(Chapters 1-17)
I have nothing very profound to say this week. All I have is:
The following passage is making me rethink my post from last week...
The Lord said to Moses: "Order the Israelites to expel from camp every leper, and everyone suffering from a discharge, and everyone who has become unclean by contact with a corpse. Male and female alike, you shall compel them to go out of the camp; they are not to defile the camp in which I dwell." (Num 5:1-3)That seems rather mean! Could anyone shed any light upon that topic? I would very much appreciate it.
My question is: If (as I suggested last Sunday) God is just implementing basic hygiene by labeling people as "clean/unclean" and making them quarantined etc., why is He making them practical outcasts from society?
~Sophia
I think this information is distinguishing people who intentionally sin from people who unintentionally sin.
ReplyDeleteIn my ESV Bible Leviticus 5:1-3 says:
"If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; ……"
The Israelites have sin offerings for all these unintentional offences. My version says nothing about expelling from camp. Is this the correct chapter & verses? BTW, what Bible version/translation are you reading from?
I'm so sorry it took me so long to respond! I wanted to make sure I was actually reading the right bit - and yes, I meant NUMBERS not LEVITICUS. The error will be fixed shortly.
DeleteAnd I'm reading The New American Bible.