Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. (Numbers 19:7)
Inasmuch as Eleazar had come in contact with the carcass of the red heifer and had touched its blood, he became ceremonially unclean. He was therefore obligated to go through ceremonial cleansing before he returned to camp (see Lev. 16:24).
Unclean until the even.
Every detail here enjoined was given to make plain the virulent and fatal effect of spiritual uncleanness. Such details can be properly appreciated only as a foreshadowing of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross (see Lev. 11:24, 27, 31, 39; 14:46; 15; 17:15).