God commanded unclean persons to be put outside the camp to protect the holiness of His dwelling among Israel. Since the Lord’s presence was in the midst of the camp, any defilement would dishonor Him and bring danger upon the people. The separation of the unclean emphasized the need for purity and the seriousness of sin and corruption.
“Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse. You shall put out both male and female; you shall put them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camps in the midst of which I dwell.” (Numbers 5:2–3)
This was not an act of cruelty but of protection. It reminded Israel that God is holy and that His people must be set apart from uncleanness. Once the person was cleansed according to God’s law, they could return. The command preserved the sanctity of the camp and continually pointed the people to the necessity of being clean before the Lord.
