The Meaning of Numbers 19:4 Explained

Numbers 19:4

KJV: And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

YLT: 'And Eleazar the priest hath taken of its blood with his finger, and hath sprinkled over-against the front of the tent of meeting of her blood seven times;

Darby: And Eleazar the priest shall take of its blood with his finger, and shall sprinkle of its blood directly before the tent of meeting seven times.

ASV: and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Eleazar  the priest  shall take  of her blood  with his finger,  and sprinkle  of her blood  directly  before  the tabernacle  of the congregation  seven  times: 

What does Numbers 19:4 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 19:4 mean?

And shall take some Eleazar the priest of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some toward directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting seven times
וְלָקַ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מִדָּמָ֖הּ בְּאֶצְבָּע֑וֹ וְהִזָּ֞ה אֶל־ נֹ֨כַח פְּנֵ֧י אֹֽהֶל־ מוֹעֵ֛ד שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִֽים

וְלָקַ֞ח  And  shall  take  some 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶלְעָזָ֧ר  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
הַכֹּהֵ֛ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
מִדָּמָ֖הּ  of  its  blood 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
בְּאֶצְבָּע֑וֹ  with  his  finger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
וְהִזָּ֞ה  and  sprinkle  some 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָזָה 
Sense: to spurt, spatter, sprinkle.
אֶל־  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
נֹ֨כַח  directly 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נׄכַח  
Sense: be in front of adv.
פְּנֵ֧י  in  front 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֹֽהֶל־  of  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֛ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
שֶׁ֥בַע  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
פְּעָמִֽים  times 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.