Footnote

b The Israelites were acquainted with the process of smelting. Remains have been found of some of their copper mines, and copper was smelted to prepare implements for the temple. (Compare 1 Kings 7:14-46.) It seems improbable that this smelting procedure could have been carried on without creating a measure of pollution in the form of fumes, dross, and slag, with perhaps other side effects. Yet, Jehovah was apparently willing to tolerate a small degree of localized uncleanness in this sparsely populated and isolated region.