“They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.”
"Away! Unclean!" people cried at them; "Away! Away! Do not touch!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; it was said among the nations, "They shall stay here no longer"—the verse describes the priests' exile and rejection: people cry out that they are unclean and must not be touched. The priests become fugitives and wanderers, stripped of their role and position. Theologically, the verse suggests that the corruption of leadership leads to their complete rejection and exile; they are cast out from the community. The announcement that they will not stay suggests permanent exile; their covenant role is severed. The verse emphasizes that the priests' own corruption has led to their downfall; they have become the primary victims of their own spiritual failure. The verse suggests that those who shed righteous blood become unable to stand in the community.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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