Numbers - 31:20



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."

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Numbers 31:20.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats hair , and all things made of wood, ye shall purify yourselves.
And of all the spoil, every garment, or vessel, or any thing made for use, of the skins, or hair of goats, or of wood, shall be purified.
And every garment, and every vessel of skin, and all work of goat's hair, and every utensil of wood shall ye purify.
and every garment, and every skin vessel, and every work of goats' hair, and every wooden vessel, ye yourselves cleanse.'
And every bit of clothing, and anything made of leather or goats' hair or wood, you are to make clean.
And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood, ye shall purify.'
And all of the spoils, whether it is a garment, or a vessel, or another useful thing, made from the pelts or hair of goats, or from wood, shall be expiated."
Omne quoque vestimentum, et omnem supellectilem pelliceam, et omne opus e pilis caprarum, et omne vas lineum purificabitis.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

And purify all your raiment,.... By washing them; and this may intend not so much their own wearing apparel, as the raiment they took off of the dead bodies of the Midianites, since the person that touched a dead body was not obliged to wash his clothes, but the clean person that sprinkled the water of purification on him, Numbers 19:19, some render the words, "purify yourselves" (d), "together with the raiment", &c. which seems to be the best version of them:
and all that is made of skins; of any sort of creatures, as the covering of tents, shoes, bottles, &c. see Leviticus 11:32.
and all work of goats' hair; such as the covering of tents was also made of: and this, according to Jarchi and other Jewish writers (e) includes vessels made of the horns, hoofs, and bones of these creatures: and all things made of wood; as beds, cups, dishes, &c. all which might be purified by washing; see Leviticus 15:12.
(d) "purgatote vos", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; Vid. L'Empereur, Not. ad Kimchii p. 130. (e) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Celim, c. 2. sect. 1.

Your raiment - Namely, your spoil and prey. All work - All which had contracted some ceremonial uncleanness either from the dead bodies which wore them, or the tents or houses where they were, in which such dead bodies lay, or from the touch of the Israelitish soldiers, who were legally defiled by the slaughters they made.

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