Translations
Modern
Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”
Traditional
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
Literal
And whatever the unclean one touches in it shall be unclean, and the person who touches it shall be unclean until the evening.”
Latin
Quidquid tetigerit immundus, immundum faciet: et anima, quæ horum quippiam tetigerit, immunda erit usque ad vesperum.
Original
Hebrew
English
Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it 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
Topics
Defilement: Caused by Touching the Dead Defilement: Ceremonial Caused by Touching an Unclean Person Sanitation: Contagion Water of Separation