Keraia
Numbers 31

Numbers 31:19

Vengeance on Midian · Numbers 31:1–24
Read Numbers 31

Translations

Modern
All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives.
Traditional
And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
Literal
And as for you, remain outside of the camp seven days; anyone who kills a soul and anyone who touches the slain—you shall cleanse yourselves from sin, you and your captives, on the third day and on the seventh day.
Latin
…et manete extra castra septem diebus. Qui occiderit hominem, vel occisum tetigerit, lustrabitur die tertio et septimo.

Original

Hebrew
English
All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives.

Notes

Numbers 31:19–24

Israelite soldiers who touched dead bodies became ceremonially unclean (ritually impure). They had to go through the required purification rituals.

These rituals were routine, but they were important. They also had to purify their equipment (see 5:1–4; 19:1–22).

Theme notes and profiles

Moses

Glossary

Deuteronomy, Book of Midian, Midianite Numbers, Book of

Topics

Armies: March in Ranks: Purifications Captive: Cruelty to Putting to Death Defilement: Caused by Killing in Battle Defilement: Caused by Touching the Dead Journey of Israel Through The Desert: Return to the Plains of Moab: Midianites Destroyed and Balaam Slain Mourning: Caused Ceremonial Defilement Purification for Those Who had Recently Killed Someone in Battle Sanitation: Carcasses Sanitation: Contagion Sanitation: Disinfection Sanitation: Quarantine The Armies of Israel: Purified on Returning from War