Numbers 31:20 - As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves.”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Numbers 31:20" mean?
Numbers 31:20 deals with the purification of the Israelite soldiers and their plunder after the battle against the Midianites. The verse specifies that they need to purify specific items that could have come into contact with the dead or with non-Israelites, both of which were considered ritually unclean according to Jewish law.
Here's a breakdown of the verse and its significance:
"As to every garment..." This refers to clothing taken as plunder or used by the soldiers during the battle. Contact with the dead made these ritually unclean.
"...and all that is made of skin..." This includes items made from animal hides, such as waterskins, leather bags, or parts of tents. Skin, like garments, could easily come into contact with impurity.
"...and all work of goats' hair..." Goats' hair was commonly used to make cloth, particularly tents and coverings. Like other textiles, it needed purification.
"...and all things made of wood..." Wooden items, especially if they were porous or could absorb impurities, also needed to be cleansed. This could include tools, utensils, or parts of wagons.
"...you shall purify yourselves." This is the overarching instruction. The soldiers were not only to purify the objects but also themselves. This would involve specific rituals, likely including washing with water (as detailed later in the chapter).
The purpose of purification:
The underlying principle here is ritual purity. Contact with death and foreign cultures (specifically non-Israelite peoples) was believed to impart ritual impurity, which prevented full participation in religious life. Purification was necessary to restore the Israelites to a state where they could interact with the Tabernacle and participate in religious ceremonies.
How the purification was done (implied, and elaborated later in the chapter):
While this specific verse doesn't detail how the purification was to be done, the rest of Numbers 31 provides more information. Generally, it involved:
Water purification: Washing the items and themselves with water was the primary method of removing impurity.
Fire purification: Items that could withstand fire (like metal) were to be passed through fire as part of their purification.
In summary, Numbers 31:20 is a directive for the Israelite soldiers to ritually cleanse themselves and specific types of items taken as plunder after a battle. This purification was necessary to remove any ritual impurity contracted during the war and to allow them to return to their regular religious lives. It shows the emphasis on ritual cleanliness in the Old Testament and its importance for maintaining a relationship with God.
Numbers 31:20 - As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves.”
What does "Numbers 31:20" mean?
Numbers 31:20 deals with the purification of the Israelite soldiers and their plunder after the battle against the Midianites. The verse specifies that they need to purify specific items that could have come into contact with the dead or with non-Israelites, both of which were considered ritually unclean according to Jewish law.
Here's a breakdown of the verse and its significance:
"As to every garment..." This refers to clothing taken as plunder or used by the soldiers during the battle. Contact with the dead made these ritually unclean.
"...and all that is made of skin..." This includes items made from animal hides, such as waterskins, leather bags, or parts of tents. Skin, like garments, could easily come into contact with impurity.
"...and all work of goats' hair..." Goats' hair was commonly used to make cloth, particularly tents and coverings. Like other textiles, it needed purification.
"...and all things made of wood..." Wooden items, especially if they were porous or could absorb impurities, also needed to be cleansed. This could include tools, utensils, or parts of wagons.
"...you shall purify yourselves." This is the overarching instruction. The soldiers were not only to purify the objects but also themselves. This would involve specific rituals, likely including washing with water (as detailed later in the chapter).
The purpose of purification:
The underlying principle here is ritual purity. Contact with death and foreign cultures (specifically non-Israelite peoples) was believed to impart ritual impurity, which prevented full participation in religious life. Purification was necessary to restore the Israelites to a state where they could interact with the Tabernacle and participate in religious ceremonies.
How the purification was done (implied, and elaborated later in the chapter):
While this specific verse doesn't detail how the purification was to be done, the rest of Numbers 31 provides more information. Generally, it involved:
Water purification: Washing the items and themselves with water was the primary method of removing impurity.
Fire purification: Items that could withstand fire (like metal) were to be passed through fire as part of their purification.
In summary, Numbers 31:20 is a directive for the Israelite soldiers to ritually cleanse themselves and specific types of items taken as plunder after a battle. This purification was necessary to remove any ritual impurity contracted during the war and to allow them to return to their regular religious lives. It shows the emphasis on ritual cleanliness in the Old Testament and its importance for maintaining a relationship with God.