Leviticus Chapter 15 — Laws of Bodily Purity
Leviticus 15 provides specific laws regarding ritual uncleanness resulting from various bodily discharges and the procedures for purification.
1The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, because of his discharge he is unclean.
3This shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body has stopped from his discharge, it is his uncleanness.
4“ ‘Every bed on which he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean.
5Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
6He who sits on anything on which the man who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
7“ ‘He who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
8“ ‘If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
9“ ‘Whatever saddle he who has the discharge rides on shall be unclean.
10Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening. He who carries those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
11“ ‘Whomever he who has the discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
12“ ‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
13“ ‘When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
14“ ‘On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.
15The priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. The priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD for his discharge.
16“ ‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening.
17Every garment and every skin which the semen is on shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.
18If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.
19“ ‘If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.
20“ ‘Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean.
21Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
22Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
23If it is on the bed, or on anything she sits on, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening.
24“ ‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on shall be unclean.
25“ ‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her period, all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as in the days of her period. She is unclean.
26Every bed she lies on all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her period. Everything she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period.
27Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
28“ ‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
29On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.
30The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for the uncleanness of her discharge.
31“ ‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.’ ”
32This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it;
33and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Leviticus 15:13
“When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.”
This verse establishes the standard procedure for purification involving a waiting period, washing of clothes, and bathing in fresh water.
Leviticus 15:31
“Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.”
It explains the fundamental reason for these purity laws: protecting the sanctity of God's dwelling place among the people.
Chapter Summary
Leviticus 15 outlines the regulations for maintaining ritual purity within the Israelite community regarding bodily discharges for both men and women. The chapter addresses chronic conditions as well as normal physiological functions, categorizing them as sources of ritual uncleanness. For chronic discharges, an individual must wait seven days after the discharge stops, wash their clothes, and bathe their body in running water to become clean. On the eighth day, they are required to offer two turtledoves or young pigeons—one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering—at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to make atonement. The chapter also details shorter-term uncleanness from normal bodily emissions and menstruation, which generally require bathing and last until evening. These laws served to distinguish between the clean and unclean, emphasizing the necessity of physical and ritual holiness for those living in the presence of God's Tabernacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary purpose was to ensure ritual purity among the Israelites so they would not defile the Tabernacle where God dwelt. These laws taught the community about the distinction between the sacred and the common.
Once the individual was physically healed and had waited seven days, they brought two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest. One bird was offered as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement before the Lord.
The text specifies bathing in running water for certain types of cleansing, which refers to 'living water' from a fresh, flowing source rather than a stagnant pool, emphasizing thorough ritual purification.
Study Note
The Hebrew phrase for 'running water' in verse 13 literally translates to 'living water,' which is a recurring biblical motif representing life and complete purification.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 12
This chapter also addresses ritual purity laws, focusing specifically on purification after childbirth.
Numbers 5
This chapter discusses the removal of ritually unclean persons from the camp to maintain its holiness.
Hebrews 9
Offers a New Testament perspective on the significance and limitations of Old Testament ritual washings.
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