Numbers 19:6

19:6 And the priest must take cedar wood, hyssop, ¹  and scarlet wool and throw them into the midst of the fire where the heifer is burning. ² 

Numbers 19:17

19:17 “‘For a ceremonially unclean person you must take ³  some of the ashes of the heifer ⁴  burnt for purification from sin and pour ⁵  fresh running ⁶  water over them in a vessel.

Numbers 16:37

16:37 “Tell ⁷  Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pick up ⁸  the censers out of the flame, for they are holy, and then scatter the coals of fire ⁹  at a distance.

[19:6]  ¹ sn In addition to the general references, see R. K. Harrison, “The Biblical Problem of Hyssop,” EvQ 26 (1954): 218-24.

[19:6]  ² sn There is no clear explanation available as to why these items were to be burned with the heifer. N. H. Snaith suggests that in accordance with Babylonian sacrifices they would have enhanced the rites with an aroma (Leviticus and Numbers [NCB], 272). In Lev 14 the wood and the hyssop may have been bound together by the scarlet wool to make a sprinkling device. It may be that the symbolism is what is important here. Cedar wood, for example, is durable; it may have symbolized resistance to future corruption and defilement, an early acquired immunity perhaps (R. K. Harrison, Numbers [WEC], 256).

[19:17]  ³ tn The verb is the perfect tense, third masculine plural, with a vav (ו) consecutive. The verb may be worded as a passive, “ashes must be taken,” but that may be too awkward for this sentence. It may be best to render it with a generic “you” to fit the instruction of the text.

[19:17]  ⁴ tn The word “heifer” is not in the Hebrew text, but it is implied.

[19:17]  ⁵ tn Here too the verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; rather than make this passive, it is here left as a direct instruction to follow the preceding one. For the use of the verb נָתַן (natan) in the sense of “pour,” see S. C. Reif, “A Note on a Neglected Connotation of ntn,” VT 20 (1970): 114-16.

[19:17]  ⁶ tn The expression is literally “living water.” Living water is the fresh, flowing spring water that is clear, life-giving, and not the collected pools of stagnant or dirty water.

[16:37]  ⁵ tn Heb “say to.”

[16:37]  ⁶ tn The verb is the jussive with a vav (ו) coming after the imperative; it may be subordinated to form a purpose clause (“that he may pick up”) or the object of the imperative.

[16:37]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text just has “fire,” but it would be hard to conceive of this action apart from the idea of coals of fire.