The Meaning of Numbers 19:18 Explained

Numbers 19:18

KJV: And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:

YLT: and a clean person hath taken hyssop, and hath dipped it in water, and hath sprinkled on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who have been there, and on him who is coming against a bone, or against one pierced, or against the dead, or against a grave.

Darby: and a clean man shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and upon all the utensils, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that hath touched the bone, or the one slain, or the dead person, or the grave;

ASV: and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And a clean  person  shall take  hyssop,  and dip  [it] in the water,  and sprinkle  [it] upon the tent,  and upon all the vessels,  and upon the persons  that were there, and upon him that touched  a bone,  or one slain,  or one dead,  or a grave: 

What does Numbers 19:18 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 19:18 mean?

And shall take hyssop and dip [it] in the water a person clean and sprinkle [it] on the tent and on all the vessels the persons who were there or on the one who touched a bone or the slain the dead a grave
וְלָקַ֨ח אֵז֜וֹב וְטָבַ֣ל בַּמַּיִם֮ אִ֣ישׁ טָהוֹר֒ וְהִזָּ֤ה עַל־ הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ וְעַל־ כָּל־ הַכֵּלִ֔ים הַנְּפָשׁ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽיוּ־ שָׁ֑ם וְעַל־ הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בַּעֶ֙צֶם֙ א֣וֹ בֶֽחָלָ֔ל בַמֵּ֖ת בַקָּֽבֶר

וְלָקַ֨ח  And  shall  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֵז֜וֹב  hyssop 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵזׄוב  
Sense: hyssop, a plant used for medicinal and religious purposes.
וְטָבַ֣ל  and  dip  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָבַל  
Sense: to dip, dip into, plunge.
בַּמַּיִם֮  in  the  water 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אִ֣ישׁ  a  person 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
טָהוֹר֒  clean 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
וְהִזָּ֤ה  and  sprinkle  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָזָה 
Sense: to spurt, spatter, sprinkle.
הָאֹ֙הֶל֙  the  tent 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַכֵּלִ֔ים  the  vessels 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַנְּפָשׁ֖וֹת  the  persons 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וְעַל־  or  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ  the  one  who  touched 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
בַּעֶ֙צֶם֙  a  bone 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
בֶֽחָלָ֔ל  the  slain 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
בַמֵּ֖ת  the  dead 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
בַקָּֽבֶר  a  grave 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶבֶר  
Sense: grave, sepulchre, tomb.