13. Those who touch the body of someone who has died are unclean. If they stay unclean and then go to the Lord’S Holy Tent, they make it unclean. So they must be separated from the Israelites. Because the special water was not thrown on them, they remain unclean.
14. “This is the rule about those who die in their tents: If someone dies in the tent, everyone in the tent will be unclean for seven days.
15. And every jar or pot without a lid becomes unclean.
16. If there is a dead body out in a field, whether the person died in battle or for some other reason, whoever touches that dead body, or its bones, or even its grave will be unclean for seven days.
17. “If you have become unclean, someone must use the ashes from the burned cow to make you clean again. They must pour fresh water over the ashes into a jar.
18. That clean person must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. The clean person must sprinkle it over the tent, the dishes, and any people who were in the tent. That clean person must do this for anyone who touches a dead body, its bones, or even a grave.
19. “Then that clean person must sprinkle this water on you on the third day and again on the seventh day. On the seventh day you will become clean. You must wash your clothes in water and you will become clean in the evening.
20. “Whoever becomes unclean and does not become clean must be separated from the community. If an unclean person is not sprinkled with that special water and does not become clean, that person might make the Lord’S Holy Tent unclean.
21. This rule will be for you forever. And whoever sprinkled the special water must wash their clothes because they will be unclean until evening.