The Red Heifer

1  וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (And spoke) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֥ה (Moses) וְאֶֽל־ (and) אַהֲרֹ֖ן (Aaron), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 2  זֹ֚את (This) חֻקַּ֣ת (is the ordinance) הַתּוֹרָ֔ה (of the law) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) צִוָּ֥ה (has commanded) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), דַּבֵּ֣ר׀ (speak) אֶל־ (to) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (of Israel), וְיִקְח֣וּ (and they shall bring) אֵלֶיךָ֩ (to you) פָרָ֨ה (a heifer) אֲדֻמָּ֜ה (red) תְּמִימָ֗ה (unblemished), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (in which) אֵֽין־ (no) בָּהּ֙ (there is) מ֔וּם (blemish), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (which) לֹא־ (never) עָלָ֥ה (has gone up) עָלֶ֖יהָ (upon it) עֹֽל׃ (a yoke). 3  וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם (And you⁺ shall give) אֹתָ֔הּ (it) אֶל־ (to) אֶלְעָזָ֖ר (Eleazar) הַכֹּהֵ֑ן (the priest), וְהוֹצִ֤יא (and he shall bring out) אֹתָהּ֙ (it) אֶל־ (toward) מִח֣וּץ (outside) לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (the camp), וְשָׁחַ֥ט (and shall be slaughtered) אֹתָ֖הּ (it) לְפָנָֽיו׃ (before him).

4  וְלָקַ֞ח (And shall take) אֶלְעָזָ֧ר (Eleazar) הַכֹּהֵ֛ן (the priest) מִדָּמָ֖הּ (some of its blood) בְּאֶצְבָּע֑וֹ (with his finger), וְהִזָּ֞ה (and sprinkle) אֶל־ (toward) נֹ֨כַח (directly) פְּנֵ֧י (in front) אֹֽהֶל־ (of the Tent) מוֹעֵ֛ד (of Meeting) מִדָּמָ֖הּ (some of its blood) שֶׁ֥בַע (seven) פְּעָמִֽים׃ (times). 5  וְשָׂרַ֥ף (And shall be burned) אֶת־ (-) הַפָּרָ֖ה (the heifer) לְעֵינָ֑יו (before his eyes)— אֶת־ (-) עֹרָ֤הּ (its hide) וְאֶת־ (and) בְּשָׂרָהּ֙ (its flesh) וְאֶת־ (and) דָּמָ֔הּ (its blood) עַל־ (and) פִּרְשָׁ֖הּ (its dung) יִשְׂרֹֽף׃ (shall be burned). 6  וְלָקַ֣ח (And shall take) הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (the priest) עֵ֥ץ (wood) אֶ֛רֶז (cedar) וְאֵז֖וֹב (and hyssop) וּשְׁנִ֣י (and) תוֹלָ֑עַת (scarlet) וְהִשְׁלִ֕יךְ (and cast them) אֶל־ (into) תּ֖וֹךְ (the midst) שְׂרֵפַ֥ת (of the burning) הַפָּרָֽה׃ (heifer).

7  וְכִבֶּ֨ס (And shall wash) בְּגָדָ֜יו (his clothes) הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (the priest), וְרָחַ֤ץ (and he shall bathe) בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ (his flesh) בַּמַּ֔יִם (in the water), וְאַחַ֖ר (and afterward) יָב֣וֹא (he shall come) אֶל־ (into) הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה (the camp); וְטָמֵ֥א (and shall be unclean) הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (the priest) עַד־ (until) הָעָֽרֶב׃ (the evening). 8  וְהַשֹּׂרֵ֣ף (And the one who burns) אֹתָ֔הּ (it) יְכַבֵּ֤ס (shall wash) בְּגָדָיו֙ (his clothes) בַּמַּ֔יִם (in the water) וְרָחַ֥ץ (and bathe) בְּשָׂר֖וֹ (his flesh) בַּמָּ֑יִם (in the water), וְטָמֵ֖א (and shall be unclean) עַד־ (until) הָעָֽרֶב׃ (the evening).

9  וְאָסַ֣ף׀ (And shall gather up) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) טָה֗וֹר (who is clean) אֵ֚ת (-) אֵ֣פֶר (the ashes) הַפָּרָ֔ה (of the heifer), וְהִנִּ֛יחַ (and store them) מִח֥וּץ (outside) לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה (of the camp) בְּמָק֣וֹם (in a place) טָה֑וֹר (clean), וְ֠הָיְתָה (and they shall be) לַעֲדַ֨ת (for the congregation) בְּנֵֽי־ (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל (of Israel) לְמִשְׁמֶ֛רֶת (kept) לְמֵ֥י (for the water) נִדָּ֖ה (of purification); חַטָּ֥את (for purifying from sin) הִֽוא׃ (it is). 10  וְ֠כִבֶּס (And shall wash) הָאֹסֵ֨ף (the one who gathers) אֶת־ (-) אֵ֤פֶר (the ashes) הַפָּרָה֙ (of the heifer) אֶת־ (-) בְּגָדָ֔יו (his clothes), וְטָמֵ֖א (and be unclean) עַד־ (until) הָעָ֑רֶב (the evening). וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה (And it shall be) לִבְנֵ֣י (for the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (of Israel) וְלַגֵּ֛ר (and for the sojourner) הַגָּ֥ר (who is sojourning) בְּתוֹכָ֖ם (in their midst) לְחֻקַּ֥ת (a statute) עוֹלָֽם׃ (forever).

Purification of the Unclean

11  הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ (He who touches) בְּמֵ֖ת (against the dead) לְכָל־ (of any) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (body) אָדָ֑ם (man) וְטָמֵ֖א (and shall be unclean) שִׁבְעַ֥ת (seven) יָמִֽים׃ (days). 12  ה֣וּא (He) יִתְחַטָּא־ (shall cleanse himself from sin) ב֞וֹ (with the water) בַּיּ֧וֹם (on the day) הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֛י (third), וּבַיּ֥וֹם (and on the day) הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י (seventh) יִטְהָ֑ר (he will be clean). וְאִם־ (But if) לֹ֨א (not) יִתְחַטָּ֜א (he does cleanse himself from sin) בַּיּ֧וֹם (on the day) הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֛י (the third) וּבַיּ֥וֹם (and on the day) הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י (the seventh), לֹ֥א (not) יִטְהָֽר׃ (he will be clean). 13  כָּֽל־ (Anyone) הַנֹּגֵ֡עַ (who touches) בְּמֵ֣ת (the dead) בְּנֶפֶשׁ֩ (body) הָאָדָ֨ם (of a man) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) יָמ֜וּת (has died), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִתְחַטָּ֗א (does cleanse himself from sin), אֶת־ (-) מִשְׁכַּ֤ן (the tabernacle) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) טִמֵּ֔א (he defiles), וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה (and shall be cut off) הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (the person) הַהִ֖וא (that) מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (from Israel) כִּי֩ (because) מֵ֨י (the water) נִדָּ֜ה (of purification) לֹא־ (not) זֹרַ֤ק (was sprinkled) עָלָיו֙ (on him). טָמֵ֣א (Unclean) יִהְיֶ֔ה (he shall be); ע֖וֹד (still) טֻמְאָת֥וֹ (his uncleanness) בֽוֹ׃ (is on him).

14  זֹ֚את (This is) הַתּוֹרָ֔ה (the law) אָדָ֖ם (of the man) כִּֽי־ (when) יָמ֣וּת (he dies) בְּאֹ֑הֶל (in a tent): כָּל־ (All) הַבָּ֤א (who come) אֶל־ (into) הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ (the tent) וְכָל־ (and all) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who are) בָּאֹ֔הֶל (in the tent) יִטְמָ֖א (shall be unclean) שִׁבְעַ֥ת (seven) יָמִֽים׃ (days). 15  וְכֹל֙ (And every) כְּלִ֣י (vessel) פָת֔וּחַ (open), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (that) אֵין־ (not) צָמִ֥יד (has a cover) פָּתִ֖יל (fastened) עָלָ֑יו (on it), טָמֵ֖א (unclean) הֽוּא׃ (is).

16  וְכֹ֨ל (And) אֲשֶׁר־ (whoever) יִגַּ֜ע (touches) עַל־ (in) פְּנֵ֣י (the open) הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה (field) בַּֽחֲלַל־ (one who is slain by) חֶ֙רֶב֙ (a sword) א֣וֹ (or) בְמֵ֔ת (who has died), אֽוֹ־ (or) בְעֶ֥צֶם (a bone) אָדָ֖ם (of a man), א֣וֹ (or) בְקָ֑בֶר (a grave), יִטְמָ֖א (shall be unclean) שִׁבְעַ֥ת (seven) יָמִֽים׃ (days).

17  וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ (And they shall take) לַטָּמֵ֔א (for the unclean) מֵעֲפַ֖ר (some of the ashes) שְׂרֵפַ֣ת (of the burning) הַֽחַטָּ֑את (for sin), וְנָתַ֥ן (and shall be put) עָלָ֛יו (on them) מַ֥יִם (water) חַיִּ֖ים (living) אֶל־ (in) כֶּֽלִי׃ (a vessel). 18  וְלָקַ֨ח (And shall take) אֵז֜וֹב (hyssop) וְטָבַ֣ל (and dip it) בַּמַּיִם֮ (in the water) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) טָהוֹר֒ (who is ceremonially clean) וְהִזָּ֤ה (and sprinkle it) עַל־ (on) הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ (the tent) וְעַל־ (and on) כָּל־ (all) הַכֵּלִ֔ים (the vessels) וְעַל־ (and on) הַנְּפָשׁ֖וֹת (the persons) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) הָֽיוּ־ (were) שָׁ֑ם (there), וְעַל־ (or on) הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ (the one who touched) בַּעֶ֙צֶם֙ (against a bone), א֣וֹ (or) בֶֽחָלָ֔ל (against the slain), א֥וֹ (or) בַמֵּ֖ת (against the dead), א֥וֹ (or) בַקָּֽבֶר׃ (against a grave).

19  וְהִזָּ֤ה (And shall sprinkle) הַטָּהֹר֙ (the clean one) עַל־ (on) הַטָּמֵ֔א (the unclean) בַּיּ֥וֹם (on the day) הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖י (third) וּבַיּ֣וֹם (and on the day) הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י (seventh), וְחִטְּאוֹ֙ (and he shall cleanse him from sin) בַּיּ֣וֹם (on the day) הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י (seventh) וְכִבֶּ֧ס (and wash) בְּגָדָ֛יו (his clothes) וְרָחַ֥ץ (and bathe) בַּמַּ֖יִם (in the water), וְטָהֵ֥ר (and he shall be clean) בָּעָֽרֶב׃ (at the evening). 20  וְאִ֤ישׁ (And the man) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) יִטְמָא֙ (is unclean) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִתְחַטָּ֔א (does cleanse himself from sin), וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה (and shall be cut off) הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (the person) הַהִ֖וא (that) מִתּ֣וֹךְ (from the midst) הַקָּהָ֑ל (of the assembly), כִּי֩ (because) אֶת־ (-) מִקְדַּ֨שׁ (the sanctuary) יְהוָ֜ה (of YHWH) טִמֵּ֗א (he has defiled). מֵ֥י (The water) נִדָּ֛ה (of purification) לֹא־ (not) זֹרַ֥ק (has been sprinkled) עָלָ֖יו (on him); טָמֵ֥א (unclean) הֽוּא׃ (he is).

21  וְהָיְתָ֥ה (And it shall be) לָּהֶ֖ם (for them) לְחֻקַּ֣ת (a statute) עוֹלָ֑ם (everlasting). וּמַזֵּ֤ה (And He who sprinkles) מֵֽי־ (the water) הַנִּדָּה֙ (of purification) יְכַבֵּ֣ס (shall wash) בְּגָדָ֔יו (his clothes), וְהַנֹּגֵ֙עַ֙ (and he who touches) בְּמֵ֣י (the water) הַנִּדָּ֔ה (of purification) יִטְמָ֖א (shall be unclean) עַד־ (until) הָעָֽרֶב׃ (the evening). 22  וְכֹ֛ל (And) אֲשֶׁר־ (whatever) יִגַּע־ (touches) בּ֥וֹ (in it) הַטָּמֵ֖א (the unclean one) יִטְמָ֑א (shall be unclean), וְהַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (and the person) הַנֹּגַ֖עַת (who touches it) תִּטְמָ֥א (shall be unclean) עַד־ (until) הָעָֽרֶב׃פ (the evening).