What Does Numbers 15:38-39 Mean?
The law in Numbers 15:38-39 defines God’s command for the Israelites to make tassels on the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each, as a visible reminder. These tassels were clothing details meant to be seen, remembered, and obeyed so the people would follow God’s commands instead of following their own desires. As Numbers 15:39 says, '...that you may look at it 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.'
Numbers 15:38-39
“Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 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.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Moses
Genre
Law
Date
circa 1440 BC
Key People
- Moses
- the people of Israel
Key Themes
- Obedience to God's commandments
- Divine reminders through physical symbols
- Faithfulness versus idolatry
Key Takeaways
- Tassels with blue cords reminded Israel to obey God daily.
- Following heart and eyes leads to spiritual unfaithfulness.
- Jesus fulfills the law and gives inward transformation.
A Reminder You Can See
This command comes near the end of a section where God is shaping Israel’s daily life, reminding them they belong to Him.
He told them to attach tassels with a blue cord to their garments so they’d see them and remember His commands. It wasn’t about fashion - it was a visual aid to stop them from chasing their own desires, as Numbers 15:39 says: '...that you may look at it 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.'
The Meaning Behind the Blue Cord and the Danger of Wandering Hearts
The blue cord in the tassel was a color choice that carried spiritual weight, pointing to God’s authority and holiness.
Blue was rare and expensive, often linked to the sky and God’s throne, so this thread reminded Israel they served a holy God who demanded faithfulness. The warning against following 'your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after' uses strong language - 'whoring after' means chasing other gods or desires like an unfaithful spouse, a phrase also used in Exodus 34:15 and Ezekiel 6:9 to describe how Israel turned from God to idols. This wasn’t about accidental mistakes but deliberate choices to ignore God’s ways for the lure of what felt good in the moment.
Do not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
The tassel was a daily call to stay loyal in both actions and desire because true obedience starts in the heart.
A Sign That Points to Jesus
The tassels with the blue cord were a daily reminder to obey God instead of chasing their own desires, but Jesus took that obedience to a whole new level.
He lived perfectly, never chasing what His eyes wanted or following His own heart’s impulses - even when tempted - so He could fulfill all of God’s commands on our behalf. Now, in the New Testament, Paul teaches that we’re not required to wear tassels, but we are called to the same heart loyalty through faith in Christ, who completed the law and gives us His Spirit to help us follow God from the inside out.
When Jesus Wore the Tassels
Jesus, as a faithful Jewish man, would have worn the tassels commanded in Numbers, and in Matthew 9:20-21, we see a powerful moment where that ancient symbol becomes a channel of grace.
A woman who had suffered for twelve years reached out and touched 'the tassel of his garment,' believing she would be healed, and Jesus said, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well.' This shows how the tassel, once a reminder to obey the Law, now pointed to the presence of God’s healing and mercy in Jesus Himself.
She said to herself, 'If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.'
The same tassels meant to guard Israel’s loyalty now framed a moment of compassion and power, reminding us that following God is no longer about rules alone, but about reaching out in faith to the One who fulfills them.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I remember a time when I kept saying yes to small compromises - one more scroll through my phone late at night, one more angry thought I didn’t stop, one more glance at something I knew wasn’t honoring God. I wasn’t breaking big rules, but I was slowly drifting, chasing what felt right in the moment instead of what I knew God wanted. Then I read Numbers 15:39 again - how God gave His people something visible to stop them from following their own hearts and eyes. It hit me: I needed my own 'tassel,' a daily reminder. So I started writing a short verse on a sticky note and putting it on my mirror: 'Do not follow after your own heart and your own eyes.' It wasn’t magic, but it became a moment of pause. And in those pauses, I began to choose God again. It didn’t remove guilt, but it opened the door to grace - because I wasn’t trying to behave, I was learning to listen.
Personal Reflection
- When was the last time I chose what my eyes wanted or my heart craved, even though I knew it wasn’t what God wanted?
- What is one simple, visible reminder I could use each day to point me back to God’s commands and His presence?
- How can I rely on Jesus’ perfect obedience when I fail, instead of trying harder on my own?
A Challenge For You
This week, create your own 'tassel' - a physical reminder you’ll see daily, like a note on your mirror, a lock screen quote, or a small object in your pocket. Choose a phrase from Scripture, like 'Remember the Lord’s commands' or 'Do not follow your own heart,' to help you pause and turn back to God. And each time you see it, take one breath, and ask Jesus to help you follow Him instead of your cravings.
A Prayer of Response
God, thank you for giving us reminders to turn back to You. Forgive me for the times I’ve chased what my eyes want or followed my own desires instead of Your ways. Thank you for Jesus, who never turned away from You, even when tempted. Help me today to stop, to see, and to choose You. Send Your Spirit to guide my heart where my eyes might lead me wrong. I want to follow You, not myself.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Numbers 15:37
Precedes the tassel command, showing this instruction follows a case law about sin, emphasizing intentional obedience.
Numbers 15:40
Continues the call to remember and obey God’s commands, reinforcing the purpose of the tassels.
Connections Across Scripture
Zechariah 8:23
Foretells nations clinging to Israel’s garments, symbolizing how tassels point to God’s global redemptive plan.
James 1:14-15
Warns that desire leads to sin, directly echoing the danger of following the heart and eyes in Numbers 15:39.
Galatians 5:16
Calls believers to walk by the Spirit, contrasting fleshly desires with the tassel’s call to resist self-driven impulses.