Numbers 31:19

19 And ye shall encamp outside the camp seven days; every one who has slain and who touches a dead body, shall be purified on the third day, and ye and your captivity on the seventh day.

Numbers 31:19 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:19

And do ye abide without the camp seven days.
&c.] Which was the time that anyone that touched a dead body remained unclean, ( Numbers 19:11 ) ,

whosoever hath killed any person;
as most of them if not all must have done; all the males of Midian that fell into their hands being slain by them, that were men grown:

and whosoever hath touched any slain;
as they must to strip them of their garments, and take their spoil from them:

purify both yourselves and your captives, on the third and on the
seventh day;
which were the days appointed for the purification of such that were polluted by touching dead bodies, ( Numbers 19:11 ) and their captives, which were the female little ones; (for as for the women, and males among the little ones, they were ordered to be slain;) though they were Heathens, yet inasmuch as they were to be for the service of the Israelites, and to be brought up in their religion, they were to be purified also; to which purpose is the note of Jarchi;

``not that the Gentiles receive uncleanness and need sprinkling, but as ye are the children of the covenant, so your captives, when they come into the covenant, and are defiled, need sprinkling.''

Numbers 31:19 In-Context

17 Now then slay every male in all the spoil, slay every woman, who has known the lying with man.

18 And as for all the captivity of women, who have not known the lying with man, save ye them alive.

19 And ye shall encamp outside the camp seven days; every one who has slain and who touches a dead body, shall be purified on the third day, and ye and your captivity on the seventh day.

20 And ye shall purify every garment and every leathern utensil, and all furniture of goat skin, and every wooden vessel.

21 And Eleazar the priest said to the men of the host that came from the battle-array, This the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded Moses.

Footnotes

• [a]. of a slain man
• [b]. shall purify himself.