Keraia
Numbers 31

Numbers 31:20

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

Translations

Modern
And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”
Traditional
And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood.
Literal
And every garment, and everything made of leather, and everything woven of goats’ hair, and every wood vessel, you shall cleanse yourselves from sin.”
Latin
Et de omni præda, sive vestimentum fuerit, sive vas, et aliquid in utensilia præparatum, de caprarum pellibus, et pilis, et ligno, expiabitur.

Original

Hebrew
English
And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”

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 Dress: Ceremonial Purification of Garments: Cleansed by Water from Ceremonial Uncleanness Goat: Hair of, Used for Clothing Journey of Israel Through The Desert: Return to the Plains of Moab: Midianites Destroyed and Balaam Slain Purification for Those Who had Recently Killed Someone in Battle Sanitation: Contagion Sanitation: Disinfection Sanitation: Quarantine The Armies of Israel: Purified on Returning from War