a./Khemwhen/ come/ youאֶל־'el-intoהָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ landאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhereאֲנִ֛י'a.NiIמֵבִ֥יאme.Vi'[am] about to bringאֶתְכֶ֖ם'et./Khem<obj.>/ youשָֽׁמָּה׃Sha.ma/hthere/ <towards>

King James Version

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

Cross-references