Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 15:38
Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue:
38. that they make them tassels upon the corners of their garments ] This is commanded (with different words for ‘tassels’ and ‘garments’) in Deu 22:12. No statement is there made as to the reason for the observance. It was probably a very ancient custom, dating from a time when such tassels were superstitiously worn as magical charms. Here, however, it has been invested with a higher religious significance. The practice is referred to in the N.T., Mat 14:36, Mar 6:56 (E.V. ‘border of his garment’); and it continues among the Jews to this day. In the synagogue all males over thirteen years of age wear a special garment called a tallith, which ‘consists of an oblong cloth with a tassel at each corner. The head is passed through a hole in the middle of the cloth, which hangs over the breast and back.’ See art. ‘Fringes’ in Hastings’ DB. ii.
upon the tassel of each corner a thread of violet ] in order to fasten it to the garment.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue – Reader that they add to the fringes of the borders (or corners) a thread of blue (compare the marginal references). These fringes are considered to be of Egypttian origin. The ordinary outer Jewish garment was a quadrangular piece of cloth like a modern plaid, to the corners of which, in conformity with this command, a tassel was attached. Each tassel had a conspicuous thread of deep blue, this color being doubtless symbolic of the heavenly origin of the commandments of which it was to serve as a memento. Tradition determined that the other threads should be white – this color being an emblem of purity (compare Isa 1:18). The arrangement of the threads and knots, to which the Jews attached the greatest importance, was so adjusted as to set forth symbolically the 613 precepts of which the Law was believed to consist. In our Lords time the Pharisees enlarged their fringes Mat 23:5 in order to obtain reputation for their piety. In later times howerer, the Jews have worn the fringed garment (talth) of a smaller size and as an under-dress. Its use is still retained, especially at morning prayer in the Synagogue.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Num 15:38-40
Put upon the fringe . . . a ribband of blue.
The law of the fringe and ribband
Provision had been just now made by the law for the pardon of sins of ignorance and infirmity, now here is an expedient provided for the preventing of such sins. They are ordered to make fringes upon the borders of their garments, which were to be memorandums to them of their duty, that they might not sin through forgetfulness.
1. The sign appointed is a fringe of silk, or thread, or worsted, or the garment itself ravelled at the bottom, and a blue ribband bound on the top of it to keep it tight (Num 15:38). The Jews being a peculiar people, they were thus distinguished from their neighbours in their dress, as well as in their diet; and taught by such little instances of singularity, not to be conformed to the way of the heathen in greater things. Thus likewise they proclaimed themselves Jews wherever they were, as those that were not ashamed of God and His law.
2. The intention of it was to remind them that they were a peculiar people. They were not appointed for the trimming and adorning of their clothes, but to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance (2Pe 3:1). That they might look upon the fringe, and remember the commandments. Many look upon their ornaments to feed their pride, but they must look upon these ornaments to awaken their consciences to a sense of their duty, that their religion might constantly beset them, and they might carry it about with them, as they did their clothes, wherever they went. It was intended particularly to be a preservation from idolatry, That ye seek not after your own heart, and your own eyes, in your religious worship. Yet it may extend also to the whole conversation; for nothing is more contrary to Gods honour and our own true interest than to walk in the way of our heart, and in the sight of our eyes; for the imagination of the heart is evil, and so is the lust of the eyes. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)
The ribband of blue
The chief use of clothing is defence against the chills and variations of the weather; two subordinate uses are for the promotion of beauty, and for distinction of office. We can be at no loss to perceive that there are mental uses corresponding to the above which require for the soul spiritual clothing. The soul has its summer and its winter, and all the varieties of a mental year. There are seasons of hopefulness and brilliancy in which we have all the elasticity and promise of spring; there are states of peaceful warmth, of continued serene happiness; the souls calm sunshine and the heartfelt joy which bespeak the spirits summer; but there are likewise periods of decreasing warmth, of incipient depressions, and coolnesses to what has formerly yielded the highest pleasure; until at length we arrive at states of painful cold, the joylessness, the hopelessness, and the sadness, which ate the characteristics of the winter of the soul. In this wintry state storms of distressing fears and darkening doubts will rush upon the soul. Strong delusions that we may believe a lie, will, like fierce tempests, howl about us. Thrice happy are they who remember that the Divine Word will be a blessing in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, in summer and in winter; but they should also bear in mind, that to be a protection in all seasons the Divine mercy has provided us with spiritual clothing. The doctrines of religion, when intelligently adopted and adapted to our particular states, serve this important purpose. And when those doctrines are, as they ought to be, full, comprehensive, and complete, applying themselves to all the departments of human affection, thought, and life, they make a complete dress. We are, then, to speak to the Israelites who are typified by those of our text, the spiritual Israelites; and say first that they clothe themselves with genuine doctrines of Divine truth, with the garments of salvation, and next, that they especially make them fringes in the borders of their garments. After we have meditated upon the doctrines of religion, and seen their fitness to our own states of mind and heart, thus clothed ourselves in them, the next part of our duty is to bring them into life. Many there are who put on religion as a dress for the head, and even also for the breast, but do not bring it down to the feet. But we are to make a border for our garments, and the border must be a fringe. The distinctive feature of a fringe is, that the material of which it is composed is divided into small portions firmly united at the upper part, but hanging with separate forms of beauty at the lower. The idea suggested by this is, that religion must be employed in all the small affairs of daily life as well as on great occasions; the lowest part of our spiritual dress must be a fringe. We are, however, not only commanded to have a fringe to our garments, but to have upon the fringe a ribband of blue. And this leads us to consider the correspondence of colours. Natural colours, we know, originate in natural light. They are the separation of the beauties which are bound up in the sunbeam, and their reflection to the human eye. There is a trinity of fundamental colours, red, blue, and yellow. From the blending of these in varied proportions all others are made. Red, the colour of fire, is the symbol of the truths of love, the fire of the soul. Blue, the colour of the azure depths of the sky, is symbolic of the deep things of the Spirit of God, on which faith delights to gaze. Yellow is the hue of truth which applies to outward life, and in combination with blue it makes green, which corresponds to truth in the letter of the Word, made simple to the common eye of mankind. Blue gives a sense of clearness and depth, in which it surpasses all other hues. Blue, then, is the colour which represents the spirit of the Holy Word, the depths of heavenly wisdom. There is, however, cold blue, as it has more of white in it, and warm blue, as it derives a certain hue from red. There has also been some difficulty in determining the exact shade meant by Techeleth, the Hebrew name for this colour. But from a full consideration of this subject we are satisfied it was the name for blue tinged with red, from violet to purple. And this very strikingly brings out the Divine lesson by correspondence. While the blue indicates that in our demeanour in life we should be correct, in harmony with the spirit of truth, the red hue indicates that all our truth ought to be softened and warmed by love. Speak the truth in love, said the apostle, and to remind them of this duty God commanded the ribband of warm blue to be worn upon the fringe of their garments by the sons of Israel. It is religion in life that is observed by and is attractive to good men. When it not only enlightens the head and rules the heart, but comes down to the skirt of the garment, infusing justice, kindness, and courtesy in every act and word, then it has an eloquence which will inspire many a well-disposed heart to say, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Let your good works and your good words so shine before men, that they may glorify your Father who is in heaven. (J. Bayley, Ph. D.)
The ordinance of the fringes: gracious reminders of Divine commands
I. The proneness of man to forget the commandments of the Lord. This tendency arises from–
1. The sinfulness of human nature.
2. The worldly spirit which so largely prevails in human society.
II. The arrangements which God has made to remind man of his commandments.
1. The means which God employs to remind us of His commandments.
(1) The Bible. In this He not only reveals His will concerning us, but illustrates and enforces it in various ways so that we might not forget it.
(2) The Holy Spirit. He influences our spirits; speaks in us by means of conscience, &c.
(3) Holy examples. In these the will of God is drawn out in living characters.
(4) Warning examples of the evil consequences of overlooking His commands. These witness to us that it is perilous to forget the Divine will, and admonish us against doing so.
2. The design of God in reminding us of His commandments. That ye wander not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring; that ye may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your God. Recollection of the will of God must be followed by obedience to that will, or it will be worse than useless.
III. The grounds upon which God requires from us this recollection of and obedience to His commands.
1. His personal relation to us.
2. His gracious doings for us. (W. Jones.)
Remembrancers
How wonderful is what we call association! I hang some thought upon an object, and say, Whenever I come hither, ring for me as a bell of joy; and upon another I fasten an experience, saying to it, Toll to me of sadness; and to another, Give forth some bold, inspiring strain; and to another, Speak to me always of hope. And, thereafter, each thing, true to its nature, whether it be tree, or place, or rock, or house, or that which is therein, never forgets its lesson. Yea, and when we forget, they make us to remember, singing to us the notes which we had taught them. Thus the heart, though it may not dismember itself, to give a soul to the material world, has yet a power half to create in physical things a soul in each for itself. So its life is written out, and it keeps a journal upon trees, upon hills, upon the face of heaven. Is it not for this, then, that in turn God has used every object in nature, every event in life, every function of society, every affection and endearment of human love, yea, and things that are not, the very silences of the world, and memories that are but disembodied events, to represent to us by association His nature and affections? Thus the heaven and the earth do speak of God, and the great natural world is but another Bible, which clasps and binds the written one; for nature and grace are one. Grace is the heart of the flower, and nature but its surrounding petals. (H. W. Beecher.)
Association
Thus a house becomes sacred. Every room has a thousand memories. Every door and window is clustered with associations. And when, after long years, we go back to the house of our infancy, faces look out upon us, and an invisible multitude stand in gate and portal to welcome us, and we hear airy voices speaking again the old words of our childhood. (H. W. Beecher.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 38. Bid them – make them fringes] We learn from Nu 15:39 that these fringes were emblematical of the various commands of God. That there was any analogy between a fringe and a precept, it would be bold to assert; but when a thing is appointed to represent another, no matter how different, that first object be comes the regular representative or sign of the other. There is no analogy between the term bread and the farinaceous nutritive substance thereby signified; but because this term is used to express and represent that thing, every person thus understands it; and when the word bread is seen or heard, a perfect knowledge, not of the letters which compose that word, but of the thing signified by it, is conveyed to the mind. So the fringes, being appointed by God to represent and bring to mind the commandments of God, Nu 15:39, the mention or sight of them conveyed the intelligence intended. All the Jews wore these, and so probably did our Lord; see Mt 9:20, where the word is rather to be understood of the fringe than of the hem of his garment.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Fringes were certain threads or ends of their garments, standing out a little further than the rest of their garments, left there for this use.
In the borders, i.e. in the four borders or quarters, as it is Deu 22:12. Heb. wings, which is oft used for borders or ends, as Rth 3:9; 1Sa 15:27; 24:5, &c.
Of their garments, i.e. of their upper garment, or that wherewith they covered themselves, as is expressed Deu 22:12. This was practised by the Pharisees in Christs time, who are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary, Mat 23:5; and by Christ himself, as may gathered from Luk 8:44.
A riband, to make it more obvious to the sight, and consequently more serviceable to the use here mentioned.
Of blue, or, of a purple colour, as the Jewish writers agree, whose opinion is the more considerable, because it was matter of constant practice among them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
38. bid them that they make themfringes in the borders of their garmentsThese were narrowstrips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and onvarious parts of the attire. “Fringe,” however, is theEnglish rendering of two distinct Hebrew wordsthe onemeaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the “hem” or”border” (Mat 23:5;Luk 8:44), which, in order tomake it more attractive to the eye and consequently more serviceableto the purpose described, was covered with a riband of blue or ratherpurple color; the other term signifies strings with tassels at theend, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of these are seenon the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish people werecommanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them, thefashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high andreligious associationsto keep them in habitual remembrance of thedivine commandments.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Speak unto the children of Israel,…. Whom it only concerned, and all of them, except women and children; for priests, Levites, Israelites, proselytes, and freed servants, were bound to wear the fringes, but not Gentiles; nor might the Gentiles make them, what were made by them were not to be used z, since it follows:
and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments, throughout their generations: the garments on which these fringes were put were such that were made either of linen or of woollen; no other were obliged to them by the law; but according to the Rabbins other garments were also, yet only square garments, which they call the Talith; and if that had not four skirts to it, it was free from them a: on this square garment, and the four corners or skirts of it, were the fringes put; which were a sort of pendants or tassels, which hung down from it, which consisted of eight white woollen threads, sometimes four, sometimes eight or twelve fingers broad b; there were four of them, one at each skirt or corner of the garment: they were, as another writer says c, made of eight threads broad, each of them being knit to the middle with five knots, and of wool spun on purpose for this use; and these were to be wore by them throughout their generations until the Messiah came, and they seem to have been worn by him, Mt 9:20 however, it is certain they were worn by the Pharisees in his time, Mt 23:5; at present this four cornered garment is not any where in common use among the Jews, instead of which they wear, under their other garments, a kind of square frock, with the fringes or tassels fastened to it, and this they call Arbah Canfot; and in their schools, and at certain times of prayer, they put on a certain square woollen vestment, with the said pendants fastened at each corner, and this they call Talith d:
and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a riband of blue; or a blue lace, a piece of blue tape, which bound and kept the fringe tight and close, and being of a different colour, the fringe being white, made it the more conspicuous: the reason why this colour was used, the Jews say e, was, because it was like the sea, and the like the sky, and the sky like the throne of glory: this blue, hyacinth, or purple colour, as the Jews generally take it to be, was of a peculiar dye; the manner of making which is now unknown to them, and therefore they use only the white f.
z Sepher Alphes, par. 1. fol. 439. 2. & 442. 1. Schulchan Aruch, par. 1. c. 14. sect. 1. a Schulchan ib. c. 9. sect. 1. & c. 10. sect. 1. & c. 24. 1. b Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. 9. p. 160. c Leo Modena, History of the present Jews, par. 1. c. 5. sect. 7. d lb. sect. 9. e T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 17. 1. f Maimon. in Misn. Menachot, c. 4. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
38 Speak unto the children of Israel. A little farther on I will explain the object of this precept more fully: although it is plain from the next verse that God had no other object but to exercise the Jews in constant meditation upon the Law. For there was no religion contained in the fringes themselves, nor had that material texture any value in itself; but since men are lazy and forgetful in the cultivation of piety, God would by this aid make a provision for their infirmity. For when He says that they should “look upon it and remember,” He hints that they have need of these coarse rudiments, which may strike even their outward senses; and again, that, unless their memory was kept awake, nothing was more likely than that forgetfulness should steal upon them. But he presently adds, that God has no satisfaction in mere empty knowledge, but that He demands serious affections and practical performance. In the latter part of the verse he points out another requirement, viz., not only that their sluggishness should be stimulated, but also their wantonness restrained; for when he says “that ye seek not after your own heart,” he intimates that, unless God should restrain their wandering senses, they would be too much inclined to all kinds of superstitions and errors. And, first of all, by contrasting “the hearts and eyes” of men with His Law, he shews that He would have His people contented with that one rule which He prescribes, without the admixture of any of their own imaginations; and again, He denounces the vanity of whatever men invent for themselves, and however pleasing any human scheme may appear to them, He still repudiates and condemns it. And this is still more clearly expressed in the last word, when he says that men “go a whoring” whenever they are governed by their own counsels. This declaration is deserving of our especial observation, for whilst they have much self-satisfaction who worship God according to their own will, and whilst they account their zeal to be very good and very right, they do nothing else but pollute themselves by spiritual adultery. For what by the world is considered to be the holiest devotion, God with his own mouth pronounces to be fornication. By the word “eyes” he unquestionably means man’s power of discernment.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(38) That they make them fringes . . . Better, That they make them tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the tassel of the corner (i.e., on each tassel) a thread (or cord) of blue. The tassels (zirith) appear to be the same as the gedilim (fringes) of Deu. 22:12. The outer garment of the Jews was a fourcornered cloth, which was also used by the poor as a counterpane (Exo. 22:26-27). It appears to have been commonly used with a hole in the centre, through which the head was put, so that one-half covered the front and the other the back of the body. These tassels, or fringes (LXX. craspeda), were enlarged by the Pharisees to exhibit their punctilious fulfilment of the Law (Matt. xiii 5). Great sanctity was attached to these fringes or tassels, and for this cause the woman with the issue of blood desired to touch a kraspedon of our Saviours garment (Mat. 9:20).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
38. Fringes The Hebrew tzeetzeeth, fringe or tassel, is used only in this statute and in Eze 8:3, where it is rendered “a lock of mine head.” The fringe was not originated by this law, but it existed before as the ordinary mode of finishing the robe, the ends of the woof being left to preserve the cloth from raveling, the riband of blue, (or cord, improperly lace, Exo 28:28; Exo 28:37 thread, Jdg 16:9 bracelets, ( cord, R.V.,) Gen 38:18; Gen 38:25 and wire, (of gold,) Exo 39:3 or rather dark violet, being added to strengthen the border. The outer robe, a quadrangular piece of cloth, was so worn that two of the corners hung down in front ornamented with this dark violet thread. To this fringe the Jews subsequently attached great sanctity, and the Pharisees enlarged it and the thread to an undue width, (Mat 23:5, note,) as an indication of their greater respect for the precepts of the law of Moses. The impress of consecration to the holy God was stamped on the life of the Israelite in ordinances extending to the most minute things, that he might always realize the voice of Jehovah, saying, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” These tassels were to remind him every moment to think on all his commands, and not to be guided by the imaginations of his heart and the lust of his eyes. Stier, in his comment on Christ’s summary of the law, as comprised in love, (Mat 22:40,) interprets the riband of blue as a type of love, and the fringes as the separate precepts scattered through the law and the prophets.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 15:38. Bid them that they make them fringes Another remarkable command is given, that every Israelite should wear, at the four comers of the skirts of his outward garment, (Deu 22:12.) fringes, fastened with blue ribband, fillet, or binding. These fringes or borders were formed with indentations or rays, like those of a flower. See Pole, Synops. The blue colour Le Clerc conjectures to have been chosen, rather than any other, in conformity to the high priest’s robe of blue, that so they might be put in mind that they were a kingdom of priests, all of them consecrated to God; Exo 19:6. The use of this ornament is signified in the 39th verse, that we may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, &c. Thus, as circumcision in their persons, so this ornament in their garb, was designed a badge to distinguish them from other nations; that so, as often as they looked upon this mark, they might be put in mind of their being the worshippers of the true God: a holy people, bound to the service of their Maker by peculiar laws and obligations, and by no means permitted to follow their own fancies and corrupt imaginations; Num 15:40. But, though these ornaments were thus well intended, and could not be considered as conveying any real sanctity, many of the Jews were found afterwards too apt to pride themselves in the bare wearing of them, and among other mean devices of hypocrisy, to which the Pharisees in our Saviour’s time had recourse, the enlarging the fringes was one, in order to make themselves more observable, and gain them the reputation of greater sanctity than others. See Mat 23:5. It appears from Virgil, AEneid iv. ver. 137 that the custom of wearing garments, with a blue or purple border or fringe, was not unknown to the Phoenicians:
Sidoniam picto chlamyden circumdata limbo.
We may just observe, that what we render in the 39th verse, for a fringe, Houbigant, after the Arabic signification of the word tzitz, renders for admonition. See his note.
REFLECTIONS.The Jews were God’s peculiar people; their very dress must be different from that of the nations around them. Note; (1.) When the manners of the world in dress are extravagant or indecent, it becomes the people of God to be singular. (2.) Our clothes, instead of ministering to pride, should ever awaken our thankfulness, and lead us to God.
The conclusion of the chapter furnishes the strongest argument for their exact obedience and conformity to every injunction. Note; When God is our God, we shall not only account all his commandments right and good, but obedience to them will be as much our delight as our duty.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
Ver. 38. That they may make them fringes. ] See Trapp on “ Mat 23:5 “
A ribband of blue.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
fringes. Hebrew. zizith, a fringe, as in Deu 22:12. Occurs only four times: here, verses: Num 15:38, Num 15:39, and Eze 8:3 (lock [of hair]) = a fringe where the threads hang down, like a lock of hair.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
ribband of blue
The ribband of blue. Blue, the heavenly colour, used upon the borders of the priests’ garments signified that the servants of God were to be heavenly in obedience and character, and separate from earthly ambitions and desires.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
fringes in the borders: The word tzitzith properly denotes an ornament resembling a flower. From Num 15:39, we learn that these were emblematical of the commands of God. That there is any analogy between a fringe and a precept, it would be bold to assert; but when a thing is appointed to represent another, no matter how different, that first object becomes the legitimate representative or sign of the other. Deu 22:12, Mat 9:20, Mat 23:5, Luk 8:44
Reciprocal: Exo 28:28 – a lace Exo 28:37 – blue Deu 6:8 – General Mat 14:36 – hem Mar 6:56 – the border
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 15:38. Fringes These were certain threads, or ends, standing out a little farther than the rest of their garments, left there for this use. In the borders That is, in the four borders or quarters, as it is, Deu 22:12. Of their garments Of their upper garments. This was practised by the Pharisees in Christs time, who are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary. A riband To make it more obvious to the sight, and consequently more serviceable to the use here mentioned. Of blue Or, purple.