Translations
Modern
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
Traditional
And 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.
Literal
And it shall be for them an everlasting statute. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until the evening.
Latin
Erit hoc præceptum legitimum sempiternum. Ipse quoque qui aspergit aquas, lavabit vestimenta sua. Omnis qui tetigerit aquas expiationis, immundus erit usque ad vesperum.
Original
Hebrew
English
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
Notes
To cleanse with the heifer's ashes, they made a special purifying mixture. They combined ashes from the burnt purification offering with fresh water (compare 5:17).
This section explains how ordinary Israelites can become ceremonially clean again after touching a corpse and avoid defiling the Tent of Meeting (see 9:4–12; Leviticus 17:15; 21:1–4, 11–12). God's holiness demands that the place of his presence remains pure and separate from pollution (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, 18–20).
Theme notes and profiles
Glossary
Biblical Concept of Law Deuteronomy, Book of John the Baptist Numbers, Book of Water of Separation
Topics
Defilement: Caused by Touching the Dead Purification: Water of Purifications or Baptisms of Individuals Who Were Ceremonially Unclean Water of Separation