Numbers 19:1–11

Laws of Purification

19 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “This is the 1ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without 2blemish, in which there is no adefect band on which a yoke has never come. 3 You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it coutside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; 4 and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and dsprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: eits hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. 6 And the priest shall take fcedar wood and ghyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. 7 hThen the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. 8 And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. 9 Then a man who is clean shall gather up ithe ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel jfor the water of 3purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

11 k‘He who touches the dead 4body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.