Numbers 15:39
New International Version
You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

New Living Translation
When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the LORD instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.

English Standard Version
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.

Berean Standard Bible
These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,

New American Standard Bible
It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so that you will do them and not follow your own heart and your own eyes, which led you to prostitute yourselves,

NASB 1995
“It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,

NASB 1977
“And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,

Legacy Standard Bible
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,

Amplified Bible
It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, so that you do not follow after [the desires of] your own heart and eyes, [desires] after which you used to follow and play the prostitute,

Christian Standard Bible
These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the LORD’s commands and obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the LORD’s commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes.

American Standard Version
and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye follow not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to play the harlot;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the fringes shall be for you that you shall see them and you shall be reminded of all of the commandments of LORD JEHOVAH your God and you shall do them and you shall not stray after your hearts and after your minds after which you were going astray.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall be on your fringes, and ye shall look on them, and ye shall remember all the commands of the Lord, and do them: and ye shall not turn back after your imaginations, and after the sight of your eyes in the things after which ye go a whoring;

Douay-Rheims Bible
That when they shall see them, they may remember all the commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes going astray after divers things,

English Revised Version
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 go not about after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whenever you look at the threads in the tassel, you will remember all the LORD's commands and obey them. Then you won't do whatever you want and go after whatever you see, as if you were chasing after prostitutes.

Good News Translation
The tassels will serve as reminders, and each time you see them you will remember all my commands and obey them; then you will not turn away from me and follow your own wishes and desires.

International Standard Version
That way, when you see the tassel, you'll remember all the commands of the LORD and you'll observe them. Then you won't seek your own interests and desires that lead you to be unfaithful.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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 go not about after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go astray;

Literal Standard Version
and it has been to you for a fringe, and you have seen it, and have remembered all the commands of YHWH, and have done them, and you do not search after your heart and after your eyes, after which you are going whoring,

Majority Standard Bible
These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

New American Bible
When you use these tassels, the sight of the cord will remind you of all the commandments of the LORD and you will do them, without prostituting yourself going after the desires of your hearts and your eyes.

NET Bible
You must have this tassel so that you may look at it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and obey them and so that you do not follow after your own heart and your own eyes that lead you to unfaithfulness.

New Revised Standard Version
You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes.

New Heart English Bible
and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that you not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute;

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be to 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 astray:

World English Bible
It shall be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them; and that you don’t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to play the prostitute;

Young's Literal Translation
and it hath been to you for a fringe, and ye have seen it, and have remembered all the commands of Jehovah, and have done them, and ye search not after your heart, and after your eyes, after which ye are going a-whoring;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Law of Tassels
38“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. 39These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes. 40Then you will remember and obey all My commandments, and you will be holy to your God.…

Cross References
Exodus 13:9
It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 4:23
Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you.

Deuteronomy 6:12
be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 8:11
Be careful not to forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day.

Deuteronomy 8:14
then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

1 Kings 12:33
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.

Psalm 73:27
Those far from You will surely perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.


Treasury of Scripture

And it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to go a whoring:

remember

Exodus 13:9
And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: …

Deuteronomy 11:18-21,28-32
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes…

ye seek not

Deuteronomy 29:19
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

Job 31:7
If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

Proverbs 28:26
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

go a whoring

Exodus 34:15,16
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; …

Psalm 73:27
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

Psalm 106:3
Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

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Astray Commandments Commands Desires Eyes Harlot Heart Inclined Play Played Prostitute Remember Seek Tassel Tassels Untrue Use Wantonly Whoring Yourselves
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Astray Commandments Commands Desires Eyes Harlot Heart Inclined Play Played Prostitute Remember Seek Tassel Tassels Untrue Use Wantonly Whoring Yourselves
Numbers 15
1. The law of the meat offering, and the drink offering
14. The stranger is under the same law
17. The law of the first of the dough
22. The sacrifice for sins of ignorance
30. The punishment of presumption
32. He who violated the Sabbath is stoned
37. The law of tassels














(39) That ye seek not after your own heart.--Or, That ye go not about, or search not out, &c.

Verse 39. - That ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments. It was indeed a minute and apparently trivial distinction, and yet such an one as would most surely strike the eye, and through the eye the mind. It was like the facings on a uniform which recall the fame and exploits of a famous regiment. The tasseled Hebrew was a marked man in other eyes, and in his own; he could not pass himself off as one of the heathen; he was perpetually reminded of the special relation in which he stood to the Lord, whose livery (so to speak) - or, to use another simile, whose colours - he wore. No doubt the sky-blue string or thread which was so prominent was meant to remind him of heaven, and of the God of heaven. And that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring. The office of the tassels was to promote a recollected spirit. As it was, their fickle minds were always ready to stray away towards any heathen follies which their restless eyes might light upon. The trivial but striking peculiarity of their dress should recall them to the thought that they were a peculiar people, holy to the Lord.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
These will serve
וְהָיָ֣ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

as tassels
לְצִיצִת֒ (lə·ṣî·ṣiṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6734: A floral, wing-like projection, a forelock of hair, a tassel

for you to look at,
וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם (ū·rə·’î·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

so that you may remember
וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ (ū·zə·ḵar·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the commandments
מִצְוֺ֣ת (miṣ·wōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4687: Commandment

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

that you may obey
וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם (wa·‘ă·śî·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

them
אֹתָ֑ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

and not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

prostitute yourselves
זֹנִ֖ים (zō·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry

by following
תָתֻ֜רוּ (ṯā·ṯu·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8446: To meander, about, for, trade, reconnoitring

your own heart
לְבַבְכֶם֙ (lə·ḇaḇ·ḵem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

and your own eyes.
עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם (‘ê·nê·ḵem)
Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain


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OT Law: Numbers 15:39 And it shall be to you (Nu Num.)
Numbers 15:38
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