Numbers 19

Orders about the Water of Separation, to be made with the ashes of a red, slain and burnt Heifer, verse 1. etc. of sundry pollutions, and cleansings by the said water, 11. Laws against the condemners of this cleansing, 20.

1. Further, the LORD spake to Moseh and to Aaron, saying;

2. This is the institution of the Law, which the LORD commanded, saying: speak to the children of Israel, that they bring to you [Hebrew take to you, i.e. take and bring to you. See of the like use of such words, Genesis 12. On verse 15.] a red perfect Heifer, wherein there be no defect; [Compare Hebrews 7:26. 1 Peter 1:19. etc.] on which no yoke hath come.

3. And the same ye shall give to Eleazar, the Priest; and he shall bring her forth without the Camp, [See the signification hereof, Hebrew.13.11, 12.] and they shall slay her before his face.

4. And Eleazar the Priest, shall take of her blood, with his finger: and of her blood he shall sprinkle seven times, right over against the Tent of the Congregation.

5. Further, they shall burn this Heifer before his eyes; her skin and her flesh, and her blood with her dung shall be burnt.

6. And the Priest shall take Cedar-wood, and Hyssop and Scarlet; and cast it into the midst of the burning so this Heifer.

7. Then the Priest shall wash his clothes, and hath his flesh with water, and afterward go into the Camp: and the Priest shall be unclean until the Even.

8. Also he that burnt her, shall wash his clothes with water, and bathe his flesh with water, and be unclean until the Even.

9. And a clean man shall gather the ashes of this Heifer, and lay them aside without the Camp in a clean place: and it shall be to keep, [i.e. these ashes shall be kept and preserved] for the Congregation of the children of Israel, for the Water of separation; [where with those were to be sprinkled, who by means of any ceremonial uncleanness, were to be separated and secluded from the Tabernacle, or meeting of the Congregation; in token of their Purification] it is an Expiation [or, unsinning, Hebrew sin; i.e. Expiation, or cleansing from sin: see verse 12.13,19,20. The meaning is: This Water, and the sprinkling thereof, shall be token of the cleansing and Purification from sin, made, or bemade, onely by the blood of the Messiah our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, the same being sprinkled upon (i.e. imputed and appropriated unto) the souls of all true children of God, whereof all the ceremony, was but a type and figure: See Heb.9.12,13,14. And ch.1,2,3,4,12,14. 1 Pet.1.2. 1John 1.7,etc. So the word Sin, is also very frequently taken, for sacrifice for sin, or sin-offering. See and compare above, chapter 8. On verse 7. Where this water is called water of sin: and in this chapter v.17. ye have the burning of sin.]

10. And he that gathered the ashes of this Heifer, shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the Even: this shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger, that sojourneth in the midst of them, for an everlasting institution.

11. Whoso toucheth a dead, any dead body of a man, [viz. whether he be born Israelite, or stranger, Heb. soul. See Lev.19.on v.28.] the same shall be unclean seven days.

12. On the third day he shall un-sin (or purify) himself therewith, [viz. with the water of separation spoken of before] so shall he be clean on the seventh day: but if he doe not un-sin himself on the third day, he shall not be clean on the seventh day.

13. Whosoever toucheth a dead, the dead body of a man, that shall be dead, and shall not have un-sinned himself, the same defilth the Tabernacle of LORD; [viz. whiles being unclean yet, he nevertheless presumeth, and dreads not to appear in the court of Gods Holy Habitation, contrary to the express command of God] therefore shall that soul [i.e. man, or person] be rooted out from Israel: [as having willfully despised, not onely the Ceremonial precept of the LORD, but likewise the thing betokened thereby; to wit, the cleansing through the blood of Christ; as the following words shew forth, compared with the note above, on v .9. compare likewise, Heb.10.26,27,28,29. And see further, Gen.17. on v.14. and below here, v.20.] because the water of separation is not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet in him. [or, shall be further in him; or abideth in him.]

14. This is the Law, when a man shall have died in a Tent: [i.e. in the Camp, in his habitation or dwelling place] Every one that goeth into that Tent, and every one that is in that Tent, shall be unclean seven days.

15. (As) also all open furniture, whereon no covering [Hebr. Wrung, or wrested work, or piece of cloth, or band wherewith things are bound up] is bound, [Hebr. Joined, fastened, coupled; the sense is, such things as are not covered, kept close, bound or wrapped up] the same is unclean.

16. And whosoever shall have touched in the open field, one slain ith the sword, or a dead (person) or the bones of a man, [Being dead] or a grave, shall be seven days unclean.

17. Now for an unclean (one) [Here now God ordereth the manner of preparing and applying the water of separation] they shall take of the dust, [i.e. of the preserved ashes of the red Heifer above mentioned. Verse 9.] of the burning of the unsinning, [or expiation, purification, Heb. sin. i.e. serving for the expiation or abolition of and purifying from sin. See above, on v.9.] and put living water [i.e. spring, or running water, taken out of a fountain or river, see gen.26. on v.19. and Levi.14.5.] there upon in a vessel.

18. And a clean man shall take hyssop, and dip into that water, and sprinkle it on that Tent, and on all the furniture, and on the souls that were there: (as) likewise, on him that touched a bone, or a slain, or a dead (person) or a grave.

19. And the clean shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall unsin, (or expiate) him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself with water, and be clean in the Even.

20. He on the contrary, that shall be unclean, and shall not unsin (or expiate) himself, that soul [i.e. man, or person shall be extirpated out of the midst of the Congregation: for he hath defiled the Sanctuary of the LORD, [see above, on v.13.] the water of separation is not sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

21. This shall be unto them for an everlasting institution: and be that sprinkleth the water of separation, shall wash his clothes; also he that toucheth the water of separation, shall be unclean until the Even.

22. Yea, whatsoever shall have touched that unclean (one) shall be unclean; and the soul that shall have touched the same [Or, him] shall be unclean until the Even.