The Meaning of Numbers 19:3 Explained

Numbers 19:3

KJV: And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:

YLT: and ye have given it unto Eleazar the priest, and he hath brought it out unto the outside of the camp, and hath slaughtered it before him.

Darby: and ye shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring it outside the camp, and one shall slaughter it before him.

ASV: And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye shall give  her unto Eleazar  the priest,  that he may bring her forth  without  the camp,  and [one] shall slay  her before  his face: 

What does Numbers 19:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 19:1-22 - Purification For Uncleanness
We might have expected this chapter to occur in Leviticus. Is it not incongruous in this narrative of the pilgrimage? Nay; this is the most appropriate place, since in the desert march we are more exposed to the touch of defilement, such as needs daily cleansing, lest we be shut out from fellowship with God.
The ashes of an heifer are emblematic of the work of our Lord. See Hebrews 9:13. No blemish; never a yoke; "slain without the camp," counted an unclean thing! It was easy for the Jew to contract ceremonial defilement. To walk over a grave was enough. But the ashes of the heifer mingled with spring-or running-water restored the polluted soul to the family and the Tabernacle. So as we confess our sins, we are sprinkled from an evil conscience, we are restored to unity with God and His people, and we walk in newness of life.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 19

1  The water of separation made of the ashes of a red heifer
11  The law for the use of it in purification of the unclean

What do the individual words in Numbers 19:3 mean?

and You shall give it to Eleazar the priest that he may take it toward outside the camp and shall be slaughtered it before him
וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־ אֶלְעָזָ֖ר הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֹתָהּ֙ אֶל־ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְשָׁחַ֥ט אֹתָ֖הּ לְפָנָֽיו

וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם  and  You  shall  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶלְעָזָ֖ר  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
הַכֹּהֵ֑ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהוֹצִ֤יא  that  he  may  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֶל־  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מִח֣וּץ  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וְשָׁחַ֥ט  and  shall  be  slaughtered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
לְפָנָֽיו  before  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.