- a water of separation:
- That is, water prepared by being mixed with the ashes of the heifer, and set apart for the special purpose of being sprinkled on those who had contracted any legal defilement. To this rite the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews. ("Forª ifª the¹ bloodª of bullsª andª of goats,ª andª the ashesª of an heiferª sprinklingª° the¹ unclean,ª° sanctifiethª° toª the¹ purifyingª of the¹ flesh:ª ... How much²¹ moreª shall²° the¹ bloodª of Christ,ª whoª throughª the eternalª Spiritª offeredª° himselfª without spotª to God,ª purgeª° yourª conscienceª fromª deadª worksª to² serveª° the livingª° God?ª" {Hbr 9:13-14}), pointedly alludes: "For if," says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, probably, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." "Whosoever¹ touchethª° the deadª° bodyª of any manª that¹ is dead,ª° and purifieth²° not himself,¹¹ defilethª°¹ the tabernacleª of the LORD;ª and that¹ soulª shall be cut offª° from Israel:ª¹ because¹ the waterª of separationª was not¹ sprinkledª° upon¹ him, he shall be¹ unclean;ª his uncleannessª [is] yet¹ upon him." {Num 19:13} + "But the manª that¹ shall be unclean,ª° and shall not¹ purify²° himself,¹ that¹ soulª shall be cut offª° from amongª¹ the congregation,ª because¹ he hath defiledª°¹ the sanctuaryª of the LORD:ª the waterª of separationª hath not¹ been sprinkledª° upon¹ him; he¹ [is] unclean.ª ... And it shall be¹ a perpetualª statuteª unto them, that he that sprinklethª° the waterª of separationª shall washª° his clothes;ª and he that touchethª° the waterª of separationª shall be uncleanª° until¹ even.ª" {Num 19:20-21} + "And he shall consecrateª° unto the LORDª¹ the daysª of his separation,ª and shall bringª° a lambª of the firstª yearª for a trespass offering:ª but the daysª that were beforeª shall be lost,ª° because¹ his separationª was defiled.ª°" {Num 6:12} + "Every¹ thingª that¹ may abideª° the fire,ª ye shall make [it] go¹ through²° the fire,ª and it shall be clean:ª° nevertheless¹ it shall be purifiedª° with the waterª of separation:ª and all¹ that¹ abidethª° not¹ the fireª ye shall make go¹ through²° the water.ª ... And ye shall washª° your clothesª on the seventhª day,ª and ye shall be clean,ª° and afterwardª ye shall comeª° into¹ the camp.ª" {Num 31:23-24} + "And every thing¹ that¹ she liethª° upon¹ in her separationª shall be unclean:ª° every thing¹ also that¹ she sittethª° upon¹ shall be unclean.ª°" {Lev 15:20} + "In that¹ dayª there shall be¹ a fountainª openedª° to the houseª of Davidª and to the inhabitantsª° of Jerusalemª for sinª and for uncleanness.ª" {Zch 13:1} + "Havingª° thereforeª theseª promises,ª dearly beloved,ª let us cleanseª° ourselvesª fromª allª filthinessª of the fleshª andª spirit,ª perfectingª° holinessª inª the fearª of God.ª" {2Co 7:1}
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