Numbers 5:2
New International Version
“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body.

New Living Translation
“Command the people of Israel to remove from the camp anyone who has a skin disease or a discharge, or who has become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person.

English Standard Version
“Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.

Berean Standard Bible
“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.

King James Bible
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

New King James Version
“Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.

New American Standard Bible
“Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp everyone with leprosy, everyone having a discharge, and everyone who is unclean because of contact with a dead person.

NASB 1995
“Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person.

NASB 1977
“Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person.

Amplified Bible
“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp every leper and everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is defiled [that is, ceremonially unclean] by [coming in contact with] the dead.

Christian Standard Bible
“Command the Israelites to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease, anyone who has a discharge, or anyone who is defiled because of a corpse.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Command the Israelites to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, or anyone who is defiled because of a corpse.

American Standard Version
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead:

English Revised Version
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Command the Israelites to send outside the camp anyone who has a serious skin disease or a discharge or anyone who is unclean from touching a dead body.

Good News Translation
"Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse.

International Standard Version
"Command the Israelis to send outside the encampment every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is ritually defiled by contact with a corpse.

Majority Standard Bible
?Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.

NET Bible
"Command the Israelites to expel from the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.

New Heart English Bible
"Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead.

Webster's Bible Translation
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whoever is defiled by the dead:

World English Bible
“Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is unclean by a corpse.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Command the sons of Israel, and they send out of the camp every leper, and everyone with discharging, and everyone defiled by a body;

Young's Literal Translation
'Command the sons of Israel, and they send out of the camp every leper, and every one with an issue, and every one defiled by a body;

Smith's Literal Translation
Command the sons of Israel, and they shall send forth from the camp every one leprous, and every one flowing, and every one unclean for the soul:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Command the children of Israel, that they cast out of the camp every leper, and whosoever hath an issue of seed, or is defiled by the dead:

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Instruct the sons of Israel to cast out of the camp every leper, and those who have a flow of seed, and those who have been polluted because of the dead;

New American Bible
Order the Israelites to expel from camp everyone with a scaly infection, and everyone suffering from a discharge, and everyone who has become unclean by contact with a corpse.

New Revised Standard Version
Command the Israelites to put out of the camp everyone who is leprous, or has a discharge, and everyone who is unclean through contact with a corpse;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper and every one who has a discharge and whosoever has defiled himself;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Command the children of Israel that they put everyone who is a leper and everyone who has a discharge and everyone who is defiled in himself outside of the camp.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Charge the children of Israel, and let them send forth out of the camp every leper, and every one who has in issue of the reins, and every one who is unclean from a dead body.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cleansing the Camps
1Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. 3You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”…

Cross References
Leviticus 13:46
As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.

Leviticus 15:31
You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them.

Deuteronomy 23:14
For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, lest He see anything unclean among you and turn away from you.

Leviticus 22:3-4
Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. / If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen,

2 Kings 7:3
Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die?

Leviticus 14:3
The priest is to go outside the camp to examine him, and if the skin disease of the afflicted person has healed,

Leviticus 15:2
“Say to the Israelites, ‘When any man has a bodily discharge, the discharge is unclean.

Leviticus 21:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people,

2 Chronicles 26:21
So King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He lived in isolation, leprous and cut off from the house of the LORD, while his son Jotham had charge of the royal palace and governed the people of the land.

Leviticus 7:20-21
But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. / If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”

Matthew 8:2-4
Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. / Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”

Luke 17:12-14
As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance / and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” / When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.

Mark 1:40-44
Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” / And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. ...

Acts 10:28
He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.


Treasury of Scripture

Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that has an issue, and whoever is defiled by the dead:

put out of the camp.

Numbers 12:14
And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

Leviticus 13:46
All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

Deuteronomy 24:8,9
Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do…

and every

Leviticus 15:2-27
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean…

and whosoever

Numbers 9:6-10
And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: …

Numbers 19:11-16
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days…

Numbers 31:19
And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

Jump to Previous
Body Camp Ceremonially Children Command Contact Dead Defiled Discharge Disease Flow Infectious Israel Israelites Issue Kind Leper Orders Outside Skin Sort Tent-Circle Touch Unclean Whosoever
Jump to Next
Body Camp Ceremonially Children Command Contact Dead Defiled Discharge Disease Flow Infectious Israel Israelites Issue Kind Leper Orders Outside Skin Sort Tent-Circle Touch Unclean Whosoever
Numbers 5
1. The unclean are removed out of camp
5. Restitution is to be made in trespass
11. The trial of jealously














Command the Israelites
This phrase begins with a direct instruction from God to Moses, emphasizing the divine authority behind the command. The Hebrew word for "command" is "tsavah," which implies a strong directive, not merely a suggestion. This reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where God’s commands are to be followed as part of their obedience and devotion. Historically, this underscores the theocratic nature of Israelite society, where religious and civil laws were intertwined.

to send away from the camp
The phrase "send away" comes from the Hebrew "shalach," which means to let go or release. This action is not punitive but rather protective, both for the community and the individuals involved. The "camp" refers to the organized encampment of the Israelites during their wilderness journey, a place of communal living and worship. The camp was considered holy because of God's presence, and maintaining its purity was essential.

anyone with a skin disease
The term "skin disease" is translated from the Hebrew "tzaraath," often associated with leprosy but encompassing a range of skin conditions. In ancient Israel, such conditions were not only health concerns but also carried ritual implications. The separation was necessary to prevent ritual impurity, as outlined in Levitical law. This reflects the broader biblical theme of holiness and the need for separation from impurity.

or a discharge
The word "discharge" refers to bodily emissions that rendered a person ceremonially unclean, as detailed in Leviticus 15. The Hebrew term "zav" indicates a flow or issue, which could be natural or disease-related. This regulation highlights the importance of ritual purity in maintaining a relationship with God, as physical cleanliness was symbolic of spiritual cleanliness.

or anyone who is unclean
"Unclean" is from the Hebrew "tamei," a state of ritual impurity that could result from various causes, including contact with a corpse or certain diseases. This concept is central to the holiness code in Leviticus, where being "unclean" required separation and purification before rejoining the community. It underscores the biblical principle that God is holy, and His people must strive to reflect that holiness.

because of a dead body
Contact with a dead body rendered a person "tamei," or unclean, due to the association of death with sin and decay. In the ancient Near Eastern context, death was the ultimate impurity, contrasting with the life and holiness of God. This regulation served to remind the Israelites of the sanctity of life and the hope of resurrection, pointing forward to the New Testament revelation of eternal life through Christ.

Verse 2. - Every leper. The law of the leper had been given in great detail in Leviticus 13 and 14, and it had been already ordered that he should be put out of the camp (Leviticus 13:46, and cf. 14:3). Every one that hath an issue. These defilements are treated of in Leviticus 15; where, however, it is not expressly ordered that those so polluted should be put out of the camp. Whosoever is defiled by the dead. The fact of being thus defiled is recognized in Leviticus 11:24; Leviticus 21:1, but the formal regulations concerning it are not given until Numbers 19:21. Probably the popular opinion and practice was sufficiently definite to explain the present command.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Command
צַ֚ו (ṣaw)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

the Israelites
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

to send away
וִֽישַׁלְּחוּ֙ (wî·šal·lə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the camp
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

anyone
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

with a skin disease,
צָר֖וּעַ (ṣā·rū·a‘)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 6879: To be struck with leprosy, to be leprous

anyone
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who has a bodily discharge,
זָ֑ב (zāḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2100: To flow freely, to have a, flux, to waste away, to overflow

and anyone
וְכֹ֖ל (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who is defiled
טָמֵ֥א (ṭā·mê)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2931: Unclean

by a dead body.
לָנָֽפֶשׁ׃ (lā·nā·p̄eš)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion


Links
Numbers 5:2 NIV
Numbers 5:2 NLT
Numbers 5:2 ESV
Numbers 5:2 NASB
Numbers 5:2 KJV

Numbers 5:2 BibleApps.com
Numbers 5:2 Biblia Paralela
Numbers 5:2 Chinese Bible
Numbers 5:2 French Bible
Numbers 5:2 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Numbers 5:2 Command the children of Israel that they (Nu Num.)
Numbers 5:1
Top of Page
Top of Page