Numbers 19 10

Numbers 19:10 kjv

And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

Numbers 19:10 nkjv

And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

Numbers 19:10 niv

The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.

Numbers 19:10 esv

And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. And this shall be a perpetual statute for the people of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them.

Numbers 19:10 nlt

The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel and any foreigners who live among them.

Numbers 19 verses

Numbers 19 10 Meaning

This verse decrees that the statute of the red heifer, including its purification process, is an enduring ordinance for both the native-born Israelites and for the foreigners who reside among them. It emphasizes the perpetual nature and universal applicability of this critical ritual within the Israelite community, demonstrating God's inclusive provision for cleansing from impurity.

Numbers 19 10 Context

Numbers chapter 19 details the specific ritual of the "red heifer," which was essential for purification from ritual impurity, especially contact with a dead body. This type of impurity was the most severe and enduring in the Mosaic Law, making individuals unable to approach the Tabernacle. The red heifer’s ashes, mixed with water, formed the "water of separation" (or purification water), sprinkled upon the unclean person. This ritual highlights God's demand for holiness and the provision He made for His people, even while dwelling amidst death in the wilderness, to remain in fellowship with Him and His sanctuary. Verse 10 specifically broadens the scope of this vital purification requirement and its benefits beyond the native-born Israelites to include the ger, the foreign resident who lived within their community, signifying God's inclusive care under His covenant.

Numbers 19 10 Word analysis

• And it shall be: This phrase, w'hayeta (וְהָיְתָה), commonly introduces a legal or ritual command that has lasting effect.
• a perpetual statute: In Hebrew, ḥukkat olam (חֻקַּת עוֹלָם).
  • Ḥukkah (חֻקָּה): Means "statute," "ordinance," or "decree." It denotes a prescribed rule, often one with a divine origin or fixed nature, representing an unchangeable law.
  • Olam (עוֹלָם): Means "perpetual," "everlasting," or "forever." When combined with ḥukkah, it signifies an enduring, unchangeable, and binding regulation for all generations under the covenant. It is not subject to modification or termination unless God Himself abrogates it.
• unto the children of Israel: In Hebrew, livnei Yisrael (לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Refers to the descendants of Jacob (Israel), the covenant people for whom the Law was primarily given. This confirms the initial and primary recipients of this command.
• and unto the stranger: In Hebrew, v'el ha-ger (וְאֶל הַגֵּר).
  • Ger (גֵּר): Refers to a "sojourner," "alien," or "resident foreigner." This individual was not a native Israelite but had come to reside within the Israelite community, usually committing to its societal norms, laws, and, in many cases, religious practices. They were distinct from a mere transient visitor.
  • This inclusion emphasizes God's justice and grace extending beyond ethnic boundaries to those who committed to living within His covenant community, allowing them access to essential purity rites.
• that sojourneth among them: In Hebrew, ha-gar b'tokam (הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם).
  • Ha-gar (הַגָּר): Participle of gur (גּוּר), meaning "to sojourn," "to dwell." Reinforces that the ger is not just passing through but has taken up residence.
  • b'tokam (בְּתוֹכָם): "among them" or "in their midst." This clearly defines the scope of the ger as someone integrated into the Israelite society, underscoring that the laws applied equally to all who dwelled permanently within its borders and under its covenant stipulations.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "perpetual statute": This phrase highlights the unchangeable and eternal nature of divine laws pertaining to the holiness of the covenant people. It conveys that this specific purification rite was not temporary but a foundational principle necessary for maintaining ritual purity throughout Israelite history, until its ultimate fulfillment.
• "children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them": This significant grouping underlines the inclusive nature of the Mosaic Law. It reveals that the divine standard for purity, and the means for achieving it, was not restricted by lineage but extended to all who formally identified with and lived within the covenant community. It illustrates God's desire for all under His law to be holy.

Numbers 19 10 Bonus section

The inclusion of the ger (stranger/sojourner) in this vital ritual for impurity underscores a significant theological point in the Torah. While certain unique rights and responsibilities belonged solely to native Israelites (like priestly duties), matters of fundamental ritual purity and atonement often extended to the ger. This reveals that the demand for holiness, necessary to live in the presence of a holy God and His Tabernacle/Temple, transcended mere ethnic lines for those who had chosen to align with the covenant people. This concept serves as a precursor to the New Testament's broader revelation of God's universal redemptive plan, where in Christ, distinctions such as Jew and Gentile are nullified in the face of spiritual impurity (sin) and the need for a singular, perfect purification. The red heifer offering itself, taking place "outside the camp" and its ashes bringing purification, often foreshadowed Christ's atoning work, who suffered "outside the gate" to sanctify His people.

Numbers 19 10 Commentary

Numbers 19:10 establishes a foundational principle for the Red Heifer ordinance: its universal and perpetual application within the covenant community. By declaring it a "perpetual statute," the Lord signifies that this vital purification ritual would remain a consistent and necessary component of Israelite life for all generations. Crucially, its extension "unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them," highlights God's profound inclusivity. It means that whether one was a born Israelite or a resident alien who had committed to living according to God's covenant, both shared the same need for purification and had equal access to the divine means provided for it. This prevented a two-tiered system of holiness and underscored the theological truth that ritual impurity, particularly from death, equally separated all individuals from God's presence, and thus, all equally needed the divinely ordained provision for cleansing. This also set the stage for later revelations about God's salvific plan encompassing all nations.