Numbers 19:20

20 “If the man who is unclean does not cleanse himself, ¹that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. Because the water for impurity has not been thrown on him, he is unclean.

Numbers 19:20 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 19:20

But the man that shall be unclean
By touching any dead body, bone, or grave:

and shall not purify himself;
with the water of purification:

that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation:
(See Gill on Numbers 19:13).

because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord:
by going into it in his uncleanness:

the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him, he is
unclean;
and will remain so, for nothing else could purify him, see ( Numbers 19:13 ) .

Numbers 19:20 In-Context

18 Then a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there and on whoever touched the bone, or the slain or the dead or the grave.

19 And the clean person shall sprinkle it on the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day. Thus on the seventh day he shall cleanse him, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and at evening he shall be clean.

20 “If the man who is unclean does not cleanse himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. Because the water for impurity has not been thrown on him, he is unclean.

21 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.

22 And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean, and anyone who touches it shall be unclean until evening. ”

Cross References

• 1. 19:20 See Ex. 30:33