Numbers 8:7

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and [so] make themselves clean.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Here is how you are to cleanse them: sprinkle the purification water on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor, and have them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

Berean Standard Bible:

This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

American Standard Version:

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And thus shalt thou do^{H6213} unto them, to cleanse^{H2891} them: Sprinkle^{H5137} water^{H4325} of purifying^{H2403} upon them, and let them shave^{{H8593}{H5674}} all their flesh^{H1320}, and let them wash^{H3526} their clothes^{H899}, and so make themselves clean^{H2891}.

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Commentary for Numbers 8:7

Numbers 8:7 is a part of the instructions given to Moses by God concerning the consecration of the Levites, who were designated as servants to the priests, tasked with the maintenance of the Tabernacle. The verse is set within the broader context of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. This period is characterized by the establishment of religious laws, rituals, and the organization of the tribes of Israel, particularly the tribe of Levi, which was set apart for religious service.

The verse itself outlines a purification ritual for the Levites. The sprinkling of "water of purifying" likely refers to a rite using water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, as described in Numbers 19, which was used for ritual cleansing in cases of contact with the dead. The command for the Levites to shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes further emphasizes the thorough nature of this purification process. These actions were symbolic of a transition from a common to a sacred state, preparing the Levites for their holy duties.

The themes present in this verse include purity, ritual, and the distinction between the sacred and the profane. It reflects the importance of ceremonial cleanness in the religious life of the Israelites, a concept that permeated many aspects of their culture and worship. By following these instructions, the Levites would be set apart for service, ritually clean, and ready to perform their divinely appointed tasks within the sanctuary. This purification process also served to remind the Levites and the broader community of the holiness required to approach God and serve in His Tabernacle.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H6213
   There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָשָׂה
   Transliteration: ʻâsâh
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
   
2. Strong's Number: H2891
   There are 79 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: טָהֵר
   Transliteration: ṭâhêr
   Pronunciation: taw-hare'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to be bright; i.e. (by implication); to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy); be (make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge, purify(-ier, self).
   
3. Strong's Number: H5137
   There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָזָה
   Transliteration: nâzâh
   Pronunciation: naw-zaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to spirt, i.e. besprinkle (especially in expiation); sprinkle.
   
4. 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)).
   
5. Strong's Number: H2403
   There are 272 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חַטָּאָה
   Transliteration: chaṭṭâʼâh
   Pronunciation: khat-taw-aw'
   Description: or חַטָּאת; from חָטָא; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).
   
6. Strong's Number: H8593
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תַּעַר
   Transliteration: taʻar
   Pronunciation: tah'-ar
   Description: from עָרָה; a knife or razor (as making bare); also a scabbard (as being bare, i.e. empty); (pen-) knife, razor, scabbard, shave, sheath.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5674
   There are 493 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָבַר
   Transliteration: ʻâbar
   Pronunciation: aw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.
   
8. 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.
   
9. 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).
   
10. 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.