Numbers 19:8

. Parah, c. 4. sect. 4. Numbers 19:8 Ver. 8. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water,.... In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan: this shows that one different from this is designed in Numbers 19:7; and that this is one distinct from him that sprinkled the blood, Numbers 19:4; and bathe his flesh in water: in a like quantity, as the above Targum: and shall be unclean until the even: and, though washed, might not go into the camp until that time: this may signify, as before, that though the crucifixion of Christ was a very great sin, and done by wicked hands, yet was pardonable through the very blood that was shed by them, Acts 2:23. Numbers 19:9 Ver. 9. And a man [that is] clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer,....

19:1-10 The heifer was to be wholly burned. This typified the painful sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and body, as a sacrifice made by fire, to satisfy God's justice for man's sin. These ashes are said to be laid up as a purification for sin, because, though they were only to purify from ceremonial uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin which our Lord Jesus made by his death. The blood of Christ is laid up for us in the word and sacraments, as a fountain of merit, to which by faith we may have constant recourse, for cleansing our consciences.

And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water,.... In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan: this shows that one different from this is designed in Numbers 19:7 ; and that this is one distinct from him that sprinkled the blood, Numbers 19:4 , and bathe his flesh in water: in a like quantity, as the above Targum: and shall be unclean until the even: and, though washed, might not go into the camp until that time: this may signify, as before, that though the crucifixion of Christ was a very great sin, and done by wicked hands, yet was pardonable through the very blood that was shed by them, Acts 2:23.

The persons who took part in this - viz., the priest, the man who attended to the burning, and the clean man who gathered the ashes together, and deposited them in a clean place for subsequent use - became unclean till the evening in consequence; not from the fact that they had officiated for unclean persons, and, in a certain sense, had participated in their uncleanness (Knobel), but through the uncleanness of sin and death, which had passed over to the sin-offering; just as the man who led into the wilderness the goat which had been rendered unclean through the imposition of sin, became himself unclean in consequence ( Leviticus 16:26 ). Even the sprinkling water prepared from the ashes defiled every one who touched it ( Numbers 19:21 ). But when the ashes were regarded in relation to their appointment as the means of purification, they were to be treated as clean. Not only were they to be collected together by a clean man; but they were to be kept for use in a clean place, just as the ashes of the sacrifices that were taken away from the altar were to be carried to a clean place outside the camp ( Leviticus 6:4 ). These defilements, like every other which only lasted till the evening, were to be removed by washing. The ashes thus collected were to serve the congregation נדּה למי, i.e., literally as water of uncleanness; in other words, as water by which uncleanness was to be removed. "Water of uncleanness" is analogous to "water of sin" in Numbers 8:7 .

[Reformed Biblical] defiled by this work he could not come near to the tabernacle, it was sufficient for him to turn and took towards it. Either way this posture signified his presenting of this blood before the Lord by way of atonement and satisfaction for his and the people’s sins, and his expectation of acceptance and pardon only from God, and from his mercy-seat in the tabernacle. Numbers 19:5 To signify the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins. ## Her blood; all of it but what was spent in sprinkling. Numbers 19:6 All which are here burnt, and as it were offered to God, that they might be sa nctified to this holy use for the future; for of these kinds of things was the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled, Lev_14:4. Numbers 19:7 Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, in which the priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work, and the absolute necessity of a better and holier priesthood; and partly to show that Christ himself, though he had no sin of his own, yet was reputed by men, and judged by God, as an unclean and sinful person, by reason of our sins which were laid upon him, Isa_53:12 2Co_5:21. Numbers 19:8 Numbers 19:9 ## For the congregation of the children of Israel, i.e. for their use, and therefore in a fit place or places, whence any of them might easily procure it. ## For a water, or, to the water , i.e. to be put to the water, or mixed with it. ## Of separation, i.e. appointed for the c

[Reformed Biblical] e priests alone might do, but by assisting the priests in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague : this is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in or about the tabernacle, that they might watch and guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things, which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them. Numbers 8:20 Numbers 8:21 The Levites were purified by washing and sprinkling and sacrifices. See Lev_15:13-15 Num_19:11, &c. Numbers 8:22 ## Before Aaron and his sons; in their presence, and by their direction and appointment. Numbers 8:23 Numbers 8:24 ## From twenty and five years old. See Poole " Num_4:3 " . Numbers 8:25 i.e. Upon the difficult and cumbersome part of their work. Numbers 8:26 ## With t heir brethren, by way of advice, and assistance in lesser and easier works. ## Numbers 9:1 NUMBERS CHAPTER 9 The passover kept in the wilderness on the fourteenth day of the first month, Num_9:1-5. By those who were then unclean or journeying, the fourteenth day of the second month, Num_9:6-12. They who otherwise neglect it to be put to death, Num_9:13. Proselytes are to observe the same, Num_9:14. God manifests himself to Israel in a cloud by day, and fire b

2 Kings 5:14 (Sept.); Luke 11:38; Mark 7:4 (baptismous poterion, etc.); Hebrews 6:2 (baptismon didache); 9:10 (diaphorois baptismois). Observe also the remarkable variation of reading in Matthew 7:4: ean me baptisontai (except they bathe themselves), and rhantisontai (sprinkle themselves). Westcott and Hort adopt the latter in the text, the former in the margin. The Revision of 1881 reverses the order. The 'divers baptisms' in Hebrews 9:10 (in the Revision " washings") probably include all the ceremonial purifications of the Jews, whether by bathing (Leviticus 11:25; 14:9; Numbers 19:7), or washing (Numbers 19:7; Mark 7:8), or sprinkling (Leviticus 14:7; Numbers 19:19). In the figurative phrase baptizein en pneumati hagio, to overwhelm, plentifully to endow with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; Mark 1:8; John 1:3; Acts 1:5; 11:16), the idea of immersion is scarcely admissible since the Holy Spirit is poured out. See my Hist. of the Apost. Ch., p. 569. § 55. The Lord's Supper. The commentaries on Matthew 26:26 sqq., and the parallel passages in Mark and Luke; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17; 11:23 sqq.; John 6:47-58, 63. D. Waterland (Episcopal., d. 1740): A Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharist, a new edition, 1868 (Works, vols. IV. and V.). J. Döllinger: Die Lehre von der Eucharistie in den drei ersten Jahrhunderten. Mainz, 1826. (Rom. Cath.) Ebrard: Das Dogma vom heil. Abendmahl u. seine Geschichte. Frankf. a. M., 1845, 2 vols., vol. I., pp. 1-231. (Reformed.)