1.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2.
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:
the ordinance: Numbers 31:21, Hebrews 9:10
a red heifer: The following curious particulars have been remarked in this ordinance:
1. A heifer was appointed for sacrifice, in opposition to the Egyptian superstition, which held these sacred, and worshipped their goddess Isis under this form; and this appears the more likely, because males only were chosen for sacrifice. So Herodotus says, they sacrifice males, both old and young; but it is not lawful for them to offer females.
2. It was to be a red heifer, because the Egyptians sacrificed red bulls to the evil demon Typhon.
3. It was to be without spot, having no mixture of any other colour. Plutarch says, the Egyptians "sacrifice red bulls, and select them with such scrupulous attention, that if the animal has a single black or white hair, they reckon it בטץפןם, unfit to be sacrificed."
4. Without blemish. - See note on Leviticus 22:21.
5. On which never came yoke: because an animal which had been used for a common purpose was deemed improper for sacrifice. Numbers 19:6, Leviticus 14:6, Isaiah 1:18, Revelation 1:5
no blemish: Exodus 12:5, Leviticus 22:20-25, Malachi 1:13, Malachi 1:14, Luke 1:35, Hebrews 7:26, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 2:22
upon which: Deuteronomy 21:3, 1 Samuel 6:7, Lamentations 1:14, John 10:17, John 10:18, Philippians 2:6-8
Reciprocal: Numbers 5:17 - holy water Nehemiah 12:30 - themselves Hebrews 9:13 - and Hebrews 9:14 - without
3.
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:
without the camp: Numbers 5:2, Numbers 15:36, Leviticus 4:12, Leviticus 4:21, Leviticus 13:45, Leviticus 13:46, Leviticus 16:27, Leviticus 24:14, Hebrews 13:11-13
4.
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:
sprinkle: Leviticus 4:6, Leviticus 4:17, Leviticus 16:14, Leviticus 16:19, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 12:24, 1 Peter 1:2
Reciprocal: Leviticus 4:5 - General 2 Kings 5:10 - seven times
5.
And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
Exodus 29:14, Leviticus 4:11, Leviticus 4:12, Leviticus 4:21, Psalms 22:14, Isaiah 53:10
Reciprocal: Leviticus 7:8 - skin
6.
And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Leviticus 14:4, Leviticus 14:6, Leviticus 14:49, Psalms 51:7, Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 9:19-23
Reciprocal: Numbers 19:2 - a red heifer Joshua 2:18 - scarlet thread Song of Solomon 4:3 - scarlet
7.
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.
Numbers 19:8, Numbers 19:19, Leviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9, Leviticus 15:5, Leviticus 16:26-28
Reciprocal: Leviticus 14:46 - shall be unclean Leviticus 22:6 - General Numbers 8:7 - wash their Numbers 19:10 - wash his John 13:10 - He Hebrews 9:10 - divers
8.
And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:25 - and be unclean Leviticus 11:40 - shall wash Leviticus 16:26 - wash Leviticus 17:15 - both wash Numbers 8:7 - wash their Numbers 19:7 - General Numbers 19:10 - wash his John 13:10 - He
9.
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.
clean: Numbers 19:18, Numbers 9:13, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:26, Hebrews 9:13
lay them up: Numbers 19:17
a water of separation: That is, water prepared by being mixed with the ashes of the heifer, and set apart for the special purpose of being sprinkled on those who had contracted any legal defilement. To this rite the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews. - Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, pointedly alludes: "For if," says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, probably, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." Numbers 19:13, Numbers 19:20, Numbers 19:21, Numbers 6:12, Numbers 31:23, Numbers 31:24, Leviticus 15:20, Zechariah 13:1, 2 Corinthians 7:1
Reciprocal: Numbers 8:7 - water
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.
wash his: Numbers 19:7, Numbers 19:8, Numbers 19:19
it shall be: Numbers 15:15, Numbers 15:16, Exodus 12:49, Romans 3:29, Romans 3:30, Colossians 3:11
Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:25 - and be unclean Leviticus 15:5 - General Numbers 8:7 - water
11.
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
toucheth the dead: He who touched a dead beast was only unclean for one day - Leviticus 11:12, Leviticus 11:27, Leviticus 11:39, but he who touches a dead man is unclean for seven days. This was certainly designed to show the peculiar impurity and sinfulness of man, and the hatefulness of sin, seven times worse than the vilest animal! Numbers 19:16, Numbers 5:2, Numbers 9:6, Numbers 9:10, Numbers 31:19, Leviticus 11:31, Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:11, Lamentations 4:14, Haggai 2:13, Romans 5:12, 2 Corinthians 6:17, Ephesians 2:1, Hebrews 9:14
man: Heb. soul of man
Reciprocal: Genesis 50:10 - seven days Leviticus 5:2 - touch Leviticus 5:3 - the uncleanness Leviticus 7:19 - General Leviticus 7:21 - the uncleanness Leviticus 15:13 - seven days Leviticus 22:4 - unclean Numbers 6:6 - he shall come Numbers 31:13 - without the camp 2 Chronicles 35:6 - sanctify Isaiah 65:4 - remain Ezekiel 39:14 - they shall Ezekiel 44:26 - General Hosea 9:4 - as
12.
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.
He shall purify: Yithchatta, literally, "he shall sin himself," i.e., not add sin, but take it away, purify. So we say to fleece, and to skin, which do not signify to add a fleece, or a skin, but to take one away. Numbers 19:17, Numbers 19:18, Psalms 51:7, Ezekiel 36:25, Acts 15:9, Revelation 7:14
third day: Numbers 31:19, Exodus 19:11, Exodus 19:15, Leviticus 7:17, Hosea 6:2, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Corinthians 15:4
Reciprocal: Genesis 22:4 - third Leviticus 8:33 - seven days Leviticus 8:35 - the tabernacle Leviticus 15:13 - seven days Numbers 8:21 - were purified Numbers 19:19 - on the seventh day he John 13:10 - He Hebrews 9:13 - the purifying
13.
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.
purifieth: Numbers 15:30, Leviticus 5:3, Leviticus 5:6, Leviticus 5:17, Leviticus 15:31, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 10:29, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:11, Revelation 22:15
the water: Numbers 19:9, Numbers 19:18, Numbers 8:7
his uncleanness: Leviticus 7:20, Leviticus 22:3, Proverbs 14:32, John 8:24
Reciprocal: Numbers 9:13 - forbeareth Numbers 19:20 - shall not 2 Chronicles 30:19 - though he be not Ezekiel 36:25 - will I John 13:10 - He
14.
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.
Reciprocal: Leviticus 14:54 - the law Leviticus 15:32 - General Leviticus 21:1 - There Leviticus 21:11 - his father Numbers 6:9 - and he Numbers 31:20 - raiment
15.
And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
16.
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.
toucheth: Numbers 19:11, Numbers 31:19
a bone: Ezekiel 39:11-16
a grave: Matthew 23:27, Luke 11:44
Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:39 - General Leviticus 21:1 - There Numbers 9:6 - defiled 1 Samuel 20:26 - he is not clean 2 Kings 23:14 - the bones of men Isaiah 65:4 - remain Lamentations 4:14 - so that men could not touch Ezekiel 16:5 - but thou Ezekiel 39:12 - cleanse Luke 8:27 - but
17.
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:
ashes: Heb. dust, Numbers 19:9
running water shall be put thereto: Heb. living waters shall be given, Genesis 26:19, *marg. Song of Solomon 4:15, John 4:10, John 4:11, John 7:38, Revelation 7:17
Reciprocal: Exodus 40:36 - when Numbers 8:7 - water Numbers 19:12 - He shall purify Numbers 31:23 - it shall be purified Acts 21:24 - and purify
18.
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:
Numbers 19:9, Psalms 51:7, Ezekiel 36:25-27, John 15:2, John 15:3, John 17:17, John 17:19, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 9:14
Reciprocal: Exodus 12:22 - a bunch Leviticus 14:4 - hyssop Leviticus 14:7 - sprinkle Numbers 9:6 - defiled Numbers 19:12 - He shall purify Numbers 19:13 - the water 1 Kings 4:33 - the hyssop 2 Kings 23:14 - the bones of men John 19:29 - hyssop Hebrews 9:19 - hyssop Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled
19.
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.
shall sprinkle: Ephesians 5:25-27, Titus 2:14, Titus 3:3-5, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:2, Jude 1:23, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 1:6
on the seventh day he: Numbers 19:12, Numbers 31:19, Genesis 2:2, Leviticus 14:9
Reciprocal: Genesis 22:4 - third Leviticus 11:25 - and be unclean Leviticus 11:40 - shall wash Leviticus 14:7 - sprinkle Leviticus 17:15 - both wash Leviticus 17:16 - General Numbers 8:7 - wash their Numbers 8:21 - were purified Numbers 19:7 - General Numbers 19:10 - wash his Numbers 31:24 - General 2 Kings 5:10 - seven times John 13:10 - He Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled
20.
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.
shall not: Numbers 19:13, Numbers 15:30, Genesis 17:14, Mark 16:16, Acts 13:39-41, Romans 2:4, Romans 2:5, 2 Peter 3:14, Revelation 22:11
Reciprocal: Exodus 2:18 - General Leviticus 15:31 - that they Leviticus 17:16 - General Leviticus 20:3 - to defile Numbers 19:9 - a water of separation 2 Chronicles 30:18 - had not cleansed Ezekiel 14:8 - I will cut 1 Corinthians 3:17 - any
21.
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.
Leviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 16:26-28, Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:4
Reciprocal: Exodus 27:21 - a statute for ever Leviticus 3:17 - a perpetual Leviticus 14:46 - shall be unclean Leviticus 17:15 - both wash Numbers 19:9 - a water of separation
22.
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
whatsoever: Leviticus 7:19, Haggai 2:13
the soul: Leviticus 15:5, Matthew 15:19, Matthew 15:20, Mark 7:21-23
Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:25 - and be unclean Leviticus 14:46 - shall be unclean Numbers 5:3 - defile not Numbers 31:20 - raiment