Numbers 19: Cleansing from Defilement and the Red Heifer Sacrifice
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
Numbers 19 delves into the intricate procedures for purification from ceremonial uncleanness, particularly that caused by contact with death. This chapter highlights the seriousness of sin and its pervasive impact, demonstrating God's provision for cleansing and restoration within the community of Israel. This chapter is important for understanding the holiness of God and the need for atonement.
The Significance of Cleansing (Numbers 19:1-2)
The presence of death held profound religious symbolism for the Israelites, serving as a stark reminder of sin's corruption and far-reaching consequences. Contact with a corpse rendered a person ceremonially unclean, necessitating specific rituals to restore them to fellowship within the community. Numbers 19 meticulously outlines these rituals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining purity within the camp and acknowledging the pervasive nature of sin. The chapter focuses on cleansing rituals for the unclean person and even the priest who officiated at the cleansing ceremony. The priest’s ritual uncleanness is just one element that made everything about this ceremony of the red cow sacrifice (19:2) different than any other sacrifice God prescribed.
The Red Heifer Sacrifice (Numbers 19:3-10)
Central to the purification process was the sacrifice of a red heifer, a ritual distinct from other prescribed offerings. The cow was brought outside the camp and slaughtered; notice this did not happen at the altar (19:3). The heifer was burned entirely, along with cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn (Numbers 19:5-6), symbolizing complete purification. The priest then had to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water before he could re-enter the camp, but even then he was ceremonially unclean until evening, and the one who burned the cow had to do the same thing and also remain unclean until evening (19:7-8). This sacrifice underscored the gravity of sin and the necessity of divine intervention to cleanse its defiling effects. The ashes of the heifer were carefully collected and stored in a clean place outside the camp (Numbers 19:9), to be used later in the water of purification. The one who collected the ashes also underwent a period of uncleanness (Numbers 19:10). This elaborate procedure emphasized that death, the ultimate symbol of sin, cannot remain in God's presence and must be washed away according to His prescription.
Cleansing Procedures and Consequences (Numbers 19:11-13)
The regulations for cleansing those who had contact with a corpse were precise and demanding. Anyone who touched a dead body was considered unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11) and required washing on the third and seventh days to be purified (Numbers 19:12). God emphasized the spiritual significance of these regulations, warning that failure to purify oneself after contact with a corpse would defile the tabernacle, resulting in being cut off from Israel (Numbers 19:13). This highlights the importance of obedience and the serious consequences of neglecting God's commands regarding purity.
Practical Application of the Cleansing Ritual (Numbers 19:14-19)
The practicality of these rules is evident in scenarios common to nomadic life, such as death occurring in a tent or finding a dead body in an open field (Numbers 19:14, 16). To purify these situations, ashes from the red heifer were mixed with fresh water in a jar (Numbers 19:17). A clean person would then use hyssop to sprinkle the water on the tent, its furnishings, and anyone who had come into contact with the corpse (Numbers 19:18). After the sprinkling, the person performing the ritual would wash their clothes and bathe in water, becoming clean by evening (Numbers 19:19).
A Timeless Spiritual Principle (Numbers 19:20-22)
The chapter concludes with a profound spiritual principle: anything touched by an unclean person becomes unclean, and anyone who touches that object also becomes unclean (Numbers 19:22). This principle serves as a powerful reminder of the contagious nature of sin and its ability to contaminate that which is holy. It underscores the importance of dealing with sin in our lives to prevent its spread and maintain our relationship with God. Sin that isn’t dealt with contaminates that which is holy; this is a principle to remember.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
Numbers 19 delves into the intricate procedures for purification from ceremonial uncleanness, particularly that caused by contact with death. This chapter highlights the seriousness of sin and its pervasive impact, demonstrating God's provision for cleansing and restoration within the community of Israel. This chapter is important for understanding the holiness of God and the need for atonement.
The Significance of Cleansing (Numbers 19:1-2)
The presence of death held profound religious symbolism for the Israelites, serving as a stark reminder of sin's corruption and far-reaching consequences. Contact with a corpse rendered a person ceremonially unclean, necessitating specific rituals to restore them to fellowship within the community. Numbers 19 meticulously outlines these rituals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining purity within the camp and acknowledging the pervasive nature of sin. The chapter focuses on cleansing rituals for the unclean person and even the priest who officiated at the cleansing ceremony. The priest’s ritual uncleanness is just one element that made everything about this ceremony of the red cow sacrifice (19:2) different than any other sacrifice God prescribed.
The Red Heifer Sacrifice (Numbers 19:3-10)
Central to the purification process was the sacrifice of a red heifer, a ritual distinct from other prescribed offerings. The cow was brought outside the camp and slaughtered; notice this did not happen at the altar (19:3). The heifer was burned entirely, along with cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn (Numbers 19:5-6), symbolizing complete purification. The priest then had to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water before he could re-enter the camp, but even then he was ceremonially unclean until evening, and the one who burned the cow had to do the same thing and also remain unclean until evening (19:7-8). This sacrifice underscored the gravity of sin and the necessity of divine intervention to cleanse its defiling effects. The ashes of the heifer were carefully collected and stored in a clean place outside the camp (Numbers 19:9), to be used later in the water of purification. The one who collected the ashes also underwent a period of uncleanness (Numbers 19:10). This elaborate procedure emphasized that death, the ultimate symbol of sin, cannot remain in God's presence and must be washed away according to His prescription.
Cleansing Procedures and Consequences (Numbers 19:11-13)
The regulations for cleansing those who had contact with a corpse were precise and demanding. Anyone who touched a dead body was considered unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11) and required washing on the third and seventh days to be purified (Numbers 19:12). God emphasized the spiritual significance of these regulations, warning that failure to purify oneself after contact with a corpse would defile the tabernacle, resulting in being cut off from Israel (Numbers 19:13). This highlights the importance of obedience and the serious consequences of neglecting God's commands regarding purity.
Practical Application of the Cleansing Ritual (Numbers 19:14-19)
The practicality of these rules is evident in scenarios common to nomadic life, such as death occurring in a tent or finding a dead body in an open field (Numbers 19:14, 16). To purify these situations, ashes from the red heifer were mixed with fresh water in a jar (Numbers 19:17). A clean person would then use hyssop to sprinkle the water on the tent, its furnishings, and anyone who had come into contact with the corpse (Numbers 19:18). After the sprinkling, the person performing the ritual would wash their clothes and bathe in water, becoming clean by evening (Numbers 19:19).
A Timeless Spiritual Principle (Numbers 19:20-22)
The chapter concludes with a profound spiritual principle: anything touched by an unclean person becomes unclean, and anyone who touches that object also becomes unclean (Numbers 19:22). This principle serves as a powerful reminder of the contagious nature of sin and its ability to contaminate that which is holy. It underscores the importance of dealing with sin in our lives to prevent its spread and maintain our relationship with God. Sin that isn’t dealt with contaminates that which is holy; this is a principle to remember.