Explanation: Numbers 19 contains the laws of the red heifer, the ashes of which were used for purifying purposes. The heifer had to be spotless and unblemished; and it had to be a cow which had never borne a yoke. It was to be slain outside the camp. It's blood was to be sprinkled before the Tabernacle seven times. Then the heifer was to be burned entirely -- skin, flesh, blood, and dung. As the heifer was burning, the priest would cast cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet (thread or yarn) into the fire. Then the priest was to wash his clothes and bathe. Afterward, he was to come into the camp and be unclean until the evening. Also, the one who burned the heifer must wash his clothes, bathe, and be unclean until the evening. In the meantime, a man who was clean was to gather the ashes of the heifer and put them in a clean place within the camp to be kept for the water of separation as a purification for sin. Afterward, the man who gathered the ashes would wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. This law applied to Israelites and to the sojourners among them (1-10).
     Anyone who touched a dead human body would be unclean for seven days. In the midst of this time, on the third day, he was to purify himself with the water of separation containing the ashes of the red heifer. But if he did not do this on the third day, he would still be unclean on the seventh day. Anyone who did not purify himself in this manner defiled the Tabernacle and would be cut off from Israel (11-13).
     If a man died in a tent, everyone in the tent would be unclean for seven days. Open vessels would also be unclean. Anyone who touched someone slain with a sword, or some other dead person, or a bone of a man, or a grave would be unclean seven days. For an unclean person the priest would take the ashes of the red heifer in a vessel and running water would be put into the vessel. Then a clean person would take hyssop, dip it into the mixture, sprinkle it upon the tent, the vessels, the people who were there, and the one who was unclean. This would be done on the third day and on the seventh day. The clean person would then purify himself, wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be clean in the evening (14-19).
     If the unclean person did not purify himself, he would be cut off from the congregation because he defiled the sanctuary. This statute would be in effect perpetually. He who sprinkled the water of separation would wash his clothes. If anyone touched the water of separation he would be unclean until the evening. Whatever the unclean person touched would be unclean; and the unclean person would be unclean until the evening (20-22).
     [ Sermons: Robert S Rayburn. J Ligon Duncan III. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: It was a red heifer, as depicted above, and as described in Numbers 19, which was to be reduced to ashes which were to be stirred into water, along with other things, which was then to be used for various cleansing purposes. ]

     ²⁰ But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. ²¹ And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even. ²² And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

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