22 "Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until evening."
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth. Others translate it, -- "Whosoever toucheth an unclean thing shall be unclean." for, since the Hebrew is without a neuter gender, [1] the relative 'sr, asher, and the noun htm', hattame, may be either masculine or neuter; and either sense would not be unsuitable; except that we gather from the second clause, that reference is rather made here to the contagion with which unclean persons infect either men or garments, or other articles. For those who had touched a dead body, or bones, or a grave, were not only unclean until the evening, but for seven entire days. But it appears that this was added in conclusion, lest the Jews should murmur at the severity of the punishment, as if God would inflict the penalty of death for a trifling sin. In this way, then, Moses shews how great is the guilt incurred by those who, being unclean, intrude into the sanctuary; because, as far as in them lies, they pollute the holiness of God, and not without intolerable impertinence. Hence appears to be taken the reproof of the Prophet, when he reproaches the Jews with having done nothing but defile the worship of God with their sacrifices; for he proposes this question to the priests, -- "If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?" After they have replied in the negative, he asks again, "If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?" and they answer, "It shall be unclean." Whence the Prophet infers: "So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord, and so is the work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean." (Haggai 2:12-14.) This passage shews us the legitimate use of the ceremony, that corrupt and perverse worshippers bring disgrace rather than honor on God, whilst they mix up His holy name with their profanations.
1 - S.M. had used the words cited by C. "Quicunque tetigerit immundum;" but C. appears to have overlooked his note upon this clause, viz., "Hoc est, qui tetigerit hominem, qui super mortuo est immundus;" or else he would have seen that immundum was not meant for a neuter. -- W.
And whatsoever the unclean [person] toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth (m) [it] shall be unclean until even.
(m) That is, unclean.
And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean,.... Not the person unclean by sprinkling, or touching the water of purification, but the unclean person spoken of throughout the chapter, that was unclean by touching a dead body, bone, or grave; whatever that man touched, any vessel or thing, that was unclean also; or "whomsoever", any person, man or woman, for it respects both persons and things:
and the soul that toucheth it; that which the unclean person hath touched; or "him", the unclean person, whether the unclean person touched him, or he the unclean person, or touched anything he had touched, he was unclean; denoting the spreading and infectious nature of sin, and how much sin and sinners are to be avoided; see Leviticus 15:4.
The unclean person - Not he who is so only by touching the water of separation, Numbers 19:21, but he who is so by the greater sort of uncleanness, which lasted seven days, and which was not removed without the use of this water of purification.
*More commentary available at chapter level.