The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 36

might be occasionally witnessed, n:.imely, that of the purification of the dead and that of the consecration to the priesthood. Analyze, for example, the rites or,lained for the purification of the dead-interpret them by the light of the principles previously deduced-and the ceremony would suggest some such series of thoughts as tho following. 'l'he rite was a purification, and as such pointed to the great doctrine of original sin. It was a purification of an exceptionally solemn kind, and it was a purilication of a solemn kind from its singular blending of the atonin;1; with the cleansing element of the Levitical worship. Such ill an induction from the various features in which the ritual resemblod, and differed from, the general course of procedure. According to the La1v, a dead body contaminated all in its vicinity. "To be in a tent at the time of the death of an inmate, to enter a tent where a dead body lay, to touch a corpse, a grave, or a bone, was to contract unclean- ness for seven days." The process of purification was very arresting, from its peculiarity. Like most processes of purification, it was a form of aqueous ablution; but the water employed had been specifically prepared. A red cow was brought to the son or heir of the high priest, by the popular representatives, for slaughter without the camp. Very little ceremonial '-BS observed, but all was singularly expressive. The blood wu sprinkled seven times towards the tabernacle, and then the whole of the carcase-nots 1iart-together with the skin and the blood and dung, was burnt; a little cedar-wood, l,yssop, aud scarlet wool being thrown into the fire. From the 8.9hes tho water of purification was pre; ared. When occasion called, the ashes were mixed with spring water, a.nd sprinkled, by means of a bunch of hyssop, on the third and seventh day after defilement, npon the tent and tho vessels and persons it contained; after the customary ablntion of the person, the unclean became pure in the evening. After aulution also, all those who had had any share in the ritual, and who were thus rendered unclean, were also purified. Now, the use of water associates this curious rite with the other rites of purification, and therefore shows that, according to the Levitical concevtion, contamination by the proximity of death was regarded as a form of involuntary sin, which, like parturition, proclaimed the natural depravity of man, to be obviated by special ceremonial. Dut the peculiarities of ritual imparted a specific ch:ll'acter to this form of purification. Not simply was water to be used, but running or spring water-water at its greatest power of cleansing; living water, as the Hebrew expressively puts it. Further, this "water of iniquity" was a lye prepared by the admixture of these ashes of the red cow. What additional significance is thereby given? These ashes were loudly eloquent of atonement, and nothing but atonement~ Let it be noted that this red cow was mauifestly a kind of sin offering-indeed, it i& actually so called: did not the blood manipulation point to the same conclusion ?-but. that it differs in many essential points from the sin offering proper. Like the latter, it. was a national propiliation, and was therefore brought by the representatives of tha tribes; but, unlike the latter, it consisted of a cow-most probably that it be not. cunfuunded with the bullock enjoined for the sin olftring for the congregation, and tLat at the same time its inferior grade be denoted. '!'hen let it also be observed tLat this cow was in no sense a presentation, like the sin offering proper. It wu not offered at the altar of burnt offering, but without the camp; no portions were reserved for priestly use. It was not submitted to the customary 1ites of presentation; even the skin and fwces were burnt, and not separated. In fact, this red cow was an 1.tonement by substitution-this, and nothing more. Its blood was sprinkled, like the blood of the sin o!Tering, before the tabernacle seven times, thus bringing the appointed means of "covering" emphatically before Jehovah ; scarlet wool-blood-coloured wool-was thrown into the flames when the carcase was burnt; nay, the very colour o{  THE LEVITICAL SACRIFICES LITERALLY CONSIDERED. xxv