Números 19
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Números 19
NJB (MT versing) Ordinance of the Red Heifer Laws of Purification Rites for Purifying A Person Who is Defiled by a Corpse Ashes of the Red Cow The Ashes of the Red Heifer 19:1-10 19:1-10 19:1-10a 19:1-10 19:1-10 19:10b-13 Contact with a Corpse Cases of Uncleanness 19:11-13 19:11-13 19:11-13 19:11-13 19:14-19 19:14-19 19:14-20 19:14-16 19:14-15 19:16 The Ritual of Water for Purification 19:17-19 19:17-20 19:20-22 19:20-22 19:20-22 19:21-22 19:21-22 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS It is hard for modern, western people to comprehend the worldview of the ANE. There was no division between secular and sacred, between the physical and the spiritual, but there was a sharp distinction between "clean and unclean," "holy and not holy." See NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 477-485. This chapter is about ceremonial purity, not moral purity. It is meant to illustrate the "special holiness" of the camp of Israel because of YHWH's presence (cf. Num. 5:3; 19:13, 20; Lev. 26:11-12). For a good discussion on uncleanness see NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 365-375. YHWH provided ways for humans to remove ceremonial defilement. ashes of the red heifer wash clothes wash body separate oneself for a set period These specific requirements about contact with or proximity to a dead person are not found in Leviticus. They are placed here probably because of the large number of dead people mentioned in Numbers 16-17. See Josephus' account in Antiq. 4.4.6. He says this was done immediately after the burial of Miriam in the wilderness after her fortieth year of life. The use of "tent" in Num. 19:14 implies the antiquity of the account. There is a rabbinical tradition that even Solomon, in all his wisdom, could not explain how the same procedure made the unclean clean made the clean unclean
Números 19:1-10
19:2 "statute of the law" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION. Notice the requirements. unblemished ‒ BDB 548 red ‒ BDB 10 (i.e., reddish brown with no other colored spots) heifer ‒ BDB 831 no defect ‒ BDB 1071 never yoked The age is unspecified but probably just reaching maturity, possibly 2 - 3 years old. ▣ "an unblemished" See SPECIAL TOPIC: WITHOUT BLEMISH. 19:3 "Eleazar the priest" Aaron's oldest son (cf. Num. 3:4) after the death of Nadab and Abihu (cf. Leviticus 10). ▣ "be brought outside the camp" Sacrifices were slain at the altar of sacrifice but this burnt offering was for a special purpose—cleansing ceremonial defilement. ▣ "before him" It seems that several priests or clean persons were involved in this ritual. Eleazar one who killed the animal, Num. 19:3 one who burned the animal, Num. 19:8 one who gathered the ashes and placed them in a clean place outside the camp, Num. 19:9-10 Numbers 2-4 could be the same person but the text implies two persons. 19:4-10 The ritual procedure: the main priest put his finger into container of its blood sprinkled some toward the front of the tent of meeting several times complete animal burned (Num. 19:5) cast into the fire (see notes at Lev. 14:4, 6, 49, 51, 52) cedar wood hyssop (NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 334-335) scarlet material the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe, but still be unclean until evening (i.e., start of a new day), Num. 19:7 the person who burns the heifer must do the same procedures (Num. 19:8) the person who gathers the ashes removed by a clean person and placed in a special place must do the same procedures (Num. 19:9-10) 19:5 The red heifer is unique in several ways. it is slaughtered, not sacrificed it is slaughtered outside the camp, not at the altar it is not slaughtered specifically by a priest but a clean person (cf. Num. 19:18) it is completely burned, in a different way from Leviticus 1 the blood was used and disposed of in an entirely unique way small amount sprinkled remainder burned with carcass 19:6 "scarlet material" In Leviticus 14 the same ritual items of "cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet" are used. They seem to be tied together in one piece to sprinkle, but here that is not spelled out. The scarlet could be a dye (the rabbis) a cord (TEV) symbolic colored, unspecified ritual item 19:9 "deposit it outside the camp" This seems to disagree with Num. 19:3. Is the animal slaughtered outside of the camp or are its ashes taken outside the camp? ▣ "shall keep it as water to remove impurity" Ashes are mixed with water and kept in a clean place outside the camp where it can be easily accessed by ceremonially unclean Israelites (cf. Num. 8:7). The term translated "impurity" (BDB 622, cf. Num. 19:13,20; 31:23) is used in several senses. improper sexual union (i.e,. incest), Lev. 20:21 a woman's menstrual flow, Lev. 2:2,5; 15:19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 33; 18:19 an allusion to idolatry, 2 Chr. 29:5; Ezra 9:11; Ezek. 7:19-20; Lam. 1:17; Zech. 13:1 19:10 There is only one standard in Israel for Israelite, sojourner, and alien (cf. Num. 15:15, 29).
Números 19:11-13
19:11-19 These paragraphs deal with what makes someone ceremonially unclean (for contact with a dead person see Lev. 21:11; Num. 9:6-7). touches a corpse, probably in connection to the process of burial comes in contact with the tent or any thing in tent of a dead person (Num. 19:22) finds a dead person in an open field dies naturally dies in battle (again, probably involved in the burial of such a person) There is a common ritual procedure involved. the uncleanness lasts for seven days, Num. 19:11, 15, 16 use the water of the red heifer's ashes on the third and seventh days, Num. 19:12, 19 sprinkle the water of the red heifer on the tent and furnishings of the dead person, Num. 19:18-19, 21 wash his clothes and himself/herself, Num. 19:19, 21 If an Israelite refuses to purify himself, he/she is to be removed from the community (i.e., "cut off"), Num. 19:13, 20 by a divine act of death by stoning of the community by excommunication (i.e., driven outside the camp permanently) See full note at Num. 12:15 and Lev. 7:21. 19:13 "defiles the tabernacle of the Lord" This is "the" ceremonial issue (cf. Num. 19:20). YHWH is holy. He dwells over the ark in the midst of the camp of Israel. Nothing unclean must approach or dwell within the "holy camp/community of Israel."
Números 19:14-19
19:15 This is very specific. Only certain tent contents are unclean. 19:18 "a clean person" Throughout this chapter the only priest involved was Eleazar at the beginning of the ritual outside the camp. All other actions were apparently done by "clean" Israelites (see note at Num. 19:5). Here, the unclean Israelite (i.e., some connection to a dead person) was administered a cleansing ritual by a layperson.