The Meaning of Numbers 19:20 Explained

Numbers 19:20

KJV: But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

YLT: And the man who is unclean, and doth not cleanse himself, even that person hath been cut off from the midst of the assembly; for the sanctuary of Jehovah he hath defiled; water of separation is not sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

Darby: And the man that is unclean, and doth not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the congregation, for he hath defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled on him: he is unclean.

ASV: But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah: the water for impurity hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the man  that shall be unclean,  and shall not purify  himself, that soul  shall be cut off  from among  the congregation,  because he hath defiled  the sanctuary  of the LORD:  the water  of separation  hath not been sprinkled  upon him; he [is] unclean. 

What does Numbers 19:20 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 19:20 mean?

But the man who is unclean and not does purify himself and shall be cut off person that from among the assembly because - the sanctuary of Yahweh he has defiled the water of purification not has been sprinkled on him unclean he [is]
וְאִ֤ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ יִטְמָא֙ וְלֹ֣א יִתְחַטָּ֔א וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַקָּהָ֑ל כִּי֩ אֶת־ מִקְדַּ֨שׁ יְהוָ֜ה טִמֵּ֗א מֵ֥י נִדָּ֛ה לֹא־ זֹרַ֥ק עָלָ֖יו טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא

וְאִ֤ישׁ  But  the  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יִטְמָא֙  is  unclean 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִתְחַטָּ֔א  does  purify  himself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה  and  shall  be  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ  person 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
הַהִ֖וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִתּ֣וֹךְ  from  among 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַקָּהָ֑ל  the  assembly 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
כִּי֩  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
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.
מִקְדַּ֨שׁ  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
טִמֵּ֗א  he  has  defiled 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
מֵ֥י  the  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
נִדָּ֛ה  of  purification 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נִדָּה  
Sense: impurity, filthiness, menstruous, set apart.
זֹרַ֥ק  has  been  sprinkled 
Parse: Verb, QalPass, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָרַק 
Sense: to scatter, sprinkle, toss, throw, scatter abundantly, strew.
עָלָ֖יו  on  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
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.
טָמֵ֥א  unclean 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא  
Sense: unclean, impure.
הֽוּא  he  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.