Sapate Sune 13, 2021
put out of the camp everyone who is leprous
kapusi mei he ‘apitanga ‘a kinautolu ‘oku kilia
* G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible*
This section is devoted to arrangements emphasizing the necessity for the purity of the camp on the eve of the coming of the people into the land. All that were unclean were put outside the camp This does not, of course, mean they were left behind to perish, but that they were not allowed to march in their proper place with the tribes of their people. For the time being they were camp followers only, excluded until their purification was ensured according to the provision of the laws already given. Not only must there be ceremonial cleanness but moral rectitude. Under this command, restitution had to be made by all such as had in any way sinned against others.
In this application the possibility of
jealousy within the marriage relationship was dealt with. The ordeal of
drinking bitter water had no similarity to the ordeals by fire and poison of
which we read in the history of the Dark Ages. The drinking of such water was
perfectly harmless in itself. It was a challenge to God on the part of the
woman to demonstrate her purity as against an unjust charge. There is no doubt
that if a woman who had been guilty of infidelity consented to drink this
water, evidence of her guilt would have been manifested, not by any action of
the water, but by the direct intervention of Jehovah. The great lesson taught
here is the necessity for the purity of the people as they were to enter into
possession of the land
*Commentary: David Guzik – Study Guide on the Book of Numbers*
(5:1-2)1 PEA folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki kia Mōsese, ‘o pehē, 2 Fekau ki ha‘a ‘Isileli ke nau kapusi mei he ‘apitanga ‘a kinautolu ‘oku kilia, mo ia fua pē ‘oku ‘au, mo ia ‘oku ta‘ema‘a ko ha pekia;
(5:1-2) 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.
1. (Num 5:1-2) The command to put out of the camp those who were unclean.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
"Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper,
everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse."
Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp: As Israel prepared to march to the Promised Land, the leper (Leviticus 13), those with a discharge (Leviticus 15), and any priest who would touch a dead body, except that of a close relative (Leviticus 21:1) were commanded to be put out of the camp of Israel until ceremonially clean. Now God said that Israel must do what He had previously commanded.
"Probably this ordinance gave the first idea of a hospital, where all those who are afflicted with contagious disorders are put into particular wards, under medical treatment." (Clarke)
Put out of the camp: It wasn't that any of these things made a person, or proved them to be a notorious sinner (though that was often wrongly assumed); but leprosy, unclean discharges, and dead bodies were reminders of the effects of sin - from which Israel must separate as they prepare to march on the Promised Land.
Might this also be an analogy of our sin nature inherited from Adam? Even as a leper does not choose leprosy, but inherits it, so our sin nature is not chosen - but inherited from Adam. Of course, we choose individual acts of sin, but our sin nature was inherited.
Clearly, at this stage in Israel's
progression to the Promised Land, they have been organized and ordered by God -
now, they will be challenged to purity. God is looking to make Israel a
Promised Land people - and that means a purified people.
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