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Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Numbers 19:21

It will be a Law forever for them. He who puts the water on to be made clean must wash his clothes. And he who touches the water used to be made clean will be unclean until evening.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Defilement;   Purification;   Water;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible, the;   Perpetual Statutes;   Statutes;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Purifications or Baptisms;   Red Heifer, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ashes;   Burial;   Clean and Unclean;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Uncleanness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Clean, Unclean;   Funeral;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sprinkle;   Tabernacle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Colours;   Numbers, Book of;   Red Heifer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Preparation ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Heifer, Red;   Water of Separation;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ashes;   Burial;   Clean and unclean;   Covenant;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Atonement, Day of;   Heifer, Red;   Separation;   Uncleanness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hafá¹­arah;   Law, Reading from the;   Red Heifer;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.
King James Version
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
Lexham English Bible
"‘It will be an eternal decree for them. The one who spatters the waters of impurity will wash his garments, and the one who touches the waters of impurity will be unclean until the evening.
English Standard Version
And it shall be a statute forever for them. The one who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and the one who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
New Century Version
This is a lasting rule. Those who sprinkle the cleansing water must also wash their clothes, and anyone who touches the water will be unclean until evening.
New English Translation
"‘So this will be a perpetual ordinance for them: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and the one who touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
Amplified Bible
'So it shall be a perpetual statute to them. He who sprinkles the water for impurity [on another] shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
New American Standard Bible
'So it shall be a permanent statute for them. And the one who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and the one who touches the water for impurity will be unclean until evening.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And it shalbe a perpetual lawe vnto them, that he that sprinkleth the sprinkling water, shall wash his clothes: also hee that toucheth the sprinkling water, shalbe vncleane vntill euen.
Legacy Standard Bible
So it shall be a perpetual statute for them. And he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
Contemporary English Version
These laws will never change. The man who sprinkled the water and the ashes on you when you were unclean must also wash his clothes. And whoever touches this water is unclean until evening.
Complete Jewish Bible
This is to be a permanent regulation for them. The person who sprinkles the water for purification is to wash his clothes. Whoever touches the water for purification will be unclean until evening.
Darby Translation
And it shall be an everlasting statute unto them. And he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his garments, and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
Easy-to-Read Version
This rule will be for you forever. And whoever sprinkled the special water must wash their clothes because they will be unclean until evening.
George Lamsa Translation
And it shall be a perpetual statute to you that he who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of sprinkling shall be unclean until evening.
Good News Translation
You are to observe this rule for all time to come. The person who sprinkles the water for purification must also wash his clothes; anyone who touches the water remains ritually unclean until evening.
Christian Standard Bible®
This is a permanent statute for them. The person who sprinkles the water for impurity is to wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water for impurity will be unclean until evening.
Literal Translation
And it shall be a never ending statute to them; and he that sprinkles the water of impurity shall wash his clothes; and he that touches the water of sprinkling shall be unclean until evening.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And who so euer toucheth the spreklinge water, shal be vncleane vntill the euen.
American Standard Version
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them: and he that sprinkleth the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he that toucheth the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.
Bible in Basic English
This is to be a law for them for ever: he who puts the water on the unclean person is to have his clothing washed; and anyone touching the water will be unclean till evening.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And it shalbe a perpetuall lawe vnto them, that he that sprinckleth the water of seperation, shall washe his clothes: and he that toucheth the water of seperation, shalbe vncleane vntyll euen.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them; and he that sprinkleth the water of sprinkling shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of sprinkling shall be unclean until even.
King James Version (1611)
And it shall be a perpetuall statute vnto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation, shall wash his clothes: and he that toucheth the water of separation, shall be vncleane vntill Euen.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall be to you a perpetual statute; and he that sprinkles the water of sprinkling shall wash his garments; and he that touches the water of sprinkling shall be unclean until evening.
English Revised Version
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them: and he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
Berean Standard Bible
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This comaundement schal be a lawful thing euerlastynge. Also he that schal sprenge the watris schal waische his clothis; ech man that touchith the watris of clensyng, schal be vncleene `til to euentid.
Young's Literal Translation
`And it hath been to them for a statute age-during, that he who is sprinkling the water of separation doth wash his garments, and he who is coming against the water of separation is unclean till the evening,
Update Bible Version
And it shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he that sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he that touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be a perpetual statute to them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until the evening.
World English Bible
It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.
New King James Version
It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening.
New Living Translation
This is a permanent law for the people. Those who sprinkle the water of purification must afterward wash their clothes, and anyone who then touches the water used for purification will remain defiled until evening.
New Revised Standard
It shall be a perpetual statute for them. The one who sprinkles the water for cleansing shall wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water for cleansing shall be unclean until evening.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So shall it be unto them for statute age-abiding, - and, he that sprinkleth the water of separation, shall wash his clothes, and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until the evening;
Douay-Rheims Bible
This precept shall be an ordinance for ever. He also that sprinkled the water, shall wash his garments. Every one that shall touch the waters of expiation, shall be unclean until the evening.
Revised Standard Version
And it shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'So it shall be a perpetual statute for them. And he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening.

Contextual Overview

11 "The one who touches the dead body of any person will be unclean for seven days. 12 He must clean himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day. Then he will be clean. But if he does not clean himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will be unclean. 13 Whoever touches the body of any man who has died, and does not make himself clean, makes the meeting tent of the Lord unclean. That person must be cut off from Israel. Because the water for cleaning was not put upon him, he will be unclean. 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 will be unclean for seven days. 15 And every open pot that has no cover on it will be unclean. 16 Anyone in an open field who touches one who has been killed with a sword, or who has died, or who touches a bone of a man, or a grave will be unclean for seven days. 17 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. 18 Then a clean person must take hyssop and put it in the water, and put it on the tent and on all the objects within the tent. He must put it on the persons who were there, and on the one who touched the bone or the man who was killed or the dead person or the grave. 19 The clean person must put the water on whoever is unclean, on the third day and on the seventh day. He will make him clean on the seventh day. He will wash his clothes and wash himself in water, and will be clean at evening. 20 "But the man who is unclean and does not make himself clean, will no longer be one of God's people. Because he has made unclean the holy place of the Lord. The water for cleaning has not been put on him. He is unclean.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 16:26-28, Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 27:21 - a statute for ever Leviticus 3:17 - a perpetual Leviticus 14:46 - shall be unclean Leviticus 17:15 - both wash Numbers 19:9 - a water of separation

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
Will not your face be happy if you do well? If you do not do well, sin is waiting to destroy you. Its desire is to rule over you, but you must rule over it."
Genesis 12:2
And I will make you a great nation. I will bring good to you. I will make your name great, so you will be honored.
Genesis 18:24
What if there are fifty good people within the city? Will You destroy the place and not save it because of the fifty good people in it?
Genesis 19:8
See, I have two daughters who have never had a man. Let me bring them out to you. And do to them whatever you want. But do nothing to these men, for they have come to be safe under my roof."
Genesis 19:9
But they said, "Get out of our way. This man came to live here from another land. And already he acts like a judge. Now we will do worse things to you than to them." So they pushed hard against Lot and almost broke down the door.
Genesis 19:15
When morning came, the angels told Lot to hurry. They said, "Get up. Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Or else you will be destroyed when the city is punished."
Genesis 19:16
But Lot was slow to move. So the men took him, his wife and two daughters by the hand and brought them out of the city. For the Lord had loving-pity for him.
Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the Lord are on those who do what is right and good. His ears are open to their cry.
Psalms 102:17
He will answer the prayer of those in need. He will not turn from their prayer.
Psalms 145:19
He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them,.... To the children of Israel, throughout their generations, unto the coming of the Messiah, when the ceremonial law, which stood in divers washings and purifications, was abolished:

that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; the priest that sprinkled, according to the Targum of Jonathan, or any other person that did it; so that the same purifying water, which made an unclean person clean, defiled a clean one; for though it was purifying, it had uncleanness in it; having the ashes not only of the cow itself, but of its skin, blood, and dung; and so a lye made of ashes is impure in itself, and yet serves to scour cloth: Ainsworth thinks this signifies the imperfection and insufficiency of legal rites, which, in their greatest virtue, only sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, and left the purifier himself in uncleanness he had not before; by consideration of which, the people might be led to Christ, and his Spirit, for cleansing, Hebrews 9:13 but it rather signifies, that the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, and answers to this purifying water, that its cleansing virtue is owing to Christ being made sin for his people; and that some may be instruments of directing souls to the blood of Christ for cleansing, and yet be defiled themselves: it does not appear that this man, thus unclean, was to have the water of purification sprinkled on him, but was only to wash his clothes; see Revelation 7:14

and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even: but was not clean until he had washed, as Aben Ezra observes, though not expressed; for if one that only sprinkled it had need to be washed, much more one that touched it, and which was unavoidable, if, when he mixed the water and ashes together, he stirred them with his finger, Revelation 7:14- :, though Maimonides t understands this of sprinkling and touching the water when there was no necessity for it, when a person was not employed in doing the duty of this law.

t Hilchot Parah Adumah, c. 15. sect. 1.

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.


 
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