And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

LEVITICUS 16:28KJV
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Leviticus 16:28 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 16:28 mean?

Leviticus 16:28 says that the person who burns the remains of the sacrificial animals must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before returning to the camp. This rule is about making sure anyone who handles these offerings is made ritually clean before rejoining the community.

In Leviticus 16, God is giving Moses instructions for the Day of Atonement, a special day when the high priest makes sacrifices for the sins of the people. The person burning the animal remains is involved in this process, and the verse explains that even after doing this necessary work, he must go through a washing ritual before coming back among others.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 16:28

  • "burneth" (שָׂרַף, saraph): This word means to completely burn up, often used for consuming something with fire. Here, it refers to the burning of the sacrificial animal remains outside the camp.
  • "wash" (כָּבַס, kabas): This word means to wash or launder clothes, not just to rinse them, but to thoroughly clean them.
  • "bathe" (רָחַץ, rachats): This means to wash or bathe the body, implying a full washing, not just a partial cleansing.
  • "camp" (מַחֲנֶה, machaneh): This refers to the area where the Israelites lived together. Returning to the camp means rejoining the community after being ritually purified.

Why Leviticus 16:28 matters

  • Leviticus 16:28 shows that even those doing necessary religious work could become ritually unclean and needed to be purified before returning to daily life.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of the Day of Atonement rituals and the careful boundaries between what was considered clean and unclean.
  • Understanding this verse helps clarify the steps involved in the sacrificial system and the importance of ritual purity in Israelite worship.

Where else these words appear

“wash” Hebrew H3526 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
  • Leviticus 14:47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.
  • Numbers 8:21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

“bathe” Hebrew H7364 · used in 71 verses

  • Genesis 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
  • Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • Judges 19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

“burneth” Hebrew H8313 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
  • Joshua 7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
  • Psalms 46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.