Numbers 19:10-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 19:1-10

We have here the divine appointment concerning the solemn burning of a red heifer to ashes, and the preserving of the ashes, that of them might be made, not a beautifying, but a purifying, water, for that was the utmost the law reached to; it offered not to adorn as the gospel does, but to cleanse only. This burning of the heifer, though it was not properly a sacrifice of expiation, being not performed at the altar, yet was typical of the death and sufferings of Christ, by which he intended,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 19:11-22

Directions are here given concerning the use and application of the ashes which were prepared for purification. they were laid up to be laid out; and therefore, though now one place would serve to keep them in, while all Israel lay so closely encamped, yet it is probable that afterwards, when they came to Canaan, some of these ashes were kept in every town, for there would be daily use for them. Observe, I. In what cases there needed a purification with these ashes. No other is mentioned here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 19:10

And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes ,.... Whom the Targum of Jonathan calls a priest, though it does not seem necessary he should be one: and be unclean until the even ; See Gill on Numbers 19:7 , and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever ; until the Messiah came, whose sufferings and death are for the expiation of, and purification for the sins of Jews and Gentiles, of all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 19:11

He that toucheth the dead body of any man ,.... A man and not a beast, as Aben Ezra observes; for he that touched the dead body of a beast was unclean only until evening, Leviticus 11:24 ; any man, Jew or Gentile, as the same writer notes: this is instanced in, as being the principal pollution, though not the only one, yet so some think, for which the water of purification made of the ashes of the burnt heifer was appointed: shall be unclean seven days ; the reason of which is, because... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 19:12

He shall purify himself with it ,.... That is, with the ashes of the water of purification made of them: and this was to be done first on the third day ; from the time of his touching the dead body. Aben Ezra intimates, that there is a secret or mystery in this and the following number seven; it may respect the third day of Christ's resurrection, who, as he shed his blood for the expiation and purification of sinners, so he rose again the third day for the justification of them: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 19:13

Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself ,.... With the ashes of the heifer, or water of purification, and so neglects the means which God has appointed for his cleansing: defileth the tabernacle of the Lord ; that is, if he goes into it in his uncleanness, which it was not lawful for him to do: from the Jews the Assyrians seem to have borrowed some customs of theirs, as related by Lucian F18 De Dea Syria. , who upon burying a dead cock... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 19:11

He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days - How low does this lay man! He who touched a dead beast was only unclean for one day, Leviticus 11:24 , Leviticus 11:27 , Leviticus 11:39 ; but he who touches a dead man is unclean for seven days. This was certainly designed to mark the peculiar impurity of man, and to show his sinfulness - seven times worse than the vilest animal! O thou son of the morning, how art thou fallen! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 19:12

He shall purify himself with it - בו יתחטא yithchatta bo , literally, he shall sin himself with it. This Hebrew form of speech is common enough among us in other matters. Thus to fleece, to bark, and to skin, do not signify to add a fleece, another bark, or a skin, but to take one away; therefore, to sin himself, in the Hebrew idiom, is not to add sin, but to take it away, to purify. The verb חטא chata signifies to miss the mark, to sin, to purify from sin, and to make a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 19:11

Verse 11 11.He that toucheth the dead body. He now recites certain forms of pollution in which the washing was necessary; all of them, however, come to the point, that men are defiled by the touch of a corpse or, bones, or a grave. Nor is there here any distinction between the body of a person who is slain, or of one who has died in bed; whence it follows that death is here set forth as a mirror of God’s curse: And assuredly, if we consider its origin and cause, the corruption of nature,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 19:13

Verse 13 13.Whosoever toucheth the dead body. The severity of. the capital punishment shews how very pleasing to God is purity. If any one bad forgotten to sprinkle himself on the third or the seventh day, he might redeem his negligence by a prolongation of the term, because he only postponed his purification to another day; but it was a capital crime to enter the sanctuary in his uncleanness, since thus holy and profane things would be mixed together, nay, the altar would have been polluted as... read more

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