Num 5:1-3 | Clarke | STEP | The Israelites are commanded to purify the camp by excluding all lepers, and all diseased and unclean persons, . They do so, . Law concerning him who has defrauded another - he shall confess his sin, restore the principal and add besides one fifth of its value, . If he have no kinsman to whom the recompense can be made, it shall be given unto the Lord, . All the holy things offered to the Lord shall be the priest's portion, , . The law concerning jealousy, . The suspected woman's offering, . She is to be brought before the Lord, . The priest shall take holy water, and put it in dust from the floor of the tabernacle, . Shall put the offering in her hand, and adjure her, . The form of the oath, , ; which is to be written on a book, blotted out in the bitter waters, and these the suspected person shall be obliged to drink, , . The jealousy-offering shall be waved before the Lord, , . The effect which shall be produced if the suspected person be guilty, . The effect if not guilty, . Recapitulation, with the purpose and design of the law, , .

Numbers 5:1-3

Introduction

The Israelites are commanded to purify the camp by excluding all lepers, and all diseased and unclean persons, Num 5:1-3. They do so, Num 5:4. Law concerning him who has defrauded another - he shall confess his sin, restore the principal and add besides one fifth of its value, Num 5:5-7. If he have no kinsman to whom the recompense can be made, it shall be given unto the Lord, Num 5:8. All the holy things offered to the Lord shall be the priest's portion, Num 5:9, Num 5:10. The law concerning jealousy, Num 5:11-14. The suspected woman's offering, Num 5:15. She is to be brought before the Lord, Num 5:16. The priest shall take holy water, and put it in dust from the floor of the tabernacle, Num 5:17. Shall put the offering in her hand, and adjure her, Num 5:18-20. The form of the oath, Num 5:21, Num 5:22; which is to be written on a book, blotted out in the bitter waters, and these the suspected person shall be obliged to drink, Num 5:23, Num 5:24. The jealousy-offering shall be waved before the Lord, Num 5:25, Num 5:26. The effect which shall be produced if the suspected person be guilty, Num 5:27. The effect if not guilty, Num 5:28. Recapitulation, with the purpose and design of the law, Num 5:29, Num 5:30. Verse 2

Put out of the camp every leper - According to the preceding plan, it is sufficiently evident that each camp had a space behind it, and on one side, whither the infected might be removed, and where probably convenient places were erected for the accommodation of the infected; for we cannot suppose that they were driven out into the naked wilderness. But the expulsion mentioned here was founded,

1. On a purely physical reason, viz., the diseases were contagious, and therefore there was a necessity of putting those afflicted by them apart, that the infection might not be communicated.

2. There was also a spiritual reason; the camp was the habitation of God, and nothing impure should be permitted to remain where he dwelt.

3. The camp was an emblem of the Church, where nothing that is defiled should enter, and in which nothing that is unholy should be tolerated. All lepers - all persevering impenitent sinners, should be driven from the sacred pale, nor should any such ever be permitted to enter.