And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel?
These men said to him, 'We have become ceremonially unclean because we touched a dead person. Why should this prevent us from bringing our offering to the LORD at the appointed time along with the rest of the Israelites?'
These men are asking why their ceremonial uncleanness from touching a dead body should exclude them from participating in an important religious observance with their community.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, where God was establishing laws to guide their community and maintain ritual purity. These men had become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body, which under Mosaic law disqualified them from participating in the Passover feast at its appointed time. As a result, they approached Moses to question their exclusion from offering sacrifices to the Lord alongside the rest of the community.
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