and Moses after showeth. THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF,] In Chald. that man shall be destroyed. This is meant if he come in presumptuously; but if he do it ignorantly, he is to bring a sacrifice, Lev. v. 3—6. So the Hebs. explain this law, Maim. in Biath hamikdash, chap. iii. sect. xii. See the notes on Num. vi. THE WATER OF SEPARATION,] In Gr. and Chald. the water of sprinkling. This signified, that when any have sinned he cannot be cleansed from it before God, by any of his own works, nor satisfy by his own sufferings, but only by having his conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ by his Spirit; for that is it which cleanseth us from all sin,' 1 John i. 7; Heb. ix. 13, 14.

VER. 14.-IN A TENT,] And in like manner, in a house, as the Gr. here translateth it; for a tent is named, because the people then dwelt in tents in the wilderness. But for uncleanness the Hebs. say, "that only a tent was unclean, and to be sprinkled," as is after noted on ver. 18. AND ALL THAT IS IN THE TENT,] The pollution by the dead is in this respect above all other pollutions, as the Hebs. say, "The uncleanness of the tent is not like other uncleannesses, but by the dead only. And whether there come into the tent of the dead man or vessel, or the dead be brought into the tent where men or vessels are, or that the dead be with men or vessels under the same tent, they are unclean. Whether he come wholly into the tent of the dead, or come but some part of him, he is unclean by the tent. Though he do but put in his hand, or the tops of his fingers, &c. he is all unclean, &c. Whether the dead person be an Israelite or an heathen, he defileth by being touched or carried, but an heathen defileth not by tent. This is by tradition, for lo he saith of the war of Midian, whosoever hath touched any slain, Num. xxxi. 19, and he mentioneth not there the tent. Likewise an heathen is not made unclean by the dead, but an heathen that toucheth the dead, or beareth him, or cometh into the tent where the dead is, lo he is not as if he had not touched him. And why? because he is as a beast that toucheth the dead, &c. And this is not for the dead only, but for all other uncleannesses every one, heathens and beasts

are not made unclean by them," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. i. sect. 10—13. UN. CLEAN SEVEN DAYS,] This is the ordinary time for the uncleanness of men or of vessels that are defiled by the dead; but those which touch such a defiled man, are unclean but until evening, ver. 22

VER. 15.-EVERY OPEN VESSEL,] The Chald. translateth it, every open earthen ves. sel (or vessel of potter's clay:) and so the Heb. doctors expound this law, as Jarchi saith, "The scripture speaketh of an earthen vessel which receiveth no uncleanness in the outside of it, but in the inside," &c. So Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. xxi. Of vessels and their uncleanness, see the annot. on Lev. xi. 32, 33. No coVERING BOUND UPON IT,] In Gr, not bound with a bond upon it: by covering, some understand a cloth upon it. The vessel was so to be stopped, that the air of the tent might not go into it; then both it and all things in it were clean, other. wise they were unclean. From hence the Hebs. gather also by inference, that if another tent were within the tent of the dead, the things in it were clean, because they were hid or covered; and likewise, if the unclean thing were swallowed up by a living creature. But nothing put up in vessels free from uncleanness, except the vessel had a covering bound upon it. Neither was any thing clean by being buried in the ground under the tent or house; but if an house were unclean, and vessels hidden in the floor thereof, though an hundred cubits underneath, they were unclean, Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. xx.

VER. 16.-IN THE FACE OF THE FIELD,] That is, in the open field where no tent is, there pollution is by touching only. SLAIN WITH THE SWORD,] Or with any instrument; the sword is named for an instance. Therefore in Num. xxxi. 19, the law saith more generally, whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain,' &c. Thargum Jonathan here addeth, “one that is slain with the sword, or the sword wherewith he was slain." So in the Heb. canons it is said, "the sword is as the dead person, to wit, for defiling him that toucheth it," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. v. sect. 3. The word sometimes is used for wounded,

though not dead, as in Ps. Ixix. 27; cix. 22. Hereupon the Hebs. say, "A limb cut off from a living man, it is as an whole dead man, and maketh unclean by touching, by bearing, and by tent, though it be but a small limb of a child of a day old. For there is no stinted measure of limbs, as it is written, Whosoever toucheth in the face of the field one that is slain with the sword, and it is a known thing, that it is all one, whether he be slain with the sword, or with a stone, or with other things. This teacheth that he is unclean, which toucheth a limb that the sword hath cut off; provided that it be a whole limb as it is created of flesh, sinews and bones," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. ii. sect. 3. OR A DEAD BODY,] Though not slain by violence, but dying alone. A BONE OF A MAN,] By reason of this uncleanness by dead men's bones, the prophet saith, "When any seeth a man's bone, he shall set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it,' &c. Ezek. xxxix. 15. The Hebs. write, "that the blood also of a dead man defileth as doth the dead man: but the blood of a living man (they say) is clean, so long as he is alive," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. ii. A GRAVE,] Or, a sepulchre, to wit, wherein any dead have been buried. "A grave, all the while that uncleanness is within it, defileth by touching and by tent, as doth the dead person, by the sentence of the law, Num. xix. 16. And whether one touch the top of a grave, or touch the sides of it (he is unclean.) A field wherein a grave is ploughed up, and the bones of the dead are consumed into dust, the dust defileth by touching and by bearing," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. ii. sect. 15, 16. Thus the pollution by mankind being dead, is above all other legal pollutions whatsoever: which lively showeth the fruit and effect of sin, which caused death, Rom. vi. 23, and the horror of death, holding men in subjection, until by the voice of Christ they be raised and brought out of their graves, John v. 28, 29. The Hebs. say, "The cause of the uncleanness of the dead, is by means of the angel of death [the devil] that brought poison into man," R. Menachem on Num, xix. Hereby also was figured the estate of such as are dead in sin, even dead while they are alive, Col. ii. 13; 1 Tim. v. 6, whose throat is an open grave,' Ps. v. 10, so that their corrupt words and sinful works do infect others, 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18; 1 Cor. v. 6. VOL. II.

VER. 17.-AND THEY SHALL TAKE,] That is, some shall take, some clean man, as ver. 18.

FOR THE UNCLEAN,] To cleanse him. OF THE DUST,] That is, of the ashes, as the Gr. explaineth it. OF THE BURNT HEIFER OF PURIFICATION FOR SIN,] Heb. of the burning of sin, that is, of the sin-offering (the heifer) that is burned, ver. 9. HE SHALL PUT,] That is, some clean man shall put. LIVING WATER,] That is, as the Chald. expoundeth it, spring (or welling) water, which for the continual motion is called living water, as is noted on Lev. xiv. 5; Gen. xxvi. 19. IN A VESSEL,] Touching the manner of performing this rite, the Hebs. have many observations. "The water on which the heifer's ashes are put, is not filled but in a vessel, and out of fountains that spring, or of rivers derived from them: and the putting of the ashes upon the water that is filled is called sanctifying. And the water on which the ashes are put, is called the water of purification from sin, and sanctified water, and the scripture calleth it water of separation, (Num. xix. 9.) It is lawful for any to fill the water, save for the deaf, and the fool, and the child; and lawful for any to sanctify, save for the deaf, the fool, and the child: and they sanctify not but in a vessel, neither do they sprinkle, but out of a vessel; and the filling and sanctifying may be done by night, but they do not sprinkle, nor wash, but by day; and all the day long they may sprinkle or wash. In any vessel they may fill, and sprinkle, and sanctify, though vessels of stone, of earth, &c. He that turneth a spring into his wine-press, or into a cistern, and then filleth a vessel out of that press or cistern, it is unlawful: for it is necessary to take the water out of the spring into a vessel at the first. The main sea, as the gathering together of water, is not as a spring: therefore they fill not out of it to sanctify, &c. When they sanctify the water with the ashes, he putteth the water which is filled by the name of sin-water, into a vessel, and putteth the ashes upon the face of the water, and mixeth all together; and if he put in the ashes first, and afterward the water, it is unlawful. And whereas it is said in the law, And he shall put thereto living water, (Num. xix. 17,) it is meant to mix the ashes with the water. He that sanctifieth, must do it purposely, and put the ashes with his hand on the water; as it is said, And they shall take for the unclean person; so that he must

have an intent to sanctify, and to fill, and to sprinkle, &c. He that delivereth sanctified water, or water filled for sanctification, to an unclean person to keep it, it is become unlawful. He that is hired is unlawful to sanctify or to sprinkle, but not unlawful to fill the water, &c. he may receive wages for filling, or for carrying the water; but he must sanctify for nothing, and he that sprinkleth must sprinkle for nothing," Maim. in Pharah adummah, chap. vi. sect. 1, &c.; chap. ix. sect. 1, &c.; and chap. vii. sect. 2. VER. 18. A CLEAN MAN,] Either he that took the ashes and put them on the water, or any other: see the notes on ver. 9. "He that filleth the water for sanctification, it is not necessary that it be he himself that sanctifieth, and that sprinkleth; but one may sanc tify, and another may sprinkle," Maim. in Pharah, chap. xix. HYSSOP,] That herb which was used in cleansing of the leper, whereof see Lev. xiv. 4. "A clean man taketh three stalks of hyssop, and bindeth them in a bunch, &c. and dippeth the tops of the branches in the water of separation which is in a vessel, and purposely sprinkleth on the man, or on the vessels," &c. Maim. in Pharah, chap. xi. sect. 1. DIP IT IN THE WATER,] "He that sprinkleth, needeth not to dip for every sprinkling, but dippeth the hyssop, and sprinkleth one time after another, till the water be ended. And he may sprinkle with one sprinkling on many men, or on many vessels at once, though they be an hundred: whatsoever the water toucheth, it is clean every whit, if so be he that sprinkleth do intend to sprinkle upon it," Maim. in Pharah, chap. x. sect. E. UPON THE TENT,] In Gr. upon the house. The tent was unclean by the dead, though it touched it not, as this law showeth. "The tent itself, whereinto the uncleanness came, though the uncleanness touched it not, yet is it unclean with seven days' uncleanness by the law, and is as cloths that touch the dead corpse; for it is said, And he shall sprinkle upon the tent," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. v. sect. 12. ALL THE VESSELS,] Nothing but this water could purify the vessels; though they were melted in the fire, yet they were in part unclean, as it is said, Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation,' Num. xxxi. 32. THE SOULS,] The living persons, or men, as Thar

gum Jonathan explaineth it. And this is spoken largely without limitation, though they had other uncleanness upon them, than by the dead. And so the Hebs. explain it largely, saying, "All that are unclean do receive the sprinkling; as men or women that have running issues, women separated for their disease, and women in child-bed, which are defiled by the dead, they sprinkle upon them in the third day, and in the seventh, and lo they are cleansed from the uncleanness by the dead, although they are unclean still with other uncleanness, for it is said (in Num. xix. 19,) And a clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean,' &c. whereby thou must learn, that the sprinkling is available for him, though he be unclean. And so an uncircumcised person receiveth the sprinkling; as an uncircumcised person that is unclean by the dead, and one sprinkle upon him in the third day and in the seventh, lo he is clean from uncleanness by the dead; and when he is circumcised, he washeth (or baptizeth) and eateth of the holy things at evening," Maim. in Pharah, chap. xi. sect. 3. And for the effect of this sprinkling, they say, "A man defiled by the dead, and one hath sprinkled on him, when any of the water of separation hath touched any place of the skin of his flesh who was unclean, the sprinkling is available for him, though it fall but upon the top of his finger, or of his lip, &c. And so for an unclean vessel sprinkled, when any whit of the water toucheth the body of the vessel, the sprinkling is available for it," Maim. ibid. chap. xii. sect. 1. A BONE,] That is, a man's bone, as the Gr. translateth, and as was expressed in ver. 16.

VER. 19.-IN THE THIRD DAY,] To wit, after his uncleanness being certainly known. "Whoso is unclean by the dead, and tarrieth many days without sprinkling, when he com. eth to be sprinkled, he counteth before him three days, and they sprinkle on him in the third day, and in the seventh," &c. Maim. in Pharah, chap. xi. sect. 2 AND IN THE

SEVENTH,] Which is the day of the accom plishment of his purification: the third day was mystical, having reference to the resurrection of Christ, which was on the third day after his death, 1 Cor. xv. 4, whereof see the annot. on Gen. xxii. 4. The seventh day was also mystical, as being the number of perfection of the Sabbath, and of accomplishing a work, as is noted on Gen. ii. 2; Exod. xii. 15; Lev. iv. 6 and so it figured our full

cleansing, and ceasing from our sinful and dead works, after that we are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, and water of his Spirit, Heb. iv. 9, 10; ix. 13, 14. WASH HIS CLOTHES,] Which was a common rite, for all that were defiled with other uncleannesses; whereof see Lev. xi. 25; xiv. 8, 9; i. 55. BATHE HIS FLESH,] In Gr. wash his body: the word flesh is expressed before in ver. 7, and it is meant of his whole body, or 'all his flesh,' as Lev. xv. 16. CLEAN AT EVENING,] After the sun is set, at what time a new day beginneth; and so in mystery, a new life to begin. This cleansing of the defiled by the dead, figured Christ's work of grace upon dead and sinful men; of him it is prophesied, 'He shall sprinkle many nations,' Is. lii. 15, and of him doth the apostle open this figure, saying, If the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an 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 blemish unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb. ix. 13, 14. The sprinkling of the ashes of the heifer, figured the applying unto us of Christ's death, whereunto 'he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,' Rom. iv. 25. The living water wherewith the ashes were mixed, figured the Spirit of God, which they that believe in Christ do receive, John vii. 35, 39, of which he gave this promise, 'Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean,' Ezek. xxxvi. 25. These being applied unto our consciences by faith (as with hyssop) which purifieth the heart, Acts xv. 9, and by the preaching thereof, Gal. iii. 2, do baptize us into Christ's death, that like as he was raised up from the dead, unto the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life,' Rom. vi. 3, 4. And so we draw near unto God, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, and our robes washed, and made white in the blood of the Lamb,' Heb. x. 22; Rev. vii. 14, and cleansing ourselves 'from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,

we perfect holiness in the fear of God,' 2 Cor. vii. 1. Of these mysteries the Heb. doctors, though estranged from the true life and light of Christ, retained some knowledge; for they say, "When the living water is mixed with the ashes, it purifieth the unclean, whereas before that, while the ashes were alone, they defiled all that were employed about them. And behold, the living water signified the water that is on high, which taketh away uncleanness from the ashes, &c. And lo when it is sprinkled on the unclean, the uncleanness fleeth from him, &c. and a clean spirit resteth upon him, and purifieth him," R. Menachem on Num. xix.

VER. 20.-UNCLEAN,] By any of the things aforesaid, about the dead. NOT PURI FY HIMSELF,] Or, not be purified, to wit, by having the water sprinkled upon him, as the Chald. explaineth it; and the latter part of this verse manifesteth. THAT SOUL,] In Chald. that man. CUT OFF,] In Gr. and Chald. destroyed. DEFILED THE SANCTUARY,] By coming into it before he hath been purified. For such were shut out of the host, Num. v. 2, how much more out of the sanctuary? Therefore porters were set there at the gates, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in,' 2 Chron. xxiii. 19. 'An unclean person that cometh into the sanctuary presumptuously, his punishment is cutting off,' Num. xix. 20; if ignorantly, then he is to bring the sacrifice appointed,' Lev. vii., Maim. in Biath hamikdash, chap. iii. sect. 12. See the annot. on Lev. v. 2, 3.

VER. 21.-WASH HIS CLOTHES,] As being unclean, and so to continue until evening; likewise he that toucheth the water of separation shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. This interpretation Chazkuni here giveth of it, that in the former branch uncleanness is implied until evening; and in the latter branch, the washing of his clothes also is implied, though not expressed. This is one of the mysteries of this law, that a clean man (as he is called in ver. 18, 19,) was made unclean, by sprinkling or touching the holy water, which sanctified those that were unclean, and so it had contrary effects to purify the unclean, and to pollute the clean;

as the sun melteth wax, and hardeneth clay. Hereby the Holy Spirit seemeth to signify the imperfection and insufficiency of these legal rites, which in their greatest virtue did but sanctify to the purifying of the flesh,' as the apostle saith, Heb. ix. 13, and yet even then also, left the purifier himself in uncleanness, which he had not before. That by consideration of these effects, the people might be led unto Christ and his Spirit, who is able to purge the conscience from dead works, and to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,' Heb. ix. 14; vii. 25. The Hebs. understand this of such as sprinkled or touched the water, when there was no need as when no unclean person or vessel was to be sprinkled with it, Maim. in Pharah, chap. xv.

VER. 22.-WHATSOEVER,] Or, whomsoever; Heb. all, implying men, vessels, &c. THE UNCLEAN,] To wit, by the dead, of whom was spoken before. SHALL BE UNCLEAN,] To wit, until evening, as the end of the verse showeth: and this is an inferior degree of uncleanness; for the man or vessel polluted by the dead, was unclean seven days, ver. 11, 14, but that which such an unclean man or vessel touched, was unclean till the end of that day. So in the Heb. canons, "A man which is defiled by the

dead, and the vessels which that man toucheth, are unclean seven days, as it is said, And ye shall wash your clothes in the seventh day, and ye shall be clean,' (Num. xxxi. 24.) But a man that shall touch a man which is defiled by the dead, whether he touch him after that he is separated from the things that defiled him, or touch him while he toucheth the dead, lo this second man is unclean till the evening, as it is said, (in Num. xix. 22,)' And the soul that toucheth, shall be unclean until the evening," Maim. in Tumath meth, chap. v. sect. 2. THE SOUL,] In Chald. the man. THAT TOUCHETH,] To wit, him that is defiled, as before is noted; or, it, the thing which is defiled by the touch of an unclean man. Thus pollution passed from one thing to another, and from that other to a third; whereby God figured the congregation of sin, spreading abroad, and infecting where it goeth; leaving uncleanness till the end of that day, and beginning of a new: then washing ourselves by repentance and faith in the blood of Christ, we are clean. For we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life,' Rom. vi. 4.

1

VER. 1. THE WHOLE CONGREGATION,] To wit, of the next generation of the Israelites, when their fathers (according to the judgment threatened in Num. xiv. 29, &c.) were for the most part now dead in the wilderness, as appeareth by Deut. ii. 14, 15. ZIN,] Or

Tsin: whereof see the notes on Num. xiii. 21. Between Hazeroth, mentioned in Num. xii. 16; and this place in Zin, where now they camped, there where eighteen other stations or resting places, whither the Israelites had come, Num. xxxiii. 18-36.