The Ritual Cleansing of the Camp (Numbers 5:1-4).
The first essential was a symbolic purifying of the camp. This symbolic act at this particular time was in order to stress the importance of keeping the camp clean and wholesome so that Yahweh might dwell in it. It went beyond what would be the norm, for once the point was established some types of uncleanness could be dealt with by exclusion within the camp.
Analysis.
a Yahweh commands that the unclean be put out of the camp (Numbers 5:1-2).
b Both unclean males and females to be put out of the camp (Numbers 5:3 a).
b The purpose is that they might not defile the camp where Yahweh dwells (Numbers 5:3 b).
a The children of Israel put the unclean out of the camp as Yahweh commanded (Numbers 5:4).
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every seriously skin diseased person, and every one who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead. Both male and female shall you put out. Outside the camp shall you put them, so that they do not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.'
The first stage was to empty the camp of all those with serious skin diseases. Full details of the restrictions and requirements concerning this were to be found in Leviticus 13-14. (See Numbers 12:10-16 for a practical example). Those so afflicted would have to live in tents or caves outside the camp and would only be allowed to re-enter the camp in accordance with those regulations and with the permission of the priests when they could declare them clean. All who touched them, or certain things connected with them, would become unclean.
They would no doubt be catered for by their ‘families'. They were not spiritually ‘cut off'. They could offer sacrifices through the mediation of others, and could pray towards the Dwellingplace, and towards Heaven. It was still ‘their camp'. Their being there was simply a recognition that only what was fully wholesome could dwell in God's presence (from which in fact all were restricted to some degree. Even the priests could not enter the Most Holy Place. It was a matter of degrees and giving the right overall impression about God)
The second stage was to empty the camp of all those with an ‘issue' from the sex organs. This was in order to bring home to the whole camp that Yahweh saw such an issue as making men and women ritually unclean. All who touched them, or came in contact with certain things connected with them, would also become unclean.
Behind this lay the fact that while Yahweh had created man to reproduce (Genesis 1:28), man had brought sin into the world and therefore reproduced in sin (Genesis 5:3-8 - Adam begat a son who would die). Sex itself was not looked on as sinful, it was indeed a requirement for all men (even priests. Without it the priesthood would not have continued), but it was seen as coming short of the best, of full wholesomeness. Possibly included in the idea was that by it man lost something of his own ‘life source'. He gave out something of himself, thus diminishing himself. But what is made clear is that when men sought Yahweh's favour abstention from sexual activity was a pre-requirement (Exodus 19:15; 1 Samuel 21:4-5; 1 Corinthians 7:5).
However, having said that, normal sexual discharge would only result in uncleanness until the evening and may therefore well not be in mind here. The thought is probably rather of those with more permanent discharges, which were seen as more serious.
In all this we have the paradox that sexual activity was seen as a requirement for man so that he might fulfil his calling, and yet was seen as tainted and not fully wholesome because of what it reproduced (although in normal cases the uncleanness was but for the remainder of the day). But the Bible never encourages asceticism, only self-control for a time for the fulfilment of greater purposes. Paul warns strongly against abstaining from sexual activity, except for a time (1 Corinthians 7:5), unless a person is made in such a way that he can ‘live without sin' without it, although he does allow that because we are in the last days there may be grounds for abstention for those so gifted (1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 7:9; 1 Corinthians 7:26; 1 Corinthians 7:32). But he states firmly that husband and wife have a responsibility to each other to satisfy each other's sexual needs (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). To fail to do so deliberately is seen as gross sin.
These exclusions were to be seen as the short, sharp shock. Once the camp was purified those who could demonstrate that they were now clean would presumably be allowed back in once the problem of the issue was, if necessary, dealt with in accordance with Leviticus 15. Their issues could include venereal and other similar genital diseases. This was almost certainly only intended to cover the longer term ‘issues' which did not become clean by evening.
Once the camp had become used to dealing with such issues and had organised themselves so as to provide places of seclusion these uncleannesses would be able to be dealt with within the camp by remaining within a separate section in their tents (see Leviticus 15 where there is no mention of exclusion, only from the company of those who were ‘clean').
The third stage was to remove from the camp all who were unclean through touching, or having other contact with, the dead. This would bring home to all the seriousness of such ‘uncleanness'. Physical contact with the dead was considered to be so serious that were it not to be cleansed with the water of uncleanness it would be seen as itself requiring death (Numbers 19:13; Numbers 19:20). All who entered a tent where there was death would be unclean. For examples of such uncleanness see Numbers 19:11; Numbers 19:14; Numbers 19:16. The point here is that death was the opposite of all that the living God was seen to be.
It can easily be observed that these exclusions would strongly contribute towards the physical health of society, but that is not how God explained them to the people. The maintenance of ritual cleanness would be a far greater impetus to them. And it taught the need for what was seemly and wholesome.
Ritual uncleanness of any kind was seen as a serious matter. Contact with someone who was unclean could render a person unclean, and so unable to approach Yahweh's Dwellingplace. Thus it was necessary that those who could make others unclean be secluded or excluded as far as the camp was concerned, otherwise uncleanness would spread though the camp. And no unclean person could approach the Sanctuary on pain of death. Fortunately, in respect of most ritual uncleanness the remedy was simply to wait on Yahweh until the evening, having first washed with water in order to remove earthiness before entering into such waiting. Time was the ‘healer'. But more persistent uncleanness required more detailed treatment.
In view of widespread misunderstanding we should perhaps point out that water on its own is never said to ritually cleanse. After washing the person still remains ‘unclean'. The washing removes man's ‘earthiness' so that he can approach God. It is the time of waiting that ritually cleanses. Apart from ‘the water of uncleanness' (see Numbers 19; Ezekiel 36:25 where it is ‘cleansed water') water is never said to cleanse, except poetically.
‘And the children of Israel did so, and put them out outside the camp. As Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.'
The children of Israel did what Yahweh required. They put all who were at that time unclean with serious skin diseases or with issues or with the taint of death outside the camp so that the camp was made pure. It must be remembered in this respect that it would take time for the people to become familiar with the cult ritual with regard to uncleanness. Thus this was a necessary first lesson for them. Their very doing of it would require instruction concerning it, and the further allowing of some back into the camp eventually would also require instruction. Thus would the people learn Yahweh's requirements for the future. Until that instruction was fully absorbed, outside the camp was the only place for all such unfortunate people.
The main lesson the people would learn from these exclusions was that God was holy and that nothing defiling could live where He was. They would recognise the need for a pure and holy life, a wholesome life, a life which avoided all that was imperfect, if He was to dwell among them. It would in the course of this prevent the spreading of much communicable disease, and it would encourage wholesomeness.