Numbers 31:21-24

C. PURIFICATION OF THE SOLDIERS AND THE BOOTY vv. 21-24
TEXT

Numbers 31:21, And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses; 22. Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23. Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. 24. And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 31:21. Then Eleazar the priest said to the warriors who had gone to the battle, This is the statute of the Law which the Lord commanded Moses: 22. only the gold and silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin and the lead, 23. everything which can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. But whatever does not pass through the fire you shall pass through the water. 24. And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean; afterwards you may enter the camp.

COMMENTARY

In recognizing that this is the earliest instance of the high priest declaring to the people what the law of God as delivered to Moses was, and then applying and enlarging that law to meet the present circumstances, (PC, p. 400), we should also recognize the circumstances under which such a declaration was made. As the account moves inexorably toward the time of the death of Moses, more responsibility has already been shared with Joshua, and it is only reasonable that such a sharing should occur in another area in which Moses has carried a singular responsibilitya responsibility which will be an inherent part of the duties of the succeeding high priests. This fact alone is hardly sufficient to prove that the passage is a later interpolation.

All those metals which can be purified by fire are to undergo this method of treatment; materials which would not survive this process are to be washed thoroughly with water. The metals named here: gold, silver, bronze, tin, iron and lead were well known to ancient people; all of them were refined, and all could be purified by the fires; so it was ordered. The process of washing would have included all skins, clothing, and woven fabrics of any kind. Even aside from the fact that the order is given for ceremonial purposes, no better precautionary measures could have been taken to insure curtailment of any transmissible diseases. In a day when men did not know anything of this fact, and of the part which either clothing or materials of any other kind could play in spreading unwanted germs and infestations, it was a part of God's divine protection of His people to order such a cleansing. Their own clothing must be washed on the final day of the quarantine, as the final act of compliance; following this, life might be resumed in its normal course.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

572.

Why were the metal items and all other articles of booty to be subjected to the ritual of cleansing?

573.

Explain the part of Eleazar in presenting the instructions to Israel.

574.

Why did Moses himself not deliver the instructions?

575.

Find other instances where the Israelites were required to make similar compliances with God's orders.