Numbers 31:19

19 and dwell ye without the tents seven days. He that slayeth a man, or toucheth a slain man, shall be cleansed in the third [day], and the seventh day; (and then stay ye away from the tents for seven days. He who killeth a man, or toucheth a dead man, must cleanse both himself, and his captives, on the third day, and 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 And therefore slay ye all the men, whatever is of male kind, and the little children (And so kill ye all the men, yea, whoever is a male, and all the little children); and strangle ye the women that have known men fleshly;

18 soothly keep ye to you the young damsels, and all women virgins, (but you can keep for yourselves the young girls, and all the women who still be virgins,)

19 and dwell ye without the tents seven days. He that slayeth a man, or toucheth a slain man, shall be cleansed in the third [day], and the seventh day; (and then stay ye away from the tents for seven days. He who killeth a man, or toucheth a dead man, must cleanse both himself, and his captives, on the third day, and on the seventh day;)

20 and of all the prey, whether it is cloth, or vessel, and anything made ready to things pertaining to use, of the skins and hairs of goats, and wood, it shall be cleansed. (and all the spoils, whether it is a cloak, or a vessel, or anything made out of skin, or of goat hair, or of wood, must also be made clean, or purified.)

21 And Eleazar, the priest, spake thus to the men of the host that fought, This is the commandment of the law, which the Lord commanded to Moses,