house: but if an house were uncleane, and vessels were hidden in the floore thereof, though an hun∣dred cubits underneath, they were uncleane. Maim. in Tumath meth, ch. 20.
Vers. 16. in the face of the field] that is, in the [unspec 16] open field where no tent is, there pollution is by touching onely. slaine with the sword] or with any other instrument; the sword is named for an instance. Therefore in Num. 31. 19. the law saith more generally, whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slaine, &c. Targum Ionathan here addeth, one that is slaine with the sword, or the sword wherwith he was slaine. So in the Hebrew Canons it is said, the sword is as the dead person, to wit, for defiling him that touched it. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 5. s. 3. The word some∣time is used for wounded, though not dead, as in Ps. 69. 27. and 109. 22. Hereupon the Hebrewes say, A lim cut off from a living man, it is as an whole dead man, and maketh uncleane by touching, by bearing, and by tent, though it be but a small lim of a child of a day old. For there is no stinted measure of lims, as it is written, whosoever toucheth in the face of the field, one that is slaine with the sword, and it is a knowne thing that it is all one whether he be slaine with the sword, or with a stone, or with other things. This tea∣cheth that he is uncleane, which toucheth a lim that the sword hath cut off; provided that it be a whole lim as it is created of flesh, sinews and ••••nes. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 2. s. 3•• or a dead body] though not slaine by violence, but dying alone. abone of a man] By reason of this uncleannesse by dead mens bones, the Prophet saith, When any seeth a mans bone, he shall set up a signe by it, till the buriers have buried it, &c. Eze. 39. 15. The Hebrews write that the bloud also of a dead man defileth as doth the dead man: but the bloud of a living man (they say) is cleane, so long as he is alive. Maim. in Tu∣math meth, c. 2. a grave] or a sepulchre, to wit, wherin any dead have been buried. A grave, all the while that uncleannes is within it, defileth by touching and by tent, as doth the dead person, by the sentence of the law, Nū. 19. 16. And whether one touch the top of a grave, or touch the sides of it (he is uncleane.) A field wherein a grave is plowed up and the bones of the dead are consumed into dust, that dust defileth by tou∣ching and by bearing. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 2. s. 15, 16. Thus the pollutiō by mankind being dead, is above all other legal pollutions whatsoever: wch lively sheweth the fruit and effect of sin, wch caused death, Rom. 6. 23. and the horror of death, holding men in subjectiō, until by the voice of Christ they be raised & brought out of their graves, Ioh. 5. 28, 29. The Hebrews say, The cause of the uncleannes of the dead, is by meanes of the Angell of death [the de∣vill] that brought poison into man. R. Menachem on Num. 19. Hereby also was figured the estate of such as are dead in sinne, even dead whiles they are alive, Col. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 6. whose throat is an open grave, Psal. 5. 10. so that their corrupt words and sinfull works do infect others, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18. 1 Cor. 5. 6.
Vers. 17. And they shall take] that is, some shall [unspec 17] take, some cleane man, as v. 18. for the uncleane] to cleanse him. of the dust] that is, of the ashes, as the Greeke explaineth it. of the burnt ••e••••er of purification for sin] Hebr. of the burning of ••••nne, that is, of the Sin-offering (the heifer) that is bur∣ned, v. 9. he shall put] that is, some cleane man shall put. living water] that is, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, spring (or welling) water, which for the continuall motion is called living water, as is noted on Lev. 14. 5. and Gen. 26. 19. in a vessel Touching the manner of performing this rite, the Hebrewes have many observations. The water on which the heifers ashes are put, is not filled but in a vessell, and out of fountaines that spring, or of rivers derived from them: and the putting of the ashes upon the water that is filled is called sanctifying. And the water on which the ashes are put, is called the water of purification from sin, & sanctified water, & the Scrip∣ture calleth it water of separation, (Num. 19. 9.) It is lawfull for any to fill the water, save for the deafe, and the foole, and the child; and lawfull for any to sanctifie, save for the deafe, the foole, and the childe: and they sanctifie not but in a vessell, neither doe they sprinkle, but out of a vessell; and the filling and sanctifying may be done by night, but they do not sprinkle, nor wa〈…〉〈…〉, but by day; and all the day long they may sprinkle or wa••••. In any vessell they may fill, and sprinkle, and sanctifie▪ though vessels of stone, of earth, &c. He that turneth a spring into his wine-presse, or into a cisterne, and then filleth a vessel out of that presse or cisterne, it is unlaw∣full: for it is necessary to take the water out of the Spring into a vessell at the first. The maine sea, as the gathering together of water, is not as a Spring, there∣fore they fill not out of it to sanctifie, &c. When they sanctifie the water with the ashes, he putteth the water which is filled by the name of sin-water, into a vessell, and putteth the ashes upon the face of the water, and mixeth all together; and if he put in the ashes first, and afterward the water, it is unlawfull. And wheras it is said in the law, And he shall put thereto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 water, (Num. 19. 17.) it is meant to mix the 〈…〉〈…〉es with the water. He that sanctifieth, must doe it pur∣posely, and put the ashes with his hand on the water; as it is said, And they shall take for the uncleane person; so that he must have an intent to sanctifie, and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and to sprinkle, &c. He that delivereth sanctified wa∣ter, or water filled for sanctification, to an unclean per∣son to keepe it, it is become unlawfull. He that is 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣red is unlawfull to sanctifie or to sprinkle, but not un∣lawfull to fill the water, &c. he may receive wages for filling, or for carrying the water; but he must sancti∣fie for nothing, and he that sprinkleth must sprinkle for nothing. Maim. in Pharah adummah, ch. 6. sect. 1. &c. and ch. 9. sect. 1. &c. and ch. 7. sect. 2.
Vers. 18. a cleane man] either he that tooke the [unspec 18] ashes and put them to the water, or any other: see the notes on v. 9. He that filleth the water for sancti∣fication, it is not necessarie that it be he himselfe that sanctifieth, and that sprinkleth; but one may sanctifie, and another may sprinkle. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 10. hyssop] that herbe wch was used in cleansing of the Leper, whereof see Lev. 14. 4. A cleane man take〈…〉〈…〉 three stalks of hyssop, and bindeth them in a bunch, &c. and dippeth the tops of the branches in the water 〈◊〉〈◊〉 separation which is in a vessell, and purposely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 leth on the man, or on the vessels, &c. Maim. in Pha∣rah,