Numbers 15 · Verse 38

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 ribband of blue:

Numbers 15:38, King James Version

Numbers 15:38 in other translations

BSB	“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout the generations to come they are to make for themselves tassels for the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.
WEB	“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue.
ASV	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 each border a cord of blue:
YLT	‘Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, and they have made for themselves fringes on the skirts of their garments, to their generations, and they have put on the fringe of the skirt a ribbon of blue,
DARBY	Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and that they attach to the tassel of the corners a lace of blue;
BBE	Say to the children of Israel that through all their generations they are to put on the edges of their robes an ornament of twisted threads, and in every ornament a blue cord;
Webster	Speak to the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribin of blue:

What does Numbers 15:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

38. bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments--These were narrow strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and on various parts of the attire. "Fringe," however, is the English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words--the one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or "border" (Mt 23:5; Lu 8:44), which, in order to make it more attractive to the eye and consequently more serviceable to the purpose described, was covered with a riband of blue or rather purple color; the other term signifies strings with tassels at the end, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of these are seen on the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish people were commanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them, the fashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high and religious associations--to keep them in habitual remembrance of the divine commandments.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 38 Bid them - make them fringes - We learn from Num 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, Num 15:39, the mention or sight of them conveyed the intelligence intended. All the Jews wore these, and so probably did our Lord; see Mat 9:20, where the word κρασπε ον is rather to be understood of the fringe than of the hem of his garment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 15:37-41

The people are ordered by the Lord to make fringes on the borders of their garments. The Jews were distinguished from their neighbours in their dress, as well as in their diet, and thus taught not to be conformed to the way of the heathen in other things. They proclaimed themselves Jews wherever they were, as not ashamed of God and his law. The fringes were not appointed for trimming and adorning their clothes, but…

Read the full comment on Numbers 15:37-41 →

Numbers 15:38 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

דַּבֵּ֞רda.BerspeakH1696

אֶל\־'el-toH413

בְּנֵ֤יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ve.'a.mar.Taand you will sayH559

אֲלֵהֶ֔ם'a.le.Hemto themH413

וְעָשׂ֨וּve.'a.Suand they will makeH6213

לָהֶ֥םla.Hemfor <the> themselves

צִיצִ֛תtzi.Tzittassel[s]H6734

עַל\־'al-onH5921

כַּנְפֵ֥יkan.Fei[the] corners ofH3671

בִגְדֵיהֶ֖םvig.dei.Hemclothes theirH899

לְדֹרֹתָ֑םle.do.ro.Tamto generations theirH1755

וְנָֽתְנ֛וּve.Na.te.Nuand they will putH5414

עַל\־'al-onH5921

צִיצִ֥תtzi.Tzit[the] tassel[s] ofH6734

הַכָּנָ֖ףha.ka.Nafthe cornerH3671

פְּתִ֥ילpe.Tila cord ofH6616

תְּכֵֽלֶת\׃te.Khe.letviolet stuffH8504

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 15:38

Matthew 23:5
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
Deuteronomy 22:12
Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
Luke 8:44
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Matthew 9:20
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

fringes in the borders.The word {tzitzith} properly denotes an ornament resembling a flower. From ver. 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.
De 22:12; Mt 9:20; 23:5; Lu 8:44

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Numbers 15:37
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
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 ribband of blue:
Numbers 15:39
And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Read all of Numbers 15

Numbers 15:38 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Habla á los hijos de Israel, y diles que se hagan pezuelos (franjas) en los remates de sus vestidos, por sus generaciones; y pongan en cada pezuelo de los remates un cordón de cárdeno:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Parle aux fils d’Israël, et dis-leur qu’ils se fassent, en leurs générations, une houppe aux coins de leurs vêtements, et qu’ils mettent à la houppe du coin un cordon de bleu.
German Elberfelder 1871	Rede zu den Kindern Israel und sprich zu ihnen, daß sie sich eine Quaste an den Zipfeln ihrer Oberkleider machen, bei ihren Geschlechtern, und daß sie an die Quaste des Zipfels eine Schnur von blauem Purpur setzen;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Loquere filiis Israël, et dices ad eos ut faciant sibi fimbrias per angulos palliorum, ponentes in eis vittas hyacinthinas: