Bible Commentaries
Numbers 19

Introduction

Overview

Numbers 19:1, The water of separation made of the ashes of a red heifer; Numbers 19:11, The law for the use of it in purification of the unclean.

Verse 2

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

Verse 3

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

Verse 4

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

Verse 5

Exodus 29:14, Leviticus 4:11, Leviticus 4:12, Leviticus 4:21, Psalms 22:14, Isaiah 53:10

Reciprocal: Leviticus 7:8 - skin

Verse 6

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

Verse 7

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

Verse 8

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

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

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

Verse 11

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

Verse 12

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

Verse 13

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

Verse 14

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

Verse 15

Numbers 31:20, Leviticus 11:32, Leviticus 14:36

Verse 16

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

Verse 17

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

Verse 18

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

Verse 19

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

Verse 20

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

Verse 21

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

Verse 22

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