He that gathered the ashes became equally unclean with the others. For the defilement of the people, previously transferred to the heifer, was regarded as concentrated in the ashes.<\/P> <\/p>\n
The stranger that sojourneth, <\/B>to wit, a proselyte, not any stranger, as some understand it. For since it is confessed all the other ceremonial laws do not oblige them, and that where the name of stranger is put, as here it is, it generally speaks of a proselyte, it is more reasonable to take it so here, than without any reason or evidence to make this a particular exception from the general rule. <\/P> <\/p>\nFuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes<\/strong>,…. Whom the Targum of Jonathan calls a priest, though it does not seem necessary he should be one:<\/p>\n and be unclean until the even<\/strong>; [See comments on Nu 19:7]<\/span>;<\/p>\n and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever<\/strong>; until the Messiah came, whose sufferings and death are for the expiation of, and purification for the sins of Jews and Gentiles, of all the people of God throughout the world, signified by the burning of this heifer; see 1Jo 2:2<\/span>.<\/p>\n Use of the Water of Purification<\/em>. – The words in Num 19:10<\/span><\/em>, “ And it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger in the midst of them, for an everlasting statute,<\/em> ” relate to the preparation and application of the sprinkling water, and connect the foregoing instructions with those which follow. – Num 19:1-13<\/span> contain the general rules for the use of the water; Num 19:14-22<\/span> a more detailed description of the execution of those rules.<\/p>\n Num 19:11-13<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> Whoever touched a corpse, “ with regard to all the souls of men,<\/em> ” i.e., the corpse of a person, of whatever age or sex, was unclean for seven days, and on the third and seventh day he was to cleanse himself ( , as in Num 8:21<\/span>) with the water ( refers, so far as the sense is concerned, to the water of purification). If he neglected this cleansing, he did not become clean, and he defiled the dwelling of Jehovah (see at Lev 15:31<\/span>). Such a man was to be cut off from Israel (vid., at Gen 17:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n Num 19:14-16<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> Special instructions concerning the defilement. If a man died in a tent, every one who entered it, or who was there at the time, became unclean for seven days. So also did every “ open vessel upon which there was not a covering, a string,<\/em> ” i.e., that had not a covering fastened by a string, to prevent the smell of the corpse from penetrating it. , a string, is in apposition to , a band, or binding (see Ges.<\/em> 113; Ewald<\/em>, 287, e.). This also applied to any one in the open field, who touched a man who had either been slain by the sword or had died a natural death, or even a bone (skeleton), or a grave.<\/p>\n Num 19:17-20<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> Ceremony of purification<\/em>. They were to take for the unclean person some of the dust of the burning of the cow, i.e., some of the ashes obtained by burning the cow, and put living, i.e., fresh water (see Lev 14:5<\/span>), upon it in a vessel. A clean man was then to take a bunch of hyssop (see Exo 12:22<\/span>), on account of its inherent purifying power, and dip it in the water, on the third and seventh day after the defilement had taken place, and to sprinkle the tent, with the vessels and persons in it, as well as every one who had touched a corpse, whether a person slain, or one who had died a natural death, or a grave; after which the persons were to wash their clothes and bathe, that they might be clean in the evening. As the uncleanness in question is held up as the highest grade of uncleanness, by its duration being fixed at seven days, i.e., an entire week, so the appointment of a double purification with the sprinkling water shows the force of the uncleanness to be removed; whilst the selection of the third and seventh days was simply determined by the significance of the numbers themselves. In Num 19:20<\/span>, the threat of punishment for the neglect of purification is repeated from Num 19:13<\/span>, for the purpose of making it most emphatic.<\/p>\n Num 19:21-22<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong> This also was to be an everlasting statute, that he who sprinkled the water of purification, or even touched it (see at Num 19:7<\/span>.), and he who was touched by a person defiled (by a corpse), and also the person who touched him, should be unclean till the evening, – a rule which also applied to other forms of uncleanness.<\/p>\n (10) And it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger . . . <\/strong>So the promise of the remission of sins through Christ Jesus was not only to the Jews and to their children, but also to all that were afar off. (See Act. 2:39<\/span>.)<\/p>\n 10<\/strong>. <\/strong> He that gathereth <\/strong> Here we have a paradox. The clean man, in gathering the ashes which make clean, becomes unclean<\/strong>. Does it not fore-show that the scribes, priests, and all others who procured the shedding of the blood of Christ which “cleanseth from all sin” became sinners by this very act? “Yet some of them were, and all might have been, cleansed by the virtue of that same blood which they had brought themselves under the guilt of.” Henry. <\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n The stranger <\/strong> See Lev 23:22<\/span>, note.<\/p>\n The Uncleanness of Contact With Death And Its Removal ( Num 19:10-22<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n In view of our earlier analysis of the whole chapter the following section is necessarily chiastic. <\/p>\n a <\/strong> The one who touches the dead to be unclean seven days (Num 19:11<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> The application of the ashes on those who have touched the dead (Num 19:10-12<\/span>). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> Judgment on those who refuse the use of the ashes (Num 19:13<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> The description of what is unclean (Num 19:14-16<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> The application of the ashes to the unclean through the ‘water of uncleanness’ (Num 19:17-19<\/span>). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> Judgment on the one who refuses to be cleansed (Num 19:20<\/span> a). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> Those who have not had the ashes applied to them, and on whom the water of uncleanness has not been sprinkled, are unclean (Num 19:20<\/span> b). <\/p>\n a <\/strong> Those who touch the water of uncleanness, containing the ashes applied to the one who has touched the dead, are to purify themselves and all who have touched the unclean person are unclean until the evening (Num 19:21-22<\/span>). <\/p>\n We must now consider this in more detail. <\/p>\n Num 19:11<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days,” <\/p>\n To come into contact with the dead body of any person was to be unclean for at least seven days. Such was the intensity of the uncleanness that there was no way in which that uncleanness could be removed before the passage of a divinely complete period for its cleansing. And even then it could only be after due process. But once that process was completed the person could feel totally released from its taint. <\/p>\n Num 19:12<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> The same shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean. But if he does not purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.” <\/p>\n The person who needed to be cleansed from the defilement of contact with death had to purify himself on the third day by the application of the water of uncleanness. Should he fail to do this he would not become clean on the seventh day (see Num 19:19<\/span>). <\/p>\n Num 19:13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of Yahweh, and that person shall be cut off from Israel, because the water for uncleanness was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is yet on him.” <\/p>\n The situation was considered to be so serious that to fail to take advantage of such cleansing would make the person liable to the death penalty. By such behaviour they would be defiling the Dwellingplace of Yahweh by introducing permanent death into the camp, and treating death lightly. Death was an enemy that had to be excluded, a disease that had to be eradicated. Of course, if they remained for ever outside the camp it would not matter. There would be no problem. The problem lay with those who were careless with regard to contact with death but thought that they could live among the holy people in the camp which surrounded the dwellingplace of Yahweh. That was not possible. <\/p>\n This ‘cutting off’ might be through death or permanent banishment. But usually being cut off denotes death, and it probably therefore does here. It would not, however, presumably be applied to one who remained permanently away from the camp. It should be noted that this is speaking of sin with a high hand, a deliberate refusal to submit to cleansing. It is not speaking of those who innocently were unaware of their need to be cleansed. <\/p>\n Num 19:14<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> This is the law when a man dies in a tent. Every one who comes into the tent, and every one who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.” <\/p>\n The taint of uncleanness when a man died affected everyone who came into his tent and everyone who lived there. They lived under the shadow and taint of death for seven days and had to be cleansed. <\/p>\n Num 19:15<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And every open vessel, which has no covering bound on it, is unclean.” <\/p>\n The uncleanness even extended to any open vessel, any vessel with no ‘lid’ on it. The taint of death affected it and what was in it. It permeated everywhere within the tent. <\/p>\n Num 19:16<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.” <\/p>\n The same applied to contact with a dead man as a result of battle, or coming across a dead body and touching it (which presumably any merciful person would do under most circumstances), or even touching the bone of a man, or a grave. All possible contact with human death is involved. It would be a regularly occurring event in the lives of many people. But such was the awfulness of death that it rendered those who came in contact with it as unclean (see introduction to the chapter). <\/p>\n Num 19:17<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the purification for sin offering, and running water shall be put to it in a vessel,” <\/p>\n For any rendered unclean the ashes of the purification for sin offering (as described in Num 19:1-10<\/span>) were to be put in a vessel with ‘running water’, such as water taken from a spring which was untainted and ‘living’. This water could then be utilised for cleansing. (In this regard we should note that this is the only water which in itself is ever said to have ‘cleansed’ anyone, and it cleansed because it contained sacrificial ashes). <\/p>\n Num 19:18<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on the one who touches the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave,” <\/p>\n The process was to be carried out by a clean person, untainted by the taint of death or impurity. That person would take hyssop and dip it into the water and with it sprinkle the tent in which the man had died, all the vessels and persons who had been there, and anyone who touched a bone, or a slain man, or a dead corpse, or a grave. <\/p>\n Num 19:19<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day, and on the seventh day he shall purify him, and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean in the evening.” <\/p>\n This sprinkling was to be carried out on the third day and on the seventh day. The sprinkling on the seventh day would purify him, but only if he had also been sprinkled on the third day (Num 19:12<\/span>). Then each person sprinkled must wash their clothes, bathe themselves in water and be unclean until the evening. They were, as it were, having a new beginning, arising from their uncleanness and contact with death. That this would be hygienically wise is undoubted, but the main purpose cultically was that the person might feel themselves removed from the grip of death, and that all might know that it was so. Now they could recommence normal life and approach Yahweh in as far as an ordinary person could do so. <\/p>\n Num 19:20<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Yahweh. The water for uncleanness has not been sprinkled on him. He is unclean.” <\/p>\n However, the person who refused cleansing, and thus sinned against Yahweh with a high hand, was to be cut off because he had defiled the Sanctuary of Yahweh (compare Num 19:13<\/span>). He could have no further part in the assembly. He was as one dead. And this was because he had accepted ‘death’ by refusing to be cleansed from it. The water of uncleanness had not been sprinkled on him. He was unclean by choice. He would be either excluded or put to death. He had the choice there too (no one would prevent his flight). <\/p>\n Num 19:21-22<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> And it shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for uncleanness shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for uncleanness shall be unclean until the evening. And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean. And the person who touches it shall be unclean until the evening.” <\/p>\n This was to be a perpetual statute for all Israel. Meanwhile the one who had performed the sprinkling must wash his clothes, presumably lest any drop had fallen on them. And anyone actually touched by the water of uncleanness would be unclean until the evening. And whatever was touched by such a person would become unclean, as would anyone who touched what had become unclean. Such was the scrupulousness with which the taint of death should be avoided. <\/p>\n Thus was the taint of the enemy death to be removed from the people of God, so that they might serve the living God without fear. Death was the opposite of all that God wanted for them, and all that God is. This passage is the foundation for Isaiah’s teaching that death would one day be swallowed up (Isa 25:8<\/span>). It was unnatural to God’s purposes. And it would result in Isaiah’s teaching concerning resurrection (Isa 26:19<\/span>). Compare also Paul’s description of death as the last enemy which will be abolished (1Co 15:26<\/span>). Adam had introduced death into the world by sin. Through the death of His own Son God would remove it for ever. And this was what the sacrifice of the red heifer pointed to (Heb 9:13-14<\/span>). We come to a better cleansing through the blood of Jesus (1Jn 1:7<\/span>). <\/p>\n It may be asked why such a procedure was necessary for cleansing from such contact with death. Both theologically and psychologically its effect was profound. It illustrated that death was an enemy, that it was foreign to God. It illustrated the fact that God is the living God to Whom death is abhorrent. It illustrated the fact that God gives life from death. But above all it comforted those involved in the process with the recognition that the death had no power over them. They were freed from it and no longer affected by it. They need not fear it or feel defiled by it. They were once more acceptable to God and free from every taint of it. (It also incidentally helped to prevent disease). <\/p>\n So the first part of Numbers stressed the mobilisation of Israel for the possessing of the land (chapters 1-10). The second part has now demonstrated Israel’s failure to obey God and enter the land (chapters 10-14), and their subsequent wilderness wandering, but with the last part stressing the future that would be theirs once they entered the land. It has thus ended with the promise of life (chapters 15-19). The second half, and remainder of the book will outline the preparation and first moves towards again moving forward to possess the land, establishing the hope of life (Num 20:1<\/span> to Num 21:21<\/span>) and certainty of victory (chapters 22-25), while also establishing Israel in Transjordan as a kind of firstfruit of future victory and the final possession of the land. It will end with the final settlement in the land of five outstanding representatives of faithfulness to the covenant, the daughters of Zelophehad (chapters 26-36). <\/p>\n Reader, do not forget to remark, how everyone that officiated in this service is rendered thereby unclean. Eleazar, verse 7, the Man that burned the heifer, verse 8, and he that gathered the ashes. And what doth this testify, but that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; nothing but the blood of JESUS cleanseth from sin, 1Jn 1:7<\/span> .<\/p>\n Num 19:10 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.<\/p>\n Ver. 10. Shall wash his clothes.<\/strong> ] To note, that even the nearer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ, the more he is affected with the sense of his own uncleanness; yea, he retains it till even, that is, till death.<\/p>\n wash his: Num 19:7, Num 19:8, Num 19:19 <\/p>\n it shall be: Num 15:15, Num 15:16, Exo 12:49, Rom 3:29, Rom 3:30, Col 3:11 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Lev 11:25 – and be unclean Lev 15:5 – General Num 8:7 – water<\/p>\n 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 forever. He that gathered the ashes became equally unclean with the others. For the defilement of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 19:10”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4308\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"