Numbers 19:1–10

Ashes of the Red Cow

19The Lord commanded Moses and Aaron ²to give the Israelites the following regulations. Bring to Moses and Aaron a red cow which has no defects and which has never been put to work, ³and they will give it to Eleazar the priest. It is to be taken outside the camp and killed in his presence.^{n 4}Then Eleazar is to take some of its blood and with his finger sprinkle it seven times in the direction of the Tent. ⁵The whole animal, including skin, meat, blood, and intestines, is to be burnt in the presence of the priest. ⁶Then he is to take some cedar wood, a sprig of hyssop, and a red cord and throw them into the fire. ⁷After that, he is to wash his clothes and pour water over himself, and then he may enter the camp; but he remains ritually unclean until evening. ⁸The man who burnt the cow must also wash his clothes and pour water over himself, but he also remains unclean until evening. ^9*Then a man who is ritually clean is to collect the ashes of the cow and put them in a ritually clean place outside the camp, where they are to be kept for the Israelite community to use in preparing the water for removing ritual uncleanness. This ritual is performed to remove sin. ¹⁰The man who collected the ashes must wash his clothes, but he remains unclean until evening. This regulation is valid for all time to come, both for the Israelites and for the foreigners living among them.