Numbers 19

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 19

1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

2This [is] the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein [is] no blemish, [and] upon which never came yoke:

3And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and [one] shall slay her before his face:

4And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

5And [one] shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

6And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast [it] into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

7Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

8And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

9And a man [that is] clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay [them] up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it [is] a purification for sin.

10And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

11¶ He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

12He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.

13Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness [is] yet upon him.

14This [is] the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that [is] in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

15And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, [is] unclean.

16And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

17And for an unclean [person] they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

18And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip [it] in the water, and sprinkle [it] upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:

19And the clean [person] shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

20But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he [is] unclean.

21And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.

22And whatsoever the unclean [person] toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth [it] shall be unclean until even.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Numbers 19 details the ordinance of the red heifer, a unique sacrifice for purification from sin. Its ashes, mixed with running water, form the "water of separation," essential for cleansing those defiled by contact with the dead. This ritual, though making those who perform it temporarily unclean, provides a means for the congregation to be purified and avoid being cut off from Israel.

Medium Summary

Numbers chapter 19 outlines the divine ordinance concerning the red heifer, a spotless animal without blemish or yoke, to be sacrificed outside the camp. Eleazar the priest oversees its slaying and sprinkles its blood seven times before the tabernacle. The heifer, including its hide, flesh, blood, and dung, is then completely burned with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet. Its ashes are gathered by a clean man and stored as "water of separation," serving as a purification for sin. The chapter then establishes laws for those defiled by touching a dead body, a slain person, a bone, or a grave, requiring a seven-day period of uncleanness. Purification involves sprinkling with the water of separation on the third and seventh days, with failure to do so resulting in being cut off from the congregation for defiling the sanctuary.

Long Summary

Numbers chapter 19 presents the specific law concerning the red heifer, commanded by the LORD to Moses and Aaron as an ordinance for purification. This heifer, required to be without spot, blemish, or ever having borne a yoke, was to be brought to Eleazar the priest. He was to lead it outside the camp where it would be slain in his presence. Eleazar would then take some of its blood and sprinkle it seven times directly before the tabernacle of the congregation. Following this, the entire heifer, including its skin, flesh, blood, and dung, was to be burned in his sight, with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet cast into the flames. Those involved in the burning, including Eleazar, would become ceremonially unclean until the evening and were required to wash their clothes and bathe. A clean man was then designated to gather the ashes of the burnt heifer and store them in a clean place outside the camp, to be preserved for the congregation as "water of separation," serving as a purification for sin. This statute was perpetual for both Israelites and sojourners. The chapter then shifts to the laws of defilement concerning contact with the dead. Anyone touching a dead human body would be unclean for seven days, requiring purification on the third and seventh days with the water of separation. Failure to purify oneself would result in being cut off from Israel, as it defiled the tabernacle of the LORD. The law also extended uncleanness to all within a tent where a person died, and to open vessels without coverings. Touching a slain person, a bone, or a grave also incurred seven days of uncleanness. For purification, some of the ashes of the burnt heifer were to be mixed with running water in a vessel. A clean person would then use hyssop to sprinkle this water upon the defiled tent, vessels, and individuals on the third and seventh days. After the final sprinkling on the seventh day, the unclean person was to wash their clothes and bathe, becoming clean at even. The chapter concludes by reiterating that failure to purify oneself would lead to being cut off from the congregation for defiling the sanctuary, and that anyone touching the water of separation or anything an unclean person touched would also become unclean until the evening.

Core Concepts

  • Red Heifer OrdinanceThis is a unique sacrifice of a spotless, unblemished red heifer, never yoked, whose ashes are central to ritual purification. It is commanded by the LORD as a perpetual statute for the children of Israel.
  • Water of SeparationFormed by mixing the ashes of the red heifer with running water, this substance is specifically used for cleansing individuals and objects defiled by contact with the dead. It is explicitly called a "purification for sin."
  • Ritual UncleannessA temporary state of ceremonial impurity incurred by contact with death, requiring specific purification rites to restore cleanliness and permit participation in congregational life. This uncleanness lasts for seven days.
  • Purification for SinThe primary purpose of the red heifer ritual and the water of separation is to cleanse individuals from the defilement associated with death. This cleansing enables the defiled person to re-enter the community and avoid being cut off.
  • Defilement of the TabernacleFailure to purify oneself after contact with the dead is explicitly stated as defiling the LORD's tabernacle. This act carries severe consequences, including being cut off from Israel.
  • Perpetual StatuteThe laws concerning the red heifer and purification from dead body contact are declared to be a permanent ordinance for the children of Israel and sojourners among them. This indicates their enduring importance within the Mosaic Law.
  • Temporary Uncleanness of Ritual ParticipantsThose who perform the sacrifice, handle the ashes, or sprinkle the water of separation become ceremonially unclean until evening. This highlights the sacred yet defiling nature of handling the elements of purification.