Bible Strands
Numbers 19:13
Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses delivers this ritual regulation to the Israelites in the wilderness regarding corpse contamination. The instruction follows the third- and seventh-day purification schedule and precedes the seven-day tent contamination law.
The words — The Hebrew terms נֹגֵעַ (no.ge.a, "one who touches") and מֵת (met, "dead body") establish the direct physical contact that triggers defilement. The phrase בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם (be.ne.fesh ha.a.dam, "corpse of a person") specifies the exact source of the impurity.
The thread — The warning against defiling the tabernacle appears in Leviticus 15:31 and Leviticus 22:3, while the penalty of being cut off is linked to unclean consumption of holy food in Leviticus 7:20. The seven-day uncleanness principle extends the contamination timeline in Numbers 19:14.
Why it lands — The text commands immediate purification to prevent permanent exclusion from the community and the sanctuary. It requires readers to recognize that ritual neglect carries irreversible communal and spatial consequences.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 15:31 You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them.
- Leviticus 22:3 Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD.
- Leviticus 7:20 But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
- Numbers 8:7 This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.
- Numbers 19:9 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They must be kept by the congregation of Israel for preparing the water of purification; this is for purification from sin.
- Leviticus 5:3 Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything by which one becomes unclean—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.
- Leviticus 5:6 and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.
- Leviticus 5:17 If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.
- Leviticus 20:3 And I will set My face against that man and cut him off from his people, because by giving his offspring to Molech, he has defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.
- Numbers 15:30 But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people.