Command the children of Israel, that they cast out of the camp every leper, and whosoever hath an issue of seed, or is defiled by the dead:

put out of the camp.

1. On a purely physical reason; for the diseases were contagious, and therefore there was a necessity of putting those afflicted with them apart, that the infection might not be communicated.

2. There was also a spiritual reason; the camp was the habitation of God; and therefore, in honour of Him who had thus condescended to dwell with them, nothing impure should be permitted to remain.

3. Further, there was a typical reason; for the camp was the emblem of the church, where nothing that is defiled should enter, and in which nothing that is unholy should be tolerated.

Numbers 12:14 And the Lord answered him: If her father had spitten upon her face, ought she not to have been ashamed for seven days at least? Let her be separated seven days without the camp, and afterwards she shall be called again.

Leviticus 13:46 All the time that he is a leper and unclean he shall dwell alone without the camp.

Deuteronomy 24:8,9 Observe diligently that thou incur not the stroke of the leprosy, but thou shalt do whatsoever the priests of the Levitical race shall teach thee, according to what I have commanded them, and fulfil thou it carefully. . . .

2 Kings 7:3 Now there were four lepers, at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another: What mean we to stay here till we die?

and every

Leviticus 15:2-27 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The man that hath an issue of seed, shall be unclean. . . .

and whosoever

Numbers 9:6-10 But behold some who were unclean by occasion of the soul of a man, who could not make the phase on that day, coming to Moses and Aaron, . . .

Numbers 19:11-16 He that toucheth the corpse of a man, and is therefore unclean seven days, . . .

Numbers 31:19 And stay without the camp seven days. He that hath killed a man, or touched one that is killed, shall be purified the third day and the seventh day.

Leviticus 21:1 The Lord said also to Moses: Speak to the priests the sons of Aaron, and thou shalt say for them: Let not a priest incur an uncleanness at the death of his citizens.