Numbers 19:5

And [one] shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

And one shall burn {H8313} the heifer {H6510} in his sight {H5869}; her skin {H5785}, and her flesh {H1320}, and her blood {H1818}, with her dung {H6569}, shall he burn {H8313}:

The heifer is to be burned to ashes before his eyes -its skin, meat, blood and dung is to be burned to ashes.

Then the heifer must be burned in his sight. Its hide, its flesh, and its blood are to be burned, along with its dung.

And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

Commentary

Numbers 19:5 details a crucial step in the unique purification ritual of the Red Heifer, a ceremony established by God for the Israelites to cleanse themselves from ceremonial uncleanness, particularly that incurred by contact with a dead body. This verse specifies the complete burning of the heifer, including its skin, flesh, blood, and even its dung, "in his sight" (likely referring to the officiating priest).

Context of the Red Heifer Sacrifice

The entire chapter of Numbers 19 describes the ordinance of the Red Heifer. Unlike other sin offerings that typically involved consuming part of the sacrifice, the Red Heifer was completely burned outside the camp (Numbers 19:3). The resulting ashes were then collected and mixed with pure water to create the "water of separation" (Numbers 19:9), which was sprinkled on those who had become defiled. This ritual was not for moral sin but for ritual impurity, enabling a defiled person to re-enter the community and worship.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Complete Sacrifice: The instruction to burn every part of the heifer—skin, flesh, blood, and dung—emphasizes the totality of the offering. Nothing was to be left, signifying a complete consumption and dedication of the sacrifice to God's purpose of purification.
  • Purity and Cleansing: The primary purpose of this ritual was to maintain the ceremonial purity of the Israelite camp, which was essential for God's holy presence to dwell among them. Contact with death was the ultimate defilement, and this elaborate process provided a means of restoration.
  • Unique Nature of the Offering: The Red Heifer was distinct from other sin offerings (e.g., Leviticus 4). The fact that the priest who officiated became unclean, and the burning occurred outside the camp, highlights its unique role in addressing a specific type of defilement.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "heifer" is parah, specifically referring to a young female bovine, typically unblemished. The word for "burn" is saraph, indicating a complete consumption by fire, which aligns with the detailed instructions given in the verse to burn all parts of the animal.

Practical Application and Foreshadowing

While an ancient ritual, the Red Heifer ceremony holds profound symbolic significance, often seen as a type or foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Just as the heifer was without blemish (Numbers 19:2), Christ was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). The burning of the heifer outside the camp parallels Jesus suffering "outside the gate" (Hebrews 13:11-12). Most significantly, the ashes mixed with water provided purification from the defilement of death, much as the blood of Christ cleanses our consciences from dead works to serve the living God. This ancient ritual reminds us of God's meticulous plan for purification and the ultimate, all-sufficient sacrifice provided in Jesus Christ for our spiritual cleansing from sin and its effects.

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Cross-References

  • Exodus 29:14

    But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it [is] a sin offering.

  • Leviticus 4:11

    And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,

  • Leviticus 4:12

    Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

  • Psalms 22:14

    I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

  • Leviticus 4:21

    And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it [is] a sin offering for the congregation.

  • Isaiah 53:10

    ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
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