Numbers 5:3

Verse

You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

American Standard Version (1901)

both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.

Bible in Basic English

Male or female they are to be put outside the tent-circle, so that they may not make unclean my resting-place among them.

Free Bible Version

Whether male or female, you must expel them so they won't make their camp unclean, for that is where I live with them.”

King James (Authorized) Version

Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

One Unity Resource Bible

Both you shall put male and female outside of the camp; that they not defile their camp, in the middle of which I dwell.”

Translation for Translators

Send them away from there in order that they will not touch people in the camp area where I live among you and cause them to become unacceptable to me.’”

Unlocked Literal Bible

Whether male or female, you must send them out of the camp. They must not defile the camp, because I live in it.”

Noah Webster Bible

Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst of which I dwell.

World English Bible

You shall put both male and female outside of the camp so that they don’t defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”

Young's Literal Translation

from male unto female ye do send out; unto the outside of the camp ye do send them; and they defile not their camps in the midst of which I do tabernacle.'

Context

Cleansing the Camps

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.”

Summary

Numbers 5:3 instructs the Israelites to remove from the camp anyone who is unclean due to an infectious skin disease or bodily discharge, so as not to defile the tabernacle where God dwells among them. This command reflects the importance of holiness and purity in the presence of God, requiring the community to maintain cleanliness and separation from impurity. By upholding these standards, the Israelites demonstrate their reverence for God and their commitment to living in accordance with His laws. The verse serves as a reminder of the need for spiritual and physical cleanliness in approaching the sacred and seeking God's presence.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Both male and female shall ye put out,.... Whether leprous, or profluvious, or defiled by touching a dead carcass: by this law, Miriam, when leprous, was put out of the camp, Num 12:14, without the camp shall ye put them; which is repeated that it might be taken notice of, and punctually observed: that they defile not their camps; of which there were four, the camps of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan: in the midst whereof I dwell; for the tabernacle, which was the dwelling place of the Lord, was in the midst of the camps of Israel; they were pitched on the four quarters of it; and this is a reason why impure persons were not suffered to be in the camp of Israel, because of the presence of God in the tabernacle so near them, to whom all, impurity is loathsome, and not to be permitted in his sight; and though this was ceremonial, it was typical of the uncleanness of sin, which is abominable to him, and renders persons unfit for communion with him, and with his people.