Numbers 19 18

Numbers 19:18 kjv

And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:

Numbers 19:18 nkjv

A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave.

Numbers 19:18 niv

Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death.

Numbers 19:18 esv

Then a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there and on whoever touched the bone, or the slain or the dead or the grave.

Numbers 19:18 nlt

Then someone who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or who died naturally, or touched a grave.

Numbers 19 verses

Numbers 19 18 Meaning

Numbers 19:18 describes a specific step in the purification ritual for those defiled by contact with a dead body, using the water of purification derived from the red heifer's ashes. A ritually clean person is to use a hyssop branch, dip it into this special water, and then sprinkle it upon various objects and individuals that have been made unclean, including tents, vessels, people present, and anyone who directly touched a human bone, a deceased person, or a grave. This act was essential for restoring ritual purity, allowing the defiled to rejoin the clean community and participate in Tabernacle worship.

Numbers 19 18 Context

Numbers 19 details the unique and paradoxical "Law of the Red Heifer" (Parah Adumah), the primary ritual for purifying from severe ritual impurity caused by contact with a dead human body. The defilement by death was considered one of the highest levels of impurity in Israel, preventing anyone affected from participating in the Tabernacle's worship or dwelling within the holy camp. The entire chapter focuses on the collection and preparation of the ashes of a flawless red heifer sacrificed outside the camp (Num 19:1-10). These ashes were stored and, when needed, mixed with fresh, "living water" to create the "water of purification" (mayim niddah). Numbers 19:18 specifically outlines how this water, once prepared, was applied. The context highlights Israel's need for strict ritual purity to maintain God's presence in their midst, emphasizing that even unintentional contact with death created a barrier to holiness that required divine provision for atonement and cleansing.

Numbers 19 18 Word Analysis

• And (וְ - ve-): Connects this action to the previous verses, describing the ongoing process of purification.
• a clean person (אִישׁ טָהוֹר - ish tahor):
  • Ish means 'man' or 'person'.
  • Tahor means 'clean' or 'pure' in a ritual sense. This highlights a paradox: to purify others, the performer must first be clean. Yet, this "clean person" who applies the water becomes temporarily unclean (Num 19:21), demonstrating the potent nature of sin and defilement by death, which affects even the one mediating cleansing.
• shall take (לָקַח - lakach): Implies an active, intentional grasp. It's a prescribed action.
• hyssop (אֵזוֹב - ezov):
  • A small, shrub-like plant common in the Near East.
  • Its porous, brush-like quality made it ideal for sprinkling liquids.
  • Biblically significant: used for applying Passover blood (Exod 12:22), purifying lepers (Lev 14:4, 6), and for symbolic spiritual cleansing (Psa 51:7). It suggests humility and efficacy.
• and dip it (וְטָבַל - ve-taval):
  • Taval means 'to dip' or 'immerse'. This ensures the hyssop is thoroughly saturated with the purification water, ready to release it.
• in the water (בַּמָּיִם - ba-mayim): Refers to the "water for impurity" (Num 19:9, 17), a mixture of fresh running water and the red heifer's ashes. This is not ordinary water but a specially consecrated medium for ritual cleansing.
• and sprinkle it (וְהִזָּה - ve-hizzah):
  • Hizzah means 'to sprinkle' or 'scatter drops'. It's a deliberate action that effects purification.
  • This act is central to many cleansing rituals, symbolically diffusing impurity. Foreshadows the sprinkling of Christ's blood (Heb 9:13, 1 Pet 1:2).
• upon the tent (עַל־הָאֹהֶל - al-ha-ohel):
  • The dwelling where a person died, emphasizing that defilement permeated the physical space, not just the body. It necessitated thorough cleansing of the living environment.
• and upon all the vessels (וְעַל־כָּל־הַכֵּלִים - ve-al-kol-hakelim):
  • Kelim are articles or implements. Includes anything inanimate that was in the defiled tent or had contact. Highlights the comprehensive nature of defilement.
• and upon the persons that were there (וְעַל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר־הָיוּ שָׁם - ve-al-hannephashot asher hayu sham):
  • Nephashot refers to 'souls' or 'living beings/persons'. This includes anyone present who could have inhaled defilement or had indirect contact.
• and upon him that touched a bone (וְעַל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּעֶצֶם - ve-al-hannotzea be-etzem):
  • Specific source of direct, strong defilement, even a single bone (which lasts longer than flesh). It's direct physical contact with remains.
• or one slain (א֥וֹ חָלָ֖ל - o chalal):
  • Refers to a body of one killed by violence (a casualty). Distinct from someone who died naturally, but equally defiling.
• or one dead (אֽוֹ־מֵת֙ - o met):
  • Met is a generic term for a deceased person, one who died naturally. This category covers all general instances of a corpse.
• or a grave (א֥וֹ קָֽבֶר - o qaver):
  • A tomb or burial site. Even indirect contact or proximity to a grave rendered one unclean, acknowledging that defilement emanated from the place of death itself, implying that death's presence corrupts its surroundings.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it": This phrase details the method and the medium of purification. It specifies a human agent (clean person), a tool (hyssop), a preparation step (dip), and the critical action (sprinkle) with the purifying water. This precision underscores the divinely appointed, methodical nature of the ritual.
• "upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave": This phrase establishes the scope and severity of defilement addressed. It moves from general ambient defilement (tent, vessels, those present) to specific, high-contact defilement sources (touching a bone, any deceased person, or a grave). The comprehensive list demonstrates how deeply and widely defilement from death permeates life and requires meticulous purification.

Numbers 19 18 Bonus section

The entire ritual of the Red Heifer, particularly the application method in Num 19:18, stands out due to its paradoxical nature: the clean person administering the purification water becomes ritually unclean, while the previously defiled person becomes clean (Num 19:21-22). This highlights the profound uncleanness associated with death and sin. It suggests that handling sin and its consequences (death) comes at a cost, even for those involved in mediation. This paradox further emphasizes the unique power and divine origin of this purification, which operates outside normal purity laws. This seemingly contradictory aspect beautifully foreshadows Christ, who, though utterly pure, took on our sin and endured death, becoming sin for us (2 Cor 5:21), so that through His death, we might be made truly clean.

Numbers 19 18 Commentary

Numbers 19:18 is the operational core of the purification ritual concerning defilement by death. It bridges the preparation of the ashes and water with the actual act of cleansing. The ritual underscores a fundamental theological truth in the Old Testament: death is an intruder, antithetical to God's life-giving holiness, and highly polluting. Every aspect of the verse points to the seriousness with which God viewed impurity, especially that incurred by death, which directly links to sin (Rom 6:23). The "clean person" using "hyssop" and "sprinkling" the "water" highlights the precise and prescribed nature of God's ways of cleansing. The humility of hyssop and the cleansing power of the "water of impurity" (made potent by the innocent red heifer's ashes) symbolize a means of grace for fallen humanity. This ritual provided a tangible way for ancient Israel to be ceremonially purified, enabling them to dwell in the presence of a holy God and preventing the defilement of His sanctuary. While external and ceremonial, it served as a vivid object lesson pointing forward to the ultimate, spiritual cleansing made possible by the sacrifice and "sprinkled blood" of Christ (Heb 9:13-14), whose sinless life and death on the cross purify not just the flesh, but the conscience, from dead works and the pervasive defilement of sin.