“And thus shalt thou doe vnto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle water of purifying vpon them, and let them shaue all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselues cleane.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
8:7 Of purifying - Heb. of sin, that is, for the expiation of sin. This water was mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, #Num 19:9|, which therefore may seem to have been prescribed before, though it be mentioned after; such kind of transplacings of passages being frequent in scripture. Shave all their flesh - This external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate desire of earthly things and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in the ministers of God.