John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest , etc.] The son of Aaron; the Sagan of the priests, as the Targum of Jonathan calls him, the second or deputy priest; it was not to be given to Aaron, that he might not be defiled, though but for a small time, that so he might not be hindered in his office at all; but to Eleazar, to inure him to his office, and to confirm him in it: that he may bring her forth without the camp ; without the camp of Israel; Jarchi says, without the three camps, as afterwards without Jerusalem; it used in later times to be burnt on the mount of Olives; it was brought forth as impure, and was a type of Christ, having the sins of his people on him, and who in conformity to this type suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, (see Hebrews 13:11-13); and [one] shall slay her before his face ; the Targum of Jonathan says, another priest; but it was not necessary that it should be slain by a priest, any man might do it. Jarchi says, a stranger slew, and Eleazar looked on; though it was not slain by him, yet it was slain before him, that it might look like a sacrifice, though not offered on the altar; and slaying of it denotes the putting of Christ to death, which was done in the presence, and with the approbation, of the priests and elders of the people.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - The heifer was to be wholly burned. This typified the painfu sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and body, as a sacrific made by fire, to satisfy God's justice for man's sin. These ashes ar said to be laid up as a purification for sin, because, though they wer only to purify from ceremonial uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin which our Lord Jesus made by his death. The blood of Christ is laid up for us in the word and sacraments, as fountain of merit, to which by faith we may have constant recourse, for cleansing our consciences.
Original Hebrew ונתתם5414 אתה853 אל413 אלעזר499 הכהן3548 והוציא3318 אתה853 אל413 מחוץ2351 למחנה4264 ושׁחט7819 אתה853 לפניו׃6440
