John Calvin Commentary Numbers 19:22

"And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even." — Numbers 19:22 (ASV)

And whatever the unclean person touches. Others translate it as, “Whoever touches an unclean thing shall be unclean.”

For, since the Hebrew language has no neuter gender,²⁶ the relative asher and the noun hattame can be either masculine or neuter. Either sense would be fitting; however, we understand from the second clause that the reference here is more to the contagion with which unclean persons infect people, garments, or other articles.

For those who touched a dead body, 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, so that the Jews would not murmur at the severity of the punishment, as if God would inflict the penalty of death for a minor sin.

In this way, then, Moses shows how great is the guilt incurred by those who, being unclean, intrude into the sanctuary. This is because, as much as they can, they pollute the holiness of God, and not without intolerable insolence.

This seems to be the source of the prophet's rebuke when he reproaches the Jews for having done nothing but defile the worship of God with their sacrifices. For he poses 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 answered 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.” From this, 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 shows us the legitimate use of the ceremony: that corrupt and perverse worshippers²⁷ bring disgrace rather than honor on God while they mix His holy name with their profanations.

²⁶ S.M. had used the words cited by . had used the words cited by C. “. “Quicunque tetigerit immundum;” but ;” but C. appears to have overlooked his note upon this clause, viz., “. 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 ;” or else he would have seen that immundum was not meant for a neuter. — was not meant for a neuter. — W..

²⁷ “Ceux qui servent a Dieu sans droite affection, and par hypocrisie;” those who serve God without right affections, and in hypocrisy. — ;” those who serve God without right affections, and in hypocrisy. — Fr..