Numbers 19 19

Numbers 19:19 kjv

And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

Numbers 19:19 nkjv

The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean.

Numbers 19:19 niv

The man who is clean is to sprinkle those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them. Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean.

Numbers 19:19 esv

And the clean person shall sprinkle it on the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day. Thus on the seventh day he shall cleanse him, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and at evening he shall be clean.

Numbers 19:19 nlt

On the third and seventh days the person who is ceremonially clean must sprinkle the water on those who are defiled. Then on the seventh day the people being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe themselves, and that evening they will be cleansed of their defilement.

Numbers 19 verses

Numbers 19 19 Meaning

Numbers 19:19 describes the final stages of the purification ritual for one who has become ceremonially unclean through contact with a dead body. A ceremonially clean person sprinkles the water of purification on the unclean individual on both the third and seventh days after defilement. On the seventh day, the defiled person completes the purification by washing their clothes and bathing in water, thereby becoming ceremonially clean. This prescribed process ensured the removal of severe ritual defilement, enabling participation in the community's worship and avoiding contamination of the tabernacle.

Numbers 19 19 Context

Numbers chapter 19 outlines the specific and unique ritual of the red heifer, whose ashes mixed with pure water formed the "water of purification" (mei niddah - water of separation/impurity) to cleanse those defiled by contact with a dead body. This was considered the most severe form of ritual defilement, preventing an Israelite from entering the tabernacle or engaging in holy things. The entire chapter emphasizes God's absolute holiness and the necessity of ceremonial purity for His people to dwell in His presence. The process, including the specific timing on the third and seventh days, meticulously detailed the steps for removing such uncleanness, making it possible for the defiled to be readmitted to the full communal and religious life of Israel. This context underscores the deep reverence required for life and the holiness surrounding death within the covenant community.

Numbers 19 19 Word analysis

• And the clean person (`vehaṭ·ṭā·hōr` - וְהַטָּהֹור): "Clean" (طهור - `ṭahor`) refers to someone who is ceremonially pure, not physically spotless. It implies a state of ritual acceptability before God. Paradoxically, this clean person performing the purification for another would become temporarily unclean by handling the "water of purification" (Num 19:21-22), emphasizing that even dealing with the remedy for sin (symbolized by death's defilement) can defile.
• shall sprinkle (`hiz·zāh` - הִזָּה): The verb (`nazah` - נזה) means to spatter or sprinkle. This was a symbolic act, not a full washing, meant to ritually transfer the cleansing power of the water to the unclean. It signifies an application of grace or purification.
• upon the unclean (`‘al-haṭ·ṭā·mê’` - עַל־הַטָּמֵא): "Unclean" (טמא - `ṭame'`) means ceremonially impure or defiled, specifically here by touching a corpse (Num 19:11). This impurity rendered one ineligible for sacred service or tabernacle entry, representing spiritual deadness or separation from God due to sin.
• on the third day (`bay·yōm haš·šəlī·šī` - בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁלִישִׁי): The third day sprinkling marks the initiation of the purification process. In biblical thought, the "third day" often signifies new life, resurrection, or a turning point after death/despair (e.g., Jonah 1:17, Hos 6:2, Luke 24:7, 46), perhaps hinting at the overcoming of death's defilement.
• and on the seventh day (`ū·ḇay·yōm haš·šə·ḇī·‘ī` - וּבַיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי): The seventh day is the completion day, representing a full week or cycle, and biblically associated with completion, perfection, rest, and divine holiness (Sabbath). This timing indicates the full cessation of impurity and return to a state of wholeness and rest in God's presence.
• and on the seventh day he shall purify him (`yə·ḥaṭ·ṭe·’ehu` - יְחַטְּאֵהוּ): The verb (`ḥaṭṭa'` - חטא, Piel form) literally means "to de-sin" or "to purify from sin/defilement." It implies an atonement or purging. The ceremony, using the ashes of the "sin offering" (the red heifer, `ḥaṭṭa'th`), provided a means for cleansing ritual sin or defilement, allowing reentry into the holy community.
• and wash his clothes (`wə·kib·bês bə·gā·ḏāw` - וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו): Washing clothes was a common part of various purification rituals in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11-15). It symbolized removing outward stains or associations with uncleanness, a physical manifestation of cleansing.
• and bathe himself in water (`wə·rā·ḥaṣ bam·ma·yim` - וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם): Complete immersion or bathing (רחץ - `raḥats`) was also typical for many purifications. It signifies a comprehensive internal and external cleansing, indicating a change of state from defilement to purity.
• and shall be clean (`wə·ṭā·hēr` - וְטָהֵר): This declares the final state of the previously unclean person. Through obedience to God's prescribed ritual, the defilement is fully removed, and the individual is restored to full ceremonial purity, able to participate in holy life.

• "third day, and on the seventh day": These two specific timings emphasize that purification is a process requiring both initiation and completion. The "third day" might foreshadow rising from spiritual death, while the "seventh day" denotes divine completion and true restoration into God's Sabbath rest, signifying a thorough and finished work.
• "clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean...and purify him": This highlights the intermediary role necessary for purification. One who is clean brings the means of cleansing to the unclean. Spiritually, this points to Christ, who is utterly clean (sinless), applying His atoning sacrifice (represented by the water of purification) to make us, the defiled, clean.
• "wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water": These physical actions are expressions of humility, obedience, and self-cleansing necessary on the part of the one being purified. While the sprinkling initiated the cleansing, these acts symbolized their personal appropriation of the purification and active separation from their previous defiled state.

Numbers 19 19 Bonus section

The "water of purification" (Hebrew: mei niddah, water of impurity or water for separation/expiation) derived its power from the ashes of a completely consumed, flawless red heifer that had no blemish and upon which no yoke had ever come (Num 19:2). The fact that the ḥaṭṭa'th (sin/purification) offering ashes, which were outside the camp (Num 19:3), were used for ritual defilement highlights how sin, symbolized by death and uncleanness, must be dealt with comprehensively and external to the camp's sanctity. The red heifer ceremony is unique because the priest performing it, and even the "clean person" who applies the water, becomes temporarily unclean, demonstrating the contagious nature of sin and death, and that cleansing comes at a cost, echoing Christ bearing our sin and defilement on the cross to make us clean.

Numbers 19 19 Commentary

Numbers 19:19 is a critical verse in the elaborate red heifer ritual, detailing the final steps for a person defiled by contact with a corpse to regain ceremonial purity. This ritual was not about moral sin, but ritual defilement that separated an individual from God's holy presence within the Israelite camp. The requirement of a "clean person" to administer the purifying water points to the vicarious nature of spiritual cleansing, foreshadowing how the sinless Christ would apply His cleansing power to humanity. The two distinct sprinklings on the third and seventh days underline the progression and completion of God's redemptive work, ultimately pointing to Christ's resurrection on the third day and the full and final cleansing He offers. The defiled individual's acts of washing clothes and bathing signify their necessary personal response of obedience and willingness to be separated from uncleanness. Ultimately, this ancient ordinance powerfully illustrates that human defilement, whether ritual or spiritual, requires a divinely ordained external provision and an obedient internal response for true restoration to a clean state.