Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 250
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
19:15–20:8
those who enter that tent and those who were inside when the death occurred will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Any open container in
the tent that was not covered with a lid is also defiled. And if someone in
an open field touches the corpse of someone who was killed with a sword
or who died a natural death, or if someone touches a human bone or a
grave, that person will be defiled for seven days.
“To remove the defilement, put some of the ashes from the burnt purification offering in a jar, and pour fresh water over them. Then someone
who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the
water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or
who died naturally, or touched a grave. On the third and seventh days the
person who is ceremonially clean must sprinkle the water on those who
are defiled. Then on the seventh day the people being cleansed must wash
their clothes and bathe themselves, and that evening they will be cleansed
of their defilement.
“But those who become defiled and do not purify themselves will be cut
off from the community, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the Lord.
Since the water of purification has not been sprinkled on them, they remain defiled. This is a permanent law for the people. Those who sprinkle
the water of purification must afterward wash their clothes, and anyone
who then touches the water used for purification will remain defiled until
evening. Anything and anyone that a defiled person touches will be ceremonially unclean until evening.”
In the first month of the year, the whole community of Israel arrived in the
wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam
died and was buried.
There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled
against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we
had died in the Lord’s presence with our brothers! Why have you brought
the congregation of the Lord’s people into this wilderness to die, along
with all our livestock? Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us
here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no
pomegranates, and no water to drink!”
Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then
the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord said
to Moses, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire
