however the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, everything that may withstand the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water. You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. Afterward you shall come into the camp.”
Show the surrounding paragraph
Numbers 31:22-24 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, “This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses: however the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, everything that may withstand the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water. You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. Afterward you shall come into the camp.”
Parallel Translations
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however the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
everything that may withstand the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.
You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. Afterward you shall come into the camp.”
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Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
Show all 3 translations
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Howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye may come into the camp.'
Cross-references (20)
- Numbers 19:9 (v23) “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for…
- Leviticus 11:25 (v24) Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
- Numbers 19:17 (v23) “For the unclean, they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering; and running water shall be poured on them in a vessel.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 (v23) each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of…
- Isaiah 43:2 (v23) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire,…
Show all 20 cross-references
- Matthew 3:11 (v23) I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will…
- Leviticus 11:32 (v23) Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel…
- Leviticus 14:9 (v24) It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall…
- Leviticus 15:13 (v24) “ ‘When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his…
- Leviticus 15:17 (v23) Every garment and every skin which the semen is on shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.
- Numbers 8:7 (v23) You shall do this to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, let…
- Numbers 19:19 (v24) The clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day. On the seventh day, he shall purify him. He shall…
- Zechariah 13:9 (v23) I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will…
- Malachi 2:2-3 (v23) If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of Armies, “then I will send the curse…
- Ephesians 5:26 (v23) that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,
- Titus 3:5-6 (v23) not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and…
- 1 Peter 1:7 (v23) that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in…
- 1 Peter 3:21 (v23) This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward…
- 1 Peter 4:12 (v23) Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
- Revelation 3:18 (v23) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (9 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v23 It shall be washed.
It shall be washed.
The third day and before it be molten.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On v23 Num 31:23 Every thing that may abide the fire,…
Num 31:23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make [it] go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
Ver. 23. And all that abideth not the fire.] We must deal with every man, saith one from this text, according to his temper; indulge them what lawfully you may. Quod tamen accipiendum est cum grano salis.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv22–24 And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the purification…
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the purification of the soldiers, their captives, and spoil:
saying; as follows.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v23 Verse 23. The water of separation] The water in…
Verse 23. The water of separation] The water in which the ashes of the red heifer were mingled; See Clarke on Nu 8:7; "Nu 19:2", &c. Garments, whether of cloth or skins, were to be washed. Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead, to pass through the fire, probably to be melted down.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v22 Brass - Render copper. See Gen 4:22 note. The…
Brass - Render copper. See Gen 4:22 note. The verse is curious as illustrating the variety of metals in use at this early date for domestic purposes. All these metals were common in Egypt centuries before the date of the Exodus.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v23 Expiation, with which even the vessels which had been…
Expiation, with which even the vessels which had been through the fire, were to be purified, or washed, as the Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., observe. (Calmet) --- Moses perhaps gave this ordinance by word of mouth, on this occasion, (Menochius) though something similar be prescribed before, Leviticus vi. 28., xi. 33, and xv. 12.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v24 24. Wash your clothes — According to the law.…
24. Wash your clothes — According to the law. Num_19:19.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v23 23. the water of impurity] Its preparation and use…
23. the water of impurity] Its preparation and use are described in ch. 19.
to go through water] i.e. ordinary pure water, not the ‘water of impurity’ as R.V. suggests. Objects which will stand the fire must pass through it, and then their purification must be completed by the application of the specially prepared mixture. Objects, on the other hand, which cannot stand the fire, must pass through ordinary water instead of fire. It is perhaps implied that their purification must afterwards be completed, as in the former case, by the special mixture.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv22–23 The brass. Rather, "copper." The six metals here mentioned…
The brass. Rather, "copper." The six metals here mentioned were those commonly known to the ancients, and in particular to the Egyptians and Phoenicians.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.