Numbers 19:16

16 Whoever in the open field touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally, or a human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean 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 law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

15 And every open vessel with no cover fastened on it is unclean.

16 Whoever in the open field touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally, or a human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

17 For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel;

18 then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the grave.

Footnotes

• [a] Heb lacks [naturally]