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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Numbers 31:23

everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Purification;   Sanitation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fire;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Brass, or Copper;   Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Fire;   Iron;   Metals;   Silver;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Midianites;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Clean, Unclean;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jericho;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Purity-Purification;   Water;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Red Heifer;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Eleazar ;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cleanse;   Fire;   Heifer, Red;   Slave;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ablution;   Miḳwa'ot;   Priestly Code;   Red Heifer;   Sidra;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for June 12;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that doesn't withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.
King James Version
Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
Lexham English Bible
everything that will go through the fire—you will pass through the fire, and it will be clean, and only in waters of impurity will it be purified. Whatever does not go into the fire you will pass through the waters.
English Standard Version
everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water.
New Century Version
anything that will not burn—into the fire, and then it will be clean. But also purify those things with the cleansing water. Then they will be clean. If something cannot stand the fire, wash it with the water.
New English Translation
everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire, and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water.
Amplified Bible
everything that can stand fire, you shall pass through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water of purification [to remove its impurity]; and all that cannot stand fire [such as fabrics] you shall pass through water.
New American Standard Bible
everything that can withstand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it will be clean, only it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot withstand the fire you shall pass through the water.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Euen all that may abide the fire, yee shall make it goe through the fire, and it shalbe cleane: yet, it shalbe purified with the water of purification: and all that suffereth not the fire, yee shall cause to passe by the water.
Legacy Standard Bible
everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean, but it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot stand the fire you shall pass through the water.
Complete Jewish Bible
can all withstand fire, so that you are indeed to purify everything made of these materials by having them pass through fire; nevertheless they must also be purified with the water for purification. Everything that can't withstand fire you are to have go through the water.
Darby Translation
everything that passeth through the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean; only it shall be purified with the water of separation; and everything that cannot pass through the fire ye shall make go through the water.
George Lamsa Translation
Everything that may abide the fire, you shall make it to go through the fire and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water which is used for cleansing; and all that cannot abide the fire, you shall make pass through the water.
Christian Standard Bible®
everything that can withstand fire—you are to pass through fire, and it will be clean. It must still be purified with the purification water. Anything that cannot withstand fire, pass through the water.
Literal Translation
everything that passes through the fire, you shall make it go through the fire; and it shall be clean. Only it shall be purified with the water for impurity. And every thing that cannot go through the fire, you shall make go through the water.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and all that suffreth the fyre, shall ye cause to go thorow the fyre, and clense it, that it maye be purified with ye sprencklynge water. As for all soch as suffreth not the fyre, ye shal cause it to go thorow ye water,
American Standard Version
everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
Bible in Basic English
And anything which may be heated, is to go through the fire and be made clean; but in addition it is to be put in the water of cleaning: and anything which may not go through the fire is to be put in the water.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And all that may abide the fire, ye shal make it go through the fire, and it shalbe cleane: Neuerthelesse, it shalbe purified with water of seperation: And all that suffereth not the fire, ye shall make go through the water:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
King James Version (1611)
Euery thing that may abide the fire, yee shall make it goe through the fire, and it shall be cleane: neuerthelesse, it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire, yee shall make goe through the water.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
every thing that shall pass through the fire shall so be clean, nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sanctification; and whatsoever will not pass through the fire shall pass through water.
English Revised Version
every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
Berean Standard Bible
everything that can withstand the fire-must be put through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must still be purified with the water of purification. And everything that cannot withstand the fire must pass through the water.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
sotheli what euer thing may not suffre fier, schal be halewid bi the watir of clensyng.
Young's Literal Translation
every thing which may go into fire, ye cause to pass over through fire, and it hath been clean; only, with the water of separation it is cleansed, and all that may not go into fire, ye cause to pass over through water;
Update Bible Version
everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that does not abide the fire you shall make to go through the water.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make [it] go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
World English Bible
everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that doesn't withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.
New Living Translation
that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.
New Life Bible
everything that can last through fire. Pass it through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must be made pure with the water for cleaning. Whatever cannot last through fire you must pass through the water.
New Revised Standard
everything that can withstand fire, shall be passed through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water for purification; and whatever cannot withstand fire, shall be passed through the water.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
whatsoever thing can go into fire, ye shall pass through fire and it shall be clean, only with the water of separation, shall ye cleanse it (from sin). But whatsoever cannot go into fire, ye shall pass through water.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all that may pass through the fire, shall be purified by fire, but whatsoever cannot abide the fire, shall be sanctified with the water of expiation:
Revised Standard Version
everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water of impurity; and whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean, but it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot stand the fire you shall pass through the water.

Contextual Overview

13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle. 15 And Moses said to them: "Have you kept all the women alive? 16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 19 And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats' hair, and everything made of wood." 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: 22 "Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

abide: Isaiah 43:2, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 2:2, Malachi 2:3, Matthew 3:11, 1 Corinthians 3:13, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:12, Revelation 3:18

it shall be purified: Numbers 8:7, Numbers 19:9, Numbers 19:17

ye shall make: Leviticus 11:32, Leviticus 15:17, Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5, Titus 3:6, 1 Peter 3:21

Cross-References

Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.
Genesis 24:27
And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren."
Exodus 2:11
Hebrews 11:24,25">[xr] Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Exodus 2:13
And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire,.... Either through the smoke of the fire, and so be purified by suffumigation; or be put into the fire itself, where though they might be melted as the above things, yet not consumed as raiment, and vessels of skins, goats' hair, and wood, would be:

and it shall be clean; accounted so:

nevertheless, it shall be purified with the water of separation; with the water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer burnt, and sprinkled on it; see Numbers 19:9

and all that abideth not the fire; without being consumed, as whatsoever is of wood, c.

ye shall make go through the water dip them in it, and rinse them there with a quantity sufficient; which the Targum of Jonathan says is forty seahs of water.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 31:23. The water of separation — The water in which the ashes of the red heifer were mingled; Numbers 8:7; Numbers 8:7; "Numbers 19:2", &c. Garments, whether of cloth or skins, were to be washed. Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead, to pass through the fire, probably to be melted down.


 
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