Numbers 19:4 kjv
And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
Numbers 19:4 nkjv
and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting.
Numbers 19:4 niv
Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting.
Numbers 19:4 esv
And Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times.
Numbers 19:4 nlt
Eleazar will take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tabernacle.
Numbers 19 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 19:2 | "Speak to the people of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer... | Red heifer purpose (defilement) |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls..." | Blood for atonement |
| Heb 9:22 | "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." | Blood for purification/forgiveness |
| Exo 24:8 | And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you..." | Blood seals covenant |
| Lev 4:6 | "...the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary." | Priestly blood sprinkling in sanctuary |
| Lev 14:7 | "...and then he shall sprinkle it seven times on the one who is to be cleansed of leprosy..." | Seven-fold sprinkling for purification |
| Heb 9:13-14 | "For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ...cleanse our conscience..." | Red heifer foreshadows Christ's cleansing |
| Heb 9:19 | "For when every commandment had been declared...he took the blood of calves and goats...and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people..." | Blood sprinkling for ceremonial purity |
| Heb 12:24 | "...and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." | Christ's blood better than ritual blood |
| 1 Pet 1:2 | "...to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you." | Believers cleansed by Christ's blood |
| Lev 8:11 | And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar...to consecrate it. | Seven-fold sprinkling for consecration |
| Exo 40:34 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." | God's presence in Tent of Meeting |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory..." | God's dwelling (tabernacling) with man |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people..." | Future permanent dwelling of God |
| Gen 2:2-3 | "On the seventh day God finished His work...so God blessed the seventh day and made it holy..." | Number seven: completeness, divine rest |
| Rev 1:4 | "...grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne," | Number seven: divine perfection |
| Num 20:28 | And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there... | Eleazar succeeds Aaron as High Priest |
| Lev 6:27 | "Whatever touches its flesh will be holy, and if any of its blood is spattered on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was spattered in a holy place." | Holiness associated with ritual blood |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." | Christ as ultimate sin offering (spiritual application) |
| Isa 53:5 | "But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed." | Christ's suffering for cleansing |
| Rom 5:9 | "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God." | Justification by Christ's blood |
| Exo 29:36 | "...and cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it." | Atonement by ritual application |
| Num 8:7 | "Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them..." | Sprinkling for ceremonial cleansing (not blood) |
Numbers 19 verses
Numbers 19 4 Meaning
Numbers 19:4 describes a crucial step in the purification ritual involving the red heifer. It specifies that Eleazar the priest, after the red heifer has been slaughtered, is to take some of its blood using his finger. He then must sprinkle this blood seven times in the direction of the front of the Tent of Meeting, which symbolized God's holy presence and dwelling among His people. This act of sprinkling was central to sanctifying the ritual and directing its efficacy towards the divine presence, making it a powerful means of ceremonial cleansing.
Numbers 19 4 Context
Numbers chapter 19 outlines the unique law concerning the red heifer. This ritual was prescribed specifically for cleansing from defilement caused by contact with a dead body, an impurity that made a person ceremonially unclean and barred them from communal worship until purification. Unlike typical sin offerings, the red heifer sacrifice was performed outside the camp and its ashes were stored for ongoing use as part of "waters of purification." This specific verse details a key step performed by Eleazar, who, as Aaron's successor, embodied the continuity of the Levitical priesthood. The instruction occurs during Israel's wilderness wanderings, reinforcing the meticulous demands for holiness required to maintain God's presence within the community. It anticipates the necessity of remaining pure even as the people encountered death, which was a constant reality in the desert.
Numbers 19 4 Word analysis
- `And`: (וְ - ve). Connects this action to the previous instructions for slaughtering the heifer. Indicates sequential steps in the ritual.
- `Eleazar the priest`: (אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן - El'azar ha-Kohen). "Eleazar" means "God has helped." As the son and eventual successor of Aaron, Eleazar holds the highest priestly office. His performance signifies divine appointment and authority in executing the ritual. His direct involvement underscores the solemnity and divinely mandated nature of the cleansing.
- `shall take`: (וְלָקַח - ve'lakach). A specific command, indicating a required, deliberate action.
- `some of its blood`: (מִדָּמָהּ - mi-damah). Literally "from her blood." Refers to the blood of the slaughtered red heifer. Blood is central to Old Covenant purification and atonement rituals, representing life and life given for expiation (Lev 17:11). Its application here signifies the power for purification derived from this specific sacrifice.
- `with his finger`: (בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ - be'etzba'o). Emphasizes precision, direct personal contact by the priest, and the meticulous nature of the ritual. It is a precise and intentional application, not a random splashing.
- `and sprinkle`: (וְהִזָּה - ve'hizah, from the root נָזָה - nazah). "To spatter," "to sprinkle." A distinct ritual action used for cleansing, consecration, or expiation. It implies dispersion of small drops, symbolizing widespread effect of purification. This act transfers the ritual purity to the intended object or space.
- `toward the front`: (נֹכַח - nokhach). Means "opposite," "in front of," or "toward." Crucially, the blood is not sprinkled on the Tent of Meeting itself but towards it. This symbolizes that the efficacy of the ritual emanates from and is directed at God's dwelling place, the source of all holiness, while respecting the sacredness of the sanctuary by not defiling it with direct blood contact.
- `of the tent of meeting`: (לְפְנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - lephney Ohel Mo'ed). "Before the Tent of Appointed Meeting/Tabernacle." The central sanctuary where God met Israel, signifying His presence, and the place from which all holiness and purity were derived and maintained. This direction acknowledges God's authority and the divine source of cleansing.
- `seven times`: (שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים - sheva pe'amim). "Seven times." The number seven throughout scripture signifies completeness, perfection, divine fullness, and sacred fulfillment. Sprinkling seven times ensures the ritual's absolute efficacy and adherence to God's perfect command, confirming a thorough and complete purification.
- Words-group analysis: "take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood": This phrase highlights the precise, ritualistic handling of the blood, emphasizing the priestly mediation and the essential role of blood as the cleansing agent. The repetition of "its blood" reinforces its significance.
- Words-group analysis: "toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times": This emphasizes the spatial and numerical specificity of the ritual. Directing the act towards the Tabernacle connects the efficacy of the cleansing directly to God's presence, indicating that all true purity originates from Him. The sevenfold action symbolizes a complete and divinely approved cleansing.
Numbers 19 4 Bonus section
The red heifer ritual, initiated by the command in this verse, was unique in several ways. The heifer itself had to be without spot or blemish, indicating Christ's sinlessness, and never yoked, pointing to His freedom from the burden of sin and sacrifice freely given. The entire animal, including hide, flesh, blood, and dung, was burned outside the camp (Num 19:5), signifying Christ's suffering outside the city gates (Heb 13:11-13). The act of sprinkling the blood from outside the camp "towards the front of the tent of meeting" illustrates the vicarious nature of the sacrifice—its power extended to the most sacred dwelling even though the act occurred outside. The ashes of this unique sacrifice were preserved (Num 19:9) to provide "water of impurity" (Hebrew: mei niddah) for future generations, indicating that one singular, perfect sacrifice could provide continuous purification for all those who later become unclean. This continuous cleansing effect foreshadows the lasting efficacy of Christ's singular sacrifice.
Numbers 19 4 Commentary
Numbers 19:4 delineates a highly symbolic and vital component of the unique red heifer ritual. This specific instruction, given to Eleazar as the high priest, highlights several key theological truths. First, it underscores the strict demands for holiness and purification within Israel, particularly concerning death defilement, which was pervasive yet debilitating to communal worship. Second, the meticulous handling and sprinkling of the red heifer's blood, seven times towards the Tabernacle, reinforces the principle that all cleansing and holiness ultimately derive from God's presence. The act of sprinkling, often linked to atonement and purification in the Mosaic Law, symbolizes the efficacy and spread of the blood's power. This ritual, particularly the use of ashes for subsequent "waters of purification," profoundly foreshadowed the once-for-all, perfect purification offered through the blood of Christ (Heb 9:13-14). While the red heifer's sacrifice purified the flesh from ceremonial defilement, Christ's blood purifies the conscience from spiritual defilement, enabling a living relationship with God.