Leviticus 15: Cleansing from Bodily Discharges
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.
And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.
Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:
And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue.
And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness.
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;
And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
Leviticus 15 delves further into the concept of cleanness and uncleanness, focusing on bodily discharges for both men and women. These regulations highlight the importance of ritual purity within the Israelite community and underscore God's holiness and the need for His people to maintain a state of cleanliness in His presence. The chapter addresses various scenarios, providing specific instructions for purification and restoration.
Male Discharges (Leviticus 15:1-18)
The first section addresses abnormal bodily discharges in men (Leviticus 15:2-15). According to the law, anything or anyone that the man with the discharge came into contact with became unclean. This principle, that uncleanness is transferable, is a recurring theme throughout Leviticus. Those who came into contact with him were required to bathe and remained unclean until evening (Leviticus 15:5-11).
Interestingly, unlike those with skin diseases who were often isolated outside the camp, men with such discharges were not. Scholars offer different explanations for this distinction. Some suggest that the discharge may not have been considered infectious in the same way as skin diseases. Others propose that God was primarily concerned with ceremonial uncleanness in this case, rather than physical contagion.
Once the discharge ceased, the man was required to wait seven days, wash himself, and offer sacrifices of cleansing (Leviticus 15:13-15). This process of waiting, washing, and offering sacrifices was essential for restoring him to a state of ritual purity and fellowship with God.
The chapter also addresses male semen emission, possibly during intercourse (Leviticus 15:16-18). Such emission rendered both the man and the woman unclean (Leviticus 15:18), requiring them to bathe and remain unclean until evening. This underscores the comprehensive nature of the laws concerning cleanness and uncleanness, extending even to natural bodily functions.
Female Discharges (Leviticus 15:19-30)
Leviticus 15:19-24 addresses a woman’s monthly menstruation, which also resulted in a state of uncleanness. The regulations concerning her bed (Leviticus 15:21) and other objects she touched, as well as individuals who came into contact with her, were generally similar to those for a man with a discharge. However, a man who came into contact with her flow was unclean for seven days, similar to the woman herself (Leviticus 15:24).
The final case discussed is that of a woman with a chronic discharge of blood (Leviticus 15:25-30). She was considered unclean during her entire illness (Leviticus 15:25). This situation brings to mind the New Testament account of the woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years before she touched Jesus and was healed (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34). According to the law, she should not have touched Jesus, which may explain her fear and trembling when Jesus called her forward (Mark 5:33). However, in a powerful demonstration of His divine nature, no contamination could make Jesus unclean. Instead, His touch brought healing and restoration.
Purpose and Significance (Leviticus 15:31-33)
Leviticus 15:31-33 provides a summary of the chapter and signals the conclusion of the discussion on uncleanness. God's regulations were designed to protect the Israelites from defiling His tabernacle and facing the consequences of their uncleanness (Leviticus 15:31). God's holiness and His demand for holiness from His people gave these laws life-and-death importance.
These laws remind us that sin and impurity separate us from God. While we are no longer under the Old Testament law, the principle remains that God desires a clean and pure heart. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness and experience the transforming power of His grace.
Leviticus 15 serves as a reminder of the importance of holiness and purity in the life of a believer. While the specific regulations may not apply today, the underlying principles of seeking cleanliness and avoiding defilement remain relevant. As we strive to live lives that are pleasing to God, we can draw strength and encouragement from the example of Jesus, who is able to cleanse us from all sin and make us whole.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.
And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.
Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:
And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue.
And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness.
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;
And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
Leviticus 15 delves further into the concept of cleanness and uncleanness, focusing on bodily discharges for both men and women. These regulations highlight the importance of ritual purity within the Israelite community and underscore God's holiness and the need for His people to maintain a state of cleanliness in His presence. The chapter addresses various scenarios, providing specific instructions for purification and restoration.
Male Discharges (Leviticus 15:1-18)
The first section addresses abnormal bodily discharges in men (Leviticus 15:2-15). According to the law, anything or anyone that the man with the discharge came into contact with became unclean. This principle, that uncleanness is transferable, is a recurring theme throughout Leviticus. Those who came into contact with him were required to bathe and remained unclean until evening (Leviticus 15:5-11).
Interestingly, unlike those with skin diseases who were often isolated outside the camp, men with such discharges were not. Scholars offer different explanations for this distinction. Some suggest that the discharge may not have been considered infectious in the same way as skin diseases. Others propose that God was primarily concerned with ceremonial uncleanness in this case, rather than physical contagion.
Once the discharge ceased, the man was required to wait seven days, wash himself, and offer sacrifices of cleansing (Leviticus 15:13-15). This process of waiting, washing, and offering sacrifices was essential for restoring him to a state of ritual purity and fellowship with God.
The chapter also addresses male semen emission, possibly during intercourse (Leviticus 15:16-18). Such emission rendered both the man and the woman unclean (Leviticus 15:18), requiring them to bathe and remain unclean until evening. This underscores the comprehensive nature of the laws concerning cleanness and uncleanness, extending even to natural bodily functions.
Female Discharges (Leviticus 15:19-30)
Leviticus 15:19-24 addresses a woman’s monthly menstruation, which also resulted in a state of uncleanness. The regulations concerning her bed (Leviticus 15:21) and other objects she touched, as well as individuals who came into contact with her, were generally similar to those for a man with a discharge. However, a man who came into contact with her flow was unclean for seven days, similar to the woman herself (Leviticus 15:24).
The final case discussed is that of a woman with a chronic discharge of blood (Leviticus 15:25-30). She was considered unclean during her entire illness (Leviticus 15:25). This situation brings to mind the New Testament account of the woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years before she touched Jesus and was healed (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34). According to the law, she should not have touched Jesus, which may explain her fear and trembling when Jesus called her forward (Mark 5:33). However, in a powerful demonstration of His divine nature, no contamination could make Jesus unclean. Instead, His touch brought healing and restoration.
Purpose and Significance (Leviticus 15:31-33)
Leviticus 15:31-33 provides a summary of the chapter and signals the conclusion of the discussion on uncleanness. God's regulations were designed to protect the Israelites from defiling His tabernacle and facing the consequences of their uncleanness (Leviticus 15:31). God's holiness and His demand for holiness from His people gave these laws life-and-death importance.
These laws remind us that sin and impurity separate us from God. While we are no longer under the Old Testament law, the principle remains that God desires a clean and pure heart. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness and experience the transforming power of His grace.
Leviticus 15 serves as a reminder of the importance of holiness and purity in the life of a believer. While the specific regulations may not apply today, the underlying principles of seeking cleanliness and avoiding defilement remain relevant. As we strive to live lives that are pleasing to God, we can draw strength and encouragement from the example of Jesus, who is able to cleanse us from all sin and make us whole.