Numbers 5:1-4

Isolation of the Unclean

1 The Lord instructed Moses:

2 "Command the Israelites to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease, anyone who has a [bodily] discharge, or anyone who is defiled because of a corpse.^[a]

3 You must send away both male or female; send them outside the camp, so that they will not defile their camps where I dwell among them."

4 The Israelites did this, sending them outside the camp. The Israelites did as the Lord instructed Moses.

Numbers 5:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 5

This chapter contains a repetition of some former laws, concerning putting unclean persons out of the camp, Nu 5:1-4; making restitution in case of trespass against another, Nu 5:5-8; and of giving the offering of all holy things and all hallowed things to the priests, Nu 5:9,10; and a new law concerning jealousy, in a man, of his wife, Nu 5:11-14; when she was to be brought to the priest, and various rites and ceremonies to be used, Nu 5:15-23; who was to give her bitter water as a trial of her chastity, which, if guilty, would have a strange effect upon her, and make her accursed, but if not, would not affect her, and she would be free and happy, Nu 5:24-31.

Footnotes

• [a] Nm 9:6-7; Lv 14:2-3; 15; 22:4