Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
Wednesday in Easter Week
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

Numbers 19:17

For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ashes;   Defilement;   Purification;   Water;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Red Heifer, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ashes;   Burial;   Clean and Unclean;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Uncleanness;   Water;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Clean, Unclean;   Funeral;   Grave;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Clean, Cleanness;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Colours;   Numbers, Book of;   Red Heifer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Presentation ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Heifer, Red;   Offerings, the;   Water of Separation;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ashes;   Burial;   Clean and unclean;   Covenant;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Uncleanness;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Ashes;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Heifer, Red;   Uncleanness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ashes;   Hafá¹­arah;   Law, Reading from the;   Miḳwa'ot;   Mishnah;   Red Heifer;  

Parallel Translations

King James Version
And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Lexham English Bible
For the unclean person they will take from the powder of the burnt purification offering, and they will put running water into a container.
English Standard Version
For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and fresh water shall be added in a vessel.
New Century Version
"So you must use the ashes from the burnt offering to make that person clean again. Pour fresh water over the ashes into a jar.
New English Translation
"‘For a ceremonially unclean person you must take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin and pour fresh running water over them in a vessel.
Amplified Bible
'Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for the purification from sin, and running water shall be added to them in a container.
New American Standard Bible
'Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the burnt purification from sin and running water shall be added to them in a container.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therfore for an vncleane person they shall take of the burnt ashes of the sinne offring, and pure water shalbe put thereto in a vessel.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the burnt purification from sin and flowing water shall be added to them in a vessel.
Contemporary English Version
Before you can be made clean, someone who is clean must take some of the ashes from the burnt cow and stir them into a pot of spring water. That same person must dip a hyssop branch in the water and ashes, then sprinkle it on the tent and everything in it, including everyone who was inside. If you have touched a human bone, a grave, or a dead body, you must be sprinkled with that water.
Complete Jewish Bible
"For the unclean person they are to take some of the ashes of the animal burned up as a purification from sin and add them to fresh water in a container.
Darby Translation
And they shall take for the unclean of the ashes of the purification-offering that hath been burned, and shall put running water thereon in a vessel;
Easy-to-Read Version
"If you have become unclean, someone must use the ashes from the burned cow to make you clean again. They must pour fresh water over the ashes into a jar.
George Lamsa Translation
And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering and shall pour running water into it in a vessel;
Good News Translation
To remove the uncleanness, some ashes from the red cow which was burned to remove sin shall be taken and put in a pot, and fresh water added.
Christian Standard Bible®
For the purification of the unclean person, they are to take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and add fresh water to them.
Literal Translation
And for the unclean they shall take the ashes of the burning of the sin offering, and running water in a vessel shall be put on it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So now for the vncleane personne, they shal take of ye a?shes of this burntsynofferinge, & put springinge water theron in to a vessell,
American Standard Version
And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Bible in Basic English
And for the unclean, they are to take the dust of the burning of the sin-offering, and put flowing water on it in a vessel:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore, for an vncleane person they shal take of the burnt asshes of the sinne offeryng, and runnyng water shalbe put therto in a vessell.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the purification from sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel.
King James Version (1611)
And for an vncleane person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sinne, and running water shall bee put thereto in a vessell:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall take for the unclean of the burnt ashes of purification, and they shall pour upon them running water into a vessel.
English Revised Version
And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Berean Standard Bible
For the purification of the unclean person, take some of the ashes of the burnt purification offering, put them in a jar, and pour fresh running water over them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei schulen take `of the aischis of the brennyng, and of the synne, and thei schulen sende quyk watris in to a vessel on tho aischis;
Young's Literal Translation
and they have taken for the unclean person of the ashes of the burning of the [cleansing], and he hath put upon it running water unto a vessel;
Update Bible Version
And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Webster's Bible Translation
And for an unclean [person] they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put to it in a vessel:
World English Bible
For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
New King James Version
"And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.
New Living Translation
"To remove the defilement, put some of the ashes from the burnt purification offering in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.
New Life Bible
The person who is unclean must take some of the ashes from the burning of the sin gift. Clean water must be added to them in a pot.
New Revised Standard
For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they shall take, for him that is un-clean, of the ashes of the burning of the sin-bearer, - and living water shall be put thereon in a vessel,
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall take of the ashes of the burning and of the sin offering, and shall pour living waters upon them into a vessel.
Revised Standard Version
For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the burnt purification from sin and flowing water shall be added to them in a vessel.

Contextual Overview

11 He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days: 12 the same shall purify himself therewith on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he doesn't purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn't purifies himself, defiles the tent of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Yisra'el: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him. 14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 Every open vessel, which has no covering bound on it, is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 18 and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave: 19 and the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 20 But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ashes: Heb. dust, Numbers 19:9

running water shall be put thereto: Heb. living waters shall be given, Genesis 26:19, *marg. Song of Solomon 4:15, John 4:10, John 4:11, John 7:38, Revelation 7:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 40:36 - when Numbers 8:7 - water Numbers 19:12 - He shall purify Numbers 31:23 - it shall be purified Acts 21:24 - and purify

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Yarden, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sedom and `Amorah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Mitzrayim, as you go to Tzo`ar.
Genesis 18:22
The men turned from there, and went toward Sedom, but Avraham stood yet before the LORD.
Genesis 19:13
for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is grown great before the LORD. The LORD has sent us to destroy it."
Genesis 19:14
Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, "Get up! Get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
Genesis 19:15
When the morning arose, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, "Arise, take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
Genesis 19:16
But he lingered; and the men laid hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife, and on the hand of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.
Genesis 19:18
Lot said to them, "Oh, not so, my lord.
Genesis 19:22
Hurry, escape there, for I can't do anything until you get there." Therefore the name of the city was called Tzo`ar.
Genesis 19:26
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Genesis 19:31
The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man in the eretz to come in to us after the manner of all the eretz.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And for an unclean person,.... Defiled by any of the above means:

they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin; from the place where they were laid up for this use;

:- and some have thought that they were laid up in various cities and places in the country, as well as at Jerusalem, that they might be come at easily upon occasion; otherwise they could not be had without great trouble and expense, and in some places not so soon as the law required for their purification, namely, on the third day after their defilement:

and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel; the Targum Jonathan is,

"fountain water in the midst of earthen vessel;''

for no water but fountain, spring, or river water, was made use of; and it should seem by what is said that ashes were first put into the vessel, and then the running water was put to them; and yet the Jewish writers say s, that if the ashes were put in first, and then the water, it was not right; and the meaning of what is said here is, that the water and ashes should be mixed together; for it is urged from the words: "running water in a vessel", that it is plain, that the water is put in the vessel and not to the ashes; and therefore that which is said, "shall be put thereto", is to caution the person, that after he has put the ashes upon the water, that he mixes them well with his finger, and cause the water below to rise above t.

s Maimon. Milchot, Parah Adumah, c. 9. sect. 1. t Bartenora in Misn. Temurah, c. 1. sect. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

One practical effect of attaching defilement to a dead body, and to all that touched it, etc., would be to insure early burial, and to correct a practice not uncommon in the East, of leaving the deal to be devoured by the wild beasts.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile