King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The person who burned up the heifer is to wash his clothes and himself in water, but he will remain unclean until evening.
Berean Standard Bible:
The one who burned the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he too will be ceremonially unclean until evening.
American Standard Version:
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he that burneth{H8313} her shall wash{H3526} his clothes{H899} in water{H4325}, and bathe{H7364} his flesh{H1320} in water{H4325}, and shall be unclean{H2930} until the even{H6153}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Numbers 19:8
Numbers 19:8 is part of the regulations given to the Israelites concerning the red heifer sacrifice, which is outlined in Numbers 19:1-10. This sacrifice was unique in that it was intended to purify those who had come into contact with a dead body, which rendered them ritually unclean according to Jewish law.
Themes:
1. **Purity and Impurity**: The overarching theme is the distinction between ritual purity and impurity. Coming into contact with death, a powerful symbol of impurity, necessitated a special process of purification.
2. **Ritual and Law**: The detailed instructions for the sacrifice and subsequent purification process reflect the importance of ritual and law in the religious life of the Israelites.
3. **Atonement and Cleansing**: The red heifer ritual was designed to cleanse individuals from the defilement associated with death, which is a form of atonement.
4. **Holiness**: The requirement for purity underscores the holiness code of the Israelites, emphasizing that those who approach the holy must first be cleansed.
Historical Context:
The book of Numbers is set during the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt and before their entry into the Promised Land. The laws and rituals described, including the red heifer sacrifice, were part of the priestly regulations given to Moses by God to maintain the sanctity of the camp and the tabernacle.
The specific context of Numbers 19:8 involves the process by which the priest and the individual who burn the red heifer are to purify themselves after the ritual. The ashes of the heifer were then used for the water of cleansing, which was sprinkled on those who were ritually unclean due to contact with a dead body. The person who burned the heifer had to wash their clothes and bathe in water, remaining unclean until the evening, which symbolizes the transition from a state of impurity to purity, a common theme in ancient Jewish rituals.
This verse reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern concern with ritual purity, but it also sets the stage for the New Testament perspective, where the concepts of purity and atonement are transformed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Christian theology, Jesus is seen as the ultimate sacrifice that cleanses not just ritual impurity but sin itself, transcending the need for such rituals as the red heifer sacrifice.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8313
There are 107 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂרַף
Transliteration: sâraph
Pronunciation: saw-raf'
Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire; (cause to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H3526
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּבַס
Transliteration: kâbaç
Pronunciation: kaw-bas'
Description: a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative; fuller, wash(-ing). - Strong's Number: H899
There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּגֶד
Transliteration: beged
Pronunciation: behg'-ed
Description: from בָּגַד; a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage; apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, [idiom] very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H7364
There are 71 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָחַץ
Transliteration: râchats
Pronunciation: raw-khats'
Description: a primitive root; to lave (the whole or a part of a thing); bathe (self), wash (self). - Strong's Number: H1320
There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּשָׂר
Transliteration: bâsâr
Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. - Strong's Number: H2930
There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: טָמֵא
Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
Pronunciation: taw-may'
Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H6153
There are 130 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶרֶב
Transliteration: ʻereb
Pronunciation: eh'-reb
Description: from עָרַב; dusk; [phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night.