Keraia
Numbers 19

Numbers 19:7

The Red Heifer · Numbers 19:1–10
Read Numbers 19

Translations

Modern
Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening.
Traditional
Then 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.
Literal
And the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in the water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; and the priest shall be unclean until the evening.
Latin
Et tunc demum, lotis vestibus et corpore suo, ingredietur in castra, commaculatusque erit usque ad vesperum.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening.

Notes

Numbers 19:7–10

It required three people to produce and collect the heifer’s ashes. These were Eleazar, the person who burned the animal, and the person who gathered its ashes. All three became ceremonially impure for a day because of this process. The same was true for the person who used the finished product. This was a potion made from the ash dust and water (compare 19:21). This potion had the same defiling effect as blood associated with sacrifices (Leviticus 6:27–28).

Numbers 19:1–10

They made the water for the purification ceremony with ashes of the red heifer (19:9). It might be the same as the water of purification in 8:7 (see also 31:19–24). This ceremony needed the ashes of a red heifer. The color probably represented blood (compare Hebrews 9:13–14).

Numbers 19:1–22

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

Clean, Unclean, and Holy

Glossary

Biblical Concept of Law Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Deuteronomy, Book of Hyssop John the Baptist Numbers, Book of Red Heifer

Topics

Ablution of Priests Defilement of Priests Defilement: Ceremonial Caused by Sacrificing the Red Heifer Priests: Special Laws Respecting: While Unclean Could not Perform Any Service Purification: Scriptures Relating To Purifications or Baptisms of Individuals Who Were Ceremonially Unclean The Red Heifer: Communicated Uncleanness to The Priest That offered Her Water of Separation