Numbers 19:1-6

1 The LORD spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying,

2 This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Yisra'el, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, [and] on which never came yoke.

3 You shall give her to El`azar the Kohen, and he shall bring her forth outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face:

4 and El`azar the Kohen shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times.

5 One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

6 and the Kohen shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Numbers 19:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 19

This chapter contains a law for making a water for purification for sin, the ingredients of which are the ashes of a red heifer burnt, about which many things are observed, Nu 19:1-10; the use of the water made of them, to purify such as were unclean by the touch of a dead body, Nu 19:11-13; some rules are given, by which it might be known who were unclean on account of a dead body, Nu 19:14-16; the manner of purifying such persons, Nu 19:17-19; and the punishment of those that should neglect purification, Nu 19:20-22.