Meyer, Esias E.2024-10-242024-10-242024-09Meyer, E.E., 2024, ‘Creative waters: Semantic and ritual innovation in the Book of Numbers’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 80(2), a9929. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v80i2.9929.0259-9422 (print)2072-8050 (online)10.4102/hts.v80i2.9929http://hdl.handle.net/2263/98755DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.The article examines how water features in different rituals in Leviticus and Numbers. It starts by providing an overview of how water is used in Leviticus and Numbers for cleansing and other rituals, focusing on cases where water is mixed with something else. Then, the article focuses on three pericopes from the Book of Numbers that describe concoctions of water mixed with other substances. These concoctions are given specific names in Numbers. Lastly, the article discusses diachronic arguments about these ritual texts. CONTRIBUTION: The article shows the creativity that the authors of Numbers employed in reworking and innovating ritual texts from Leviticus.en© 2024. The Author. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.Cleansing ritualsRitual textsWater concoctionsRitual innovationLeviticusNumbers 5Numbers 8Numbers 19Article