Numbers 19 13

Numbers 19:13 kjv

Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

Numbers 19:13 nkjv

Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him.

Numbers 19:13 niv

If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the LORD's tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them.

Numbers 19:13 esv

Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him.

Numbers 19:13 nlt

All those who touch a dead body and do not purify themselves in the proper way defile the LORD's Tabernacle, and they will be cut off from the community of Israel. Since the water of purification was not sprinkled on them, their defilement continues.

Numbers 19 verses

Numbers 19 13 Meaning

Numbers 19:13 stipulates that any person who touches a dead human body and fails to undergo the prescribed purification ritual involving the water of separation (mixed with the ashes of the red heifer) defiles the Tabernacle of the Lord. Consequently, that soul shall be "cut off" from Israel, indicating a severe exclusion from the community and its covenant blessings. The verse emphasizes that due to the neglect of purification, the person's state of defilement persists.

Numbers 19 13 Context

Numbers chapter 19 outlines the singular and highly ritualistic ceremony of the red heifer, whose ashes were mixed with water to create the "water of separation" (mei niddah). This unique mixture was specifically prescribed for purifying individuals who had become ritually defiled by touching a dead human body, including bones or graves. This form of impurity was considered highly contagious and profoundly defiling within the Israelite camp, especially given God's holy presence among them in the Tabernacle. The chapter highlights the severe consequences of this specific defilement. Verse 13 specifically addresses the failure to observe the prescribed cleansing ritual, emphasizing that such neglect contaminates the holy dwelling of the Lord and leads to severe punishment of exclusion from the community of Israel. This underscored the absolute necessity of maintaining ceremonial purity for fellowship with a holy God in the midst of the wilderness camp, preventing God's direct presence from being profaned by unholiness. The elaborate rules reflected a fundamental concern for distinguishing between clean and unclean, ultimately pointing to God's inherent purity and His demands for holiness from His covenant people, in contrast to the more permissive cultic practices of surrounding pagan nations.

Numbers 19 13 Word analysis

• Whosoever/man (אִישׁ, ish): Emphasizes individual accountability for purity within the community. Not merely a communal problem but a personal responsibility with corporate consequences.
• toucheth (נָגַע, nāḡaʿ): A common Hebrew verb meaning to touch, strike, or reach. Here, it denotes direct physical contact, which instantly imparts ritual impurity, highlighting the highly contagious nature of defilement from death.
• dead body/soul of the dead (נֶפֶשׁ מֵת, nephèsh meth): Literally "soul of the dead one." Death was the ultimate source of impurity under the Mosaic Law because it signifies the opposite of life, which flows from God. The term nephèsh here, often translated as soul, highlights the holistic person and their cessation of life.
• purifieth not himself (וְלֹא יִתְחַטָּא, wĕlō’ yithḥaṭṭā’): From the root ḥāṭā’ (חָטָא), which primarily means "to miss the mark," hence "to sin." In the Hithpael stem, it signifies "to purify oneself," specifically from sin or defilement. The phrase connects ceremonial purity directly with the concept of cleansing from spiritual blemish, even if unintentional.
• defileth the tabernacle (טָמֵא אֶת־מִשְׁכָּן, ṭāmē’ eth-miškān): Ṭāmē’ means to become ritually unclean, defiled, or contaminated. The Tabernacle was God's dwelling place, symbolizing His holy presence. Defiling it was a grave offense, threatening the divine presence and the entire covenant relationship, as God would not dwell in an unclean midst.
• cut off (וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ, wĕnikhretah hannephèsh): From the root kārat (כָּרַת), meaning "to cut, to cut off, to destroy." This phrase denotes the most severe form of judgment in the Mosaic Law. It signifies expulsion from the covenant community, exclusion from its privileges, and often implies divine judgment leading to premature death, extinction of progeny, or spiritual death in terms of separation from God.
• from Israel: Highlights expulsion from the privileged covenant community chosen by God.
• water of separation (מֵי נִדָּה, mê niddah): Literally "water of impurity" or "water of menstruation/uncleanness," specifically referring to the purification water made from red heifer ashes and fresh water, designed to counteract serious defilement like that from a corpse.
• unclean (טָמֵא, ṭāmē’): Reiteration that without the required purification, the state of ritual defilement persists, impacting one's ability to participate in sacred community life and commune with God.

Numbers 19 13 Bonus section

The concept of "cutting off" (karath) from Israel can carry multiple layers of meaning: not just physical death, but also being separated from the covenant community and its blessings, implying no inheritance or spiritual share. The severity reflects that ritual purity was not merely a ceremonial formality but profoundly linked to the covenant relationship. This law served as a constant reminder to the Israelites of the pervasive effect of death and the profound gulf between human sinfulness and God's perfect holiness, illustrating that even unwitting contamination had severe consequences. The uniqueness of the red heifer ritual (no priest partook of its sacrifice, ashes used only for this specific purpose, paradoxically making the cleanser temporarily unclean, Num 19:8) also suggests its anticipatory nature, pointing towards a future, final cleansing that transcends typical sacrificial efficacy.

Numbers 19 13 Commentary

Numbers 19:13 encapsulates the stringent purity laws necessary for Israel to coexist with a holy God in their midst. The core message is that defilement, particularly from death, is incompatible with God's holiness. Touching a corpse, the ultimate symbol of sin's consequence (Rom 6:23), brought about such profound impurity that it jeopardized the sacred space of the Tabernacle and thus God's very presence among His people. The ritual of the red heifer was the unique provision for this extreme defilement, underscoring its gravity; it was not a sin offering, but a cleansing from an "uncleanness unto death." Neglecting this provision, a failure of obedience and respect for God's holiness, was not a minor oversight but a direct act of profaning His dwelling. The punishment, "cut off from Israel," signifies expulsion from the covenant community and divine judgment. This illustrates God's unyielding standard for holiness and His zero-tolerance policy for defilement within His consecrated nation, highlighting that the integrity of the sacred space and the well-being of the entire community were dependent on individual adherence to purity laws. Spiritually, this passage foreshadows the complete and ultimate purification required for sin, fulfilled not by external rites but by the perfect blood of Jesus Christ (Heb 9:13-14), who became "unclean" for us, enabling our spiritual purity and perpetual access to God.