Numbers 15:32

"And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and unto Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Jehovah commanded Moses."

"While the children of Israel were in the wilderness ..." This does not indicate a date for Numbers after their settlement in Canaan, but has the utility of placing this incident within the period of the 38 years sojourn in the wilderness following the rebellion at Kadesh. It applies to all of the events recorded here through Numbers 19.

"It had not been declared what should be done with him ..." Again the critics find a basis for alleged "contradiction," because, as they say, the death penalty indeed had already been assigned for sabbath-breaking in the Book of Exodus. Yes, indeed! But the regulation there had not specified what manner of death was to be inflicted. Thus, the uncertainty of how the death penalty was to be executed was the cause of their inquiry before Moses in this passage. God promptly REAFFIRMED the sentence laid down in Exodus and ordered execution of the sabbath-breaker by stoning, the whole congregation to attend it, and the execution to be "without (outside) the camp." God's command was promptly obeyed.