Numbers 19:21
in Numbers 19This 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them: and he that sprinkleth the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he that toucheth the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Numbers 19
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
To afford the necessary supply of the cleansing mixture, the Jewish writers say that a red heifer was sacrificed every year, and that the ashes, mingled with the sprinkling ingredients, were distributed through all the cities and towns of Israel.
This site's exposition
it shall be a perpetual statute unto them
on Numbers 19:21-22
The statute is made perpetual with the reversal written into it, since the man who sprinkles the water washes his clothes afterward and the man who touches it is unclean until evening. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hold that the purifying power sits in the divine appointment rather than in the mixture. Verse 22 states the traffic of defilement in one direction, that whatever the unclean man touches becomes unclean. Haggai 2:11-13 puts that very question to the priests and gets the same answer, that holy flesh does not make other things holy by contact while a man defiled by a dead body makes what he touches unclean.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And that this ceremonial purification was a type and figure of the cleansing of the consciences of believers from the pollutions of sin appears by the apostle's discourse, Heb. ix. 13, 14 , where he compares the efficacy of the blood of Christ with the sanctifying virtue that was in "the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean." The Ashes of Purification.
He that toucheth the water - Either by sprinkling of it, or by being sprinkled with it; for even he that was cleansed by it, was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled, but only at the even of that day.
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
One important lesson, however, was thus taught, that its purifying efficacy was not inherent in itself, but arose from the divine appointment, as in other ordinances of religion, which are effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that administers them, but solely through the grace of God communicated thereby.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיְתָ֥ה | vehayetah | and it will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָּהֶ֖ם | lahem | for <the> them | ||
| לְחֻקַּ֣ת | lechukat | <into> a statute of | H2708 → | 104 times |
| עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| וּמַזֵּ֤ה | umazeh | and [the] [one who] spatters | H5137 → | 24 times |
| מֵֽי־ | mei- | <of> [the] water of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַנִּדָּה֙ | hanidah | <the> impurity | H5079 → | 29 times |
| יְכַבֵּ֣ס | yekhabes | he will wash | H3526 → | 51 times |
| בְּגָדָ֔יו | begadav | clothes his | H899 → | 217 times |
| וְהַנֹּגֵ֙עַ֙ | vehanogea' | and the [one who] touches | H5060 → | 150 times |
| בְּמֵ֣י | bemei | <in> [the] water of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַנִּדָּ֔ה | hanidah | <the> impurity | H5079 → | 29 times |
| יִטְמָ֖א | yitma' | he will be unclean | H2930 → | 162 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הָעָֽרֶב׃ | haarev | the evening | H6153 → | 134 times |
וְהָיְתָ֥הand it will become
vehayetahH1961 →3559 times
לָּהֶ֖םfor <the> them
lahem
לְחֻקַּ֣ת<into> a statute of
lechukatH2708 →104 times
עוֹלָ֑םperpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
וּמַזֵּ֤הand [the] [one who] spatters
umazehH5137 →24 times
מֵֽי־<of> [the] water of
mei-H4325 →581 times
הַנִּדָּה֙<the> impurity
hanidahH5079 →29 times
יְכַבֵּ֣סhe will wash
yekhabesH3526 →51 times
בְּגָדָ֔יוclothes his
begadavH899 →217 times
וְהַנֹּגֵ֙עַ֙and the [one who] touches
vehanogea'H5060 →150 times
בְּמֵ֣י<in> [the] water of
bemeiH4325 →581 times
הַנִּדָּ֔ה<the> impurity
hanidahH5079 →29 times
יִטְמָ֖אhe will be unclean
yitma'H2930 →162 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הָעָֽרֶב׃the evening
haarevH6153 →134 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 10:4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:11
Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
- Isaiah 1:11–15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood…
- Micah 6:6–8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
- Romans 11:27
And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
- 1 John 3:5
But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
- Hebrews 10:11
Through
Hebrews 7:19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
it leads to
- Acts 13:39
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
- Hebrews 9:9
It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.
- Acts 13:39
Through
Leviticus 11:40Whoever eats from the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening, and anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 44:31
The priests may not eat any bird or animal found dead or torn by wild beasts.
- Ezekiel 44:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Numbers
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.