‘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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “For the unclean, they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering; and running water shall be poured into a vessel.
- KJV 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:
- BSB For the purification of the unclean person, take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.
- NASB 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.
- NLT “To remove the defilement, put some of the ashes from the burnt purification offering in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The unclean person was cleansed using the ashes of the red heifer sin offering mixed with fresh running water. The sacrifice's ashes provided the means of purification.
Overview
The ashes preserved the atoning value of the heifer's sacrifice so it could be applied later as needed, while the living (running) water signified cleansing and life. Together they made a continually available remedy for defilement. This pictures how the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ is applied to believers again and again by the Spirit to cleanse the conscience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- John 4:10–11Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
- Song 4:15a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, flowing streams from Lebanon.
- Gen 26:19Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
- Rev 7:17for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
- John 7:38He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
- Num 19:9“A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for impurity. It is a sin offering.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 19:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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