The Meaning of Numbers 19:10 Explained

Numbers 19:10

KJV: And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

YLT: and he who is gathering the ashes of the heifer hath washed his garments, and is unclean till the evening; and it hath been to the sons of Israel, and to the sojourner who is sojourning in their midst, for a statute age-during.

Darby: And he that hath gathered the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. And it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, an everlasting statute.

ASV: And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he that gathereth  the ashes  of the heifer  shall wash  his clothes,  and be unclean  until the even:  and it shall be unto the children  of Israel,  and unto the stranger  that sojourneth  among  them, for a statute  for ever. 

What does Numbers 19:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 19:1-22 - Purification For Uncleanness
We might have expected this chapter to occur in Leviticus. Is it not incongruous in this narrative of the pilgrimage? Nay; this is the most appropriate place, since in the desert march we are more exposed to the touch of defilement, such as needs daily cleansing, lest we be shut out from fellowship with God.
The ashes of an heifer are emblematic of the work of our Lord. See Hebrews 9:13. No blemish; never a yoke; "slain without the camp," counted an unclean thing! It was easy for the Jew to contract ceremonial defilement. To walk over a grave was enough. But the ashes of the heifer mingled with spring-or running-water restored the polluted soul to the family and the Tabernacle. So as we confess our sins, we are sprinkled from an evil conscience, we are restored to unity with God and His people, and we walk in newness of life.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 19

1  The water of separation made of the ashes of a red heifer
11  The law for the use of it in purification of the unclean

What do the individual words in Numbers 19:10 mean?

And shall wash the one who gathers - the ashes of the heifer his clothes and be unclean until evening and it shall be to the sons of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them a statute forever
וְ֠כִבֶּס הָאֹסֵ֨ף אֶת־ אֵ֤פֶר הַפָּרָה֙ בְּגָדָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א עַד־ הָעָ֑רֶב וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְלַגֵּ֛ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם

וְ֠כִבֶּס  And  shall  wash 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבַס  
Sense: to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller.
הָאֹסֵ֨ף  the  one  who  gathers 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֵ֤פֶר  the  ashes 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵפֶר  
Sense: ashes.
הַפָּרָה֙  of  the  heifer 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פָּרָה  
Sense: cow, heifer.
בְּגָדָ֔יו  his  clothes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
וְטָמֵ֖א  and  be  unclean 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הָעָ֑רֶב  evening 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.
וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִבְנֵ֣י  to  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְלַגֵּ֛ר  and  to  the  stranger 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּר  
Sense: sojourner.
הַגָּ֥ר  who  dwells 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.
בְּתוֹכָ֖ם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
לְחֻקַּ֥ת  a  statute 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
עוֹלָֽם  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.