“This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never been mounted.
Parallel translations
- WEB “This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded. Tell the children of Israel to bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no defect, and which was never yoked.
- KJV This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
- BSB “This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red heifer that has no defect and has never been placed under a yoke.
- NKJV “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come.
- NLT “Here is another legal requirement commanded by the Lord: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer, a perfect animal that has no defects and has never been yoked to a plow.
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
God commanded that a flawless red heifer, never yoked, be brought to provide ashes for purification.
Overview
The animal had to be unblemished, of the right color, and never put to work, marking it as wholly set apart for sacred purpose. Its perfection and freedom from labor underscore the requirement of an unspoiled offering. The spotless red heifer points to Christ, the sinless offering whose blood cleanses from defilement (see Hebrews 9:13-14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Deut 21:3It shall be that the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn’t been worked with, and which has not drawn in the yoke.
- Lev 22:20–25But whatever has a defect, that you shall not offer; for it shall not be acceptable for you.
- 1 Pet 1:19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ;
- Phil 2:6–8who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- 1 Sam 6:7“Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
- 1 Pet 2:22who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
- Heb 9:10being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
- Lam 1:14“The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; They are knit together. They have come up on my neck. He has made my strength to fail. The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.
- John 10:17–18Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
- Rev 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
- Isa 1:18“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
- Luke 1:35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
- Heb 7:26For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
- Mal 1:13–14You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.
- Lev 14:6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.
- Num 31:21Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, “This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses:
- Num 19:6The priest shall take cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the middle of the burning of the heifer.
- Exod 12:5Your lamb shall be without defect, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:
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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 19:2 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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