2 "Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease[1] or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body.

Other Translations of Numbers 5:2

King James Version

2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

English Standard Version

2 "Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprousLeprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.

The Message

2 "Command the People of Israel to ban from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease, anyone who has a discharge, and anyone who is ritually unclean from contact with a dead body.

New King James Version

2 "Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.

New Living Translation

2 "Command the people of Israel to remove from the camp anyone who has a skin disease or a discharge, or who has become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 5:2

Commentary on Numbers 5:1-10

(Read Numbers 5:1-10)

The camp was to be cleansed. The purity of the church must be kept as carefully as the peace and order of it. Every polluted Israelite must be separated. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. The greater profession of religion any house or family makes, the more they are obliged to put away iniquity far from them. If a man overreach or defraud his brother in any matter, it is a trespass against the Lord, who strictly charges and commands us to do justly. What is to be done when a man's awakened conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, though done long ago? He must confess his sin, confess it to God, confess it to his neighbour, and take shame to himself; though it go against him to own himself in a lie, yet he must do it. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to God, as well as for the loss sustained by the neighbour; restitution in that case is not enough without faith and repentance. While that which is wrongly gotten is knowingly kept, the guilt remains on the conscience, and is not done away by sacrifice or offering, prayers or tears; for it is the same act of sin persisted in. This is the doctrine of right reason, and of the word of God. It detects hypocrites, and directs the tender conscience to proper conduct, which, springing from faith in Christ, will make way for inward peace.

3 Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them."

Other Translations of Numbers 5:3

King James Version

3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

English Standard Version

3 You shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell."

The Message

3 Ban male and female alike; send them outside the camp so that they won't defile their camp, the place I live among them."

New King James Version

3 You shall put out both male and female; you shall put them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camps in the midst of which I dwell."

New Living Translation

3 This command applies to men and women alike. Remove them so they will not defile the camp in which I live among them."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 5:3

Commentary on Numbers 5:1-10

(Read Numbers 5:1-10)

The camp was to be cleansed. The purity of the church must be kept as carefully as the peace and order of it. Every polluted Israelite must be separated. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. The greater profession of religion any house or family makes, the more they are obliged to put away iniquity far from them. If a man overreach or defraud his brother in any matter, it is a trespass against the Lord, who strictly charges and commands us to do justly. What is to be done when a man's awakened conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, though done long ago? He must confess his sin, confess it to God, confess it to his neighbour, and take shame to himself; though it go against him to own himself in a lie, yet he must do it. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to God, as well as for the loss sustained by the neighbour; restitution in that case is not enough without faith and repentance. While that which is wrongly gotten is knowingly kept, the guilt remains on the conscience, and is not done away by sacrifice or offering, prayers or tears; for it is the same act of sin persisted in. This is the doctrine of right reason, and of the word of God. It detects hypocrites, and directs the tender conscience to proper conduct, which, springing from faith in Christ, will make way for inward peace.