Leviticus 5:2
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing,.... Meaning an Israelite, for only such were bound by this law, which pronounced a person unclean that touched anything that was so in a ceremonial sense; this is the general, including whatsoever by the law was unclean; the particulars follow:
whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast, as the camel, the coney, the hare, and the swine, Leviticus 11:2
or a carcass of unclean cattle; as the horse, and the ass, which were unclean for food, and their dead carcasses not to be touched,
or the carcass of unclean creeping things: such as are mentioned in
and if it be hidden from him; that he has touched them; or the uncleanness contracted by touching, he having inadvertently done it; or being ignorant of the law concerning such uncleanness:
he also shall be unclean; in a ceremonial sense, by thus touching them:
and guilty; of a breach of the command which forbids the touching of them: this is by way of prolepsis or anticipation; for as yet the law concerning unclean beasts, and creeping things, and pollution by touching them, was not given: Jarchi and Gersom interpret this guilt, of eating of holy things, and going into the sanctuary when thus defiled: in the Jewish Misnah {w} it is said, the word "hidden" is twice used, to show that he is guilty, for the ignorance of uncleanness, and for the ignorance of the sanctuary.
{w} Misn. Shebuot, c. 2. sect. 5.