Numbers 19:16

16 And if someone in an open field touches the corpse of someone who was killed with a sword or who died a natural death, or if someone touches a human bone or a grave, that person will be defiled for seven days.

Numbers 19:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 19:16

And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the
open fields
That is killed by another, that dies a violent death, either by the sword or other means; one that touched such an one was unclean, or that touched the sword with which he was slain, as the Targum of Jonathan adds: "or a dead body": that dies a natural death, or suddenly, or in any way:

or a bone off a man;
dug out of a grave, and lying by itself:

or a grave;
the Targum adds, either the covering or side of a grave:

shall be unclean seven days;
all which has respect to the defiling nature of sin, which is the cause of death and the grave.

Numbers 19:16 In-Context

14 “This is the ritual law that applies when someone dies inside a tent: All those who enter that tent and those who were inside when the death occurred will be ceremonially unclean for seven days.

15 Any open container in the tent that was not covered with a lid is also defiled.

16 And if someone in an open field touches the corpse of someone who was killed with a sword or who died a natural death, or if someone touches a human bone or a grave, that person will be defiled for seven days.

17 “To remove the defilement, put some of the ashes from the burnt purification offering in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.

18 Then someone who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or who died naturally, or touched a grave.