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Leviticus 15

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1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2Speak 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.

3And 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.

4Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

5And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.

6And 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.

7And 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.

8And 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.

9And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13And 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.

14And 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:

15And 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.

16And 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.

17And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

18The woman also with whom man shall lie [with] seed of copulation, they shall [both] bathe [themselves] in water, and be unclean until the even.

19¶ 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.

20And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.

21And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.

22And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.

23And if it [be] on [her] bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.

24And 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.

25And 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.

26Every 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.

27And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.

28But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

29And 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.

30And 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.

31Thus 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.

32This [is] the law of him that hath an issue, and [of him] whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;

33And 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.

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

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Leviticus 15:2 Verse 2

When any man hath a running issue--This chapter describes other forms of uncleanness, the nature of which is sufficiently intelligible in the text without any explanatory comment. Being the effects of licentiousness, they properly come within the notice of the legislator, and the very stringent rules here prescribed, both for the separation of the person diseased and for avoiding contamination from anything connected with him, were well calculated not only to prevent contagion, but to discourage the excesses of licentious indulgence.

Leviticus 15:9 Verse 9

what saddle ... he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean--(See on Ge 31:34).

Leviticus 15:12 Verse 12

the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken--It is thought that the pottery of the Israelites, like the earthenware jars in which the Egyptians kept their water, was unglazed and consequently porous, and that it was its porousness which, rendering it extremely liable to imbibe small particles of impure matter, was the reason why the vessel touched by an unclean person was ordered to be broken.

Leviticus 15:13-14 Verses 13-14

then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing--Like a leprous person he underwent a week's probation, to make sure he was completely healed. Then with the sacrifices prescribed, the priest made an atonement for him, that is, offered the oblations necessary for the removal of his ceremonial defilement, as well as the typical pardon of his sins.

Leviticus 15:19 Verse 19

if a woman have an issue--Though this, like the leprosy, might be a natural affection, it was anciently considered contagious and entailed a ceremonial defilement which typified a moral impurity. This ceremonial defilement had to be removed by an appointed method of ceremonial expiation, and the neglect of it subjected any one to the guilt of defiling the tabernacle, and to death as the penalty of profane temerity. 31-33. Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness--The divine wisdom was manifested in inspiring the Israelites with a profound reverence for holy things; and nothing was more suited to this purpose than to debar from the tabernacle all who were polluted by any kind of uncleanness, ceremonial as well as natural, mental as well as physical. The better to mark out that people as His family, His servants and priests, dwelling in the camp as in a holy place, consecrated by His presence and His tabernacle, He required of them complete purity, and did not allow them to come before Him when defiled, even by involuntary or secret impurities, as a want of respect due to His majesty. And when we bear in mind that God was training a people to live in His presence in some measure as priests devoted to His service, we shall not consider these rules for the maintenance of personal purity either too stringent or too minute (1Th 4:4).

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Ablution for Defilement: Those Having Bloody Issue Leviticus 15:5–13

Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Copulation: During Menses Leviticus 15:19

When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.

Defilement: Caused by Copulation Leviticus 15:17

Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.

Defilement: Caused by Gonorrhea Leviticus 15:1–15

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘When any man has a bodily discharge, the discharge is unclean. / This uncleanness is from his discharge, whether his body allows the discharge to flow or blocks it. So his discharge will bring about uncleanness.

Defilement: Caused by Menses Leviticus 15:19–33

When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. / Anything on which she lies or sits during her menstruation will be unclean, / and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Defilement: Caused by Spermatorrhea Leviticus 15:16, 17

When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.

Defilement: Caused by Touching Carcass of an Unclean Thing Leviticus 15:5–11

Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Defilement: Ceremonial Caused by Touching Anything Defiled by an Issue Leviticus 15:5–11

Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Defilement: Things Liable to Ceremonial: Furniture Leviticus 15:9, 10

Any saddle on which the man with the discharge rides will be unclean. / Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Hemorrhage: Menstruation Leviticus 15:19

When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.

Masturbation Leviticus 15:16, 17

When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.

Menstruation: Law Relating To Leviticus 15:19–30

When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. / Anything on which she lies or sits during her menstruation will be unclean, / and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Offerings: Sin: Ordinances Concerning Leviticus 15:30

The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.

Offerings: Trespass: Ordinances Concerning Leviticus 15:15, 29, 30

The priest is to sacrifice them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the man before the LORD because of his discharge. / On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. / The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.

Priest: Duties of Purify the Unclean Leviticus 15:31

You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them.

Priests: Services of Purifying the Unclean Leviticus 15:30, 31

The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge. / You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them.

Purification for Women: After Menstruation Leviticus 15:19–33

When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. / Anything on which she lies or sits during her menstruation will be unclean, / and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Purification: Scriptures Relating To Leviticus 15:4–13, 16–27

Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean. / Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. / Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

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Burnt offering Hebrew olah; i.e., "ascending," the whole being consumed by fire,… Tabernacle (1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.). (2.)… Sacrifice The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as… Atonement This word does not occur in the Authorized Version of… Offering An oblation, dedicated to God. Thus Cain consecrated to God… Sitting The attitude generally assumed in Palestine by those who were… Leather A girdle of, worn by Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) and… Evening The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began… Beyond When used with reference to Jordan, signifies in the writings… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Priest The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one… Aaron The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of… Moses Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, "son;" hence Rameses, royal son). On… Clean The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law… Blood (1.) As food, prohibited in Gen. 9:4, where the use… Seven This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections… Woman Was "taken out of man" (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the… Lord There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered. (1.)…