Numbers 19:3

3 And ye shall betake her to Eleazar, the priest, that shall offer her, led out of the tents, in the sight of all men. (And ye shall give her to Eleazar, the priest, and when she is led away from the tents, he shall offer her in the sight of all the people.)

Numbers 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 19:3

And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest
The son of Aaron; the Sagan of the priests, as the Targum of Jonathan calls him, the second or deputy priest; it was not to be given to Aaron, that he might not be defiled, though but for a small time, that so he might not be hindered in his office at all; but to Eleazar, to inure him to his office, and to confirm him in it:

that he may bring her forth without the camp;
without the camp of Israel; Jarchi says, without the three camps, as afterwards without Jerusalem; it used in later times to be burnt on the mount of Olives; it was brought forth as impure, and was a type of Christ, having the sins of his people on him, and who in conformity to this type suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, see ( Hebrews 13:11-13 ) ;

and [one] shall slay her before his face;
the Targum of Jonathan says, another priest; but it was not necessary that it should be slain by a priest, any man might do it. Jarchi says, a stranger slew, and Eleazar looked on; though it was not slain by him, yet it was slain before him, that it might look like a sacrifice, though not offered on the altar; and slaying of it denotes the putting of Christ to death, which was done in the presence, and with the approbation, of the priests and elders of the people.

Numbers 19:3 In-Context

1 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,
2 This is the religion of sacrifice, which the Lord ordained. Command thou to the sons of Israel, that they bring to thee a red cow of whole colour, in which is no wem, neither she hath borne (a) yoke. (This is the law of sacrifice, which the Lord hath ordained. Command thou to the Israelites, that they bring to thee a red cow of whole colour, in which there is no blemish, or fault, nor hath she ever borne a yoke.)
3 And ye shall betake her to Eleazar, the priest, that shall offer her, led out of the tents, in the sight of all men. (And ye shall give her to Eleazar, the priest, and when she is led away from the tents, he shall offer her in the sight of all the people.)
4 And he shall dip his finger in the blood thereof, and shall sprinkle (it) seven times against the gates of the tabernacle. (And he shall dip his finger in her blood, and he shall sprinkle it seven times towards the front of the Tabernacle.)
5 And he shall burn that cow, while all men see; and he shall give as well the skin, and the flesh thereof, as the blood, and the dung, to [the] burning. (And then a man shall burn that cow, in front of Eleazar; and he shall put its skin, and flesh, and blood, and dung, in the fire.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.