(KJV) Leviticus 151

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⥃The Uncleanness of Men [ Deuteronomy 23:9–14 ]

[1] And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron2, saying, [2] Speak unto the3 children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man4 hath a running issue5 out of his flesh, [because of] his issue he [is] unclean. [3] 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.6 [4] Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing7, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean8. [5] And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.9 [6] 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.10 [7] 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. [8] 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.11 [9] And what saddle12 soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. [10] 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.13 [11] And whomsoever14 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. [12] And the vessel15 of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken16: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

⥃The Cleansing of Men

[13] And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days17 for his cleansing, and wash18 his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. [14] 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:19 [15] And the priest shall offer them, the one20 [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement21 for him before the Lord for his issue. [16] 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.22 [17] And every garment, and every skin23, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even. [18] The woman24 also with whom man shall lie [with] seed of copulation, they shall [both] bathe [themselves] in water, and be unclean25 until the even.

⥃The Uncleanness of Women

[19] And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue26 in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart27 seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. [20] And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.28 [21] And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.29 [22] And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even. [23] 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. [24] 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.30 [25] 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.31 [26] 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. [27] And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.32

⥃The Cleansing of Women

[28] But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.33 [29] 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.34 [30] 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. [31] Thus shall35 ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they36 die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that [is] among them. [32] This [is] the law of him that hath an issue, and [of him] whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;37 [33] And of her38 that is sick of her flowers, and of him39 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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  1. Lev 15:1, The uncleanness of men in their issues; Lev 15:13, The cleansing of them; Lev 15:19, The uncleanness of women in their issues; Lev 15:28, Their cleansing. ↩

  2. Lev 11:1, Lev 13:1; Ps 25:14; Amos 3:7; Heb 1:1 ↩

  3. Deut 4:7-8; Neh 9:13-14; Ps 78:5, Ps 147:19-20; Rom 3:2 ↩

  4. It is not necessary to consider particularly the laws contained in this chapter, the letter of the text being in general sufficiently plain. It may, however, be observed, that from the pains which persons rendered unclean were obliged to take, the ablutions and separations which they must observe, and the privations to which they must in consequence be exposed, in the way of commerce, traffic, etc., these laws were admirably adapted to prevent contagion of every kind, by keeping the whole from the diseased, and to hinder licentious indulgences and excesses of every description. Lev 22:4; Num 5:2; 2Sam 3:29; Matt 9:20; Mark 5:25, Mark 7:20-23; Luke 8:43 ↩

  5. or, running of the reins ↩

  6. Lev 12:3; Ezek 16:26, Ezek 23:20 ↩

  7. Heb. vessel ↩

  8. 1Cor 15:33; Eph 5:11; Titus 1:15 ↩

  9. Lev 11:25, Lev 11:28, Lev 11:32, Lev 13:6, Lev 13:34, Lev 14:8-9, Lev 14:27, Lev 14:46-47, Lev 16:26, Lev 16:28, Lev 17:15; Num 19:10, Num 19:22; Ps 26:6, Ps 51:2, Ps 51:7; Isa 1:16, Isa 22:14; Ezek 36:25, Ezek 36:29; Heb 9:14, Heb 9:26, Heb 10:22; Jas 4:8; Rev 7:14 ↩

  10. Isa 1:16; Jas 4:8 ↩

  11. Isa 1:16; Gal 1:8-9; 1Tim 4:1-3; Titus 1:9-10; 2Pet 2:1-3; Jas 4:8; Jude 1:4 ↩

  12. The word merchav, from rachav, to ride, here rendered by our translators saddle, and frequently chariot. Mr. Harmer thinks rather means a litter, or coune, of which we have already given a description in Gen 31:34. Gen 31:34 ↩

  13. Lev 15:5, Lev 15:8; Ps 26:6; Jas 4:8 ↩

  14. It is rather doubtful whether the words hath not rinsed his hands in water refer to him who was diseased, or to him who had his hands touched. Most understand it of the former, that if the person who had the issue rinsed his hands in water, just before he touched any one, he did not communicate any pollution; otherwise, he did. But the Syriac refers it to the person touched by him, though it seems strange that he should be cleansed by washing his hands, when perhaps some other part was touched. ↩

  15. Lev 6:28, Lev 11:32-33; Prov 1:21, Prov 1:23, Prov 3:21; 2Cor 5:1; Phil 3:21 ↩

  16. Ps 2:9 ↩

  17. Lev 15:28, Lev 8:33, Lev 9:1, Lev 14:8, Lev 14:10; Exod 29:35, Exod 29:37; Num 12:14, Num 19:11-12 ↩

  18. Lev 15:5, Lev 15:10-11; Jer 33:8; Ezek 36:25-29; 2Cor 7:1; Jas 4:8; Rev 1:5 ↩

  19. Lev 15:29-30, Lev 1:14, Lev 12:6, Lev 12:8, Lev 14:22-31; Num 6:10; 2Cor 5:21; Heb 7:26, Heb 10:10, Heb 10:12; Heb 10:14 ↩

  20. Lev 5:7-10, Lev 14:19-20, Lev 14:30-31 ↩

  21. Lev 4:20, Lev 4:26, Lev 4:31, Lev 4:35, Lev 12:7, Lev 14:18; Num 15:25, Num 25:13; Matt 3:17; Eph 1:6; Heb 1:3 ↩

  22. Lev 15:5, Lev 22:4; Deut 23:10-11; 2Cor 7:1; 1Pet 2:11; 1John 1:7 ↩

  23. The poorer class of Arabs of our times make use of mats in their tents; and other inhabitants of these countries, who affect ancient simplicity of manners, make use of goat-skins. Dr. R. Chandler, in his Travels in Greece, tells us, that he saw some dervishes at Athens sitting on goat-skins; and that he was afterwards conducted into a room furnished in like manner, with the same kind of carpeting, where he was treated with a pipe and coffee by the chief dervish. Those that are at all acquainted with Oriental manners, in these later times, know that their dervishes (who are a sort of Mohammedan devotees, a good deal resembling the begging friars of the church or Rome) affect great simplicity, and even sometimes austerity, in their dress and way of living. As these dervishes that Dr. Chandler visited sat on goat-skins, and used no other kind of carpet for the accommodation of those who visited them, so it should seem that the Israelites in the wilderness made use of skins for mattresses to lie upon, and consequently, we may equally suppose to sit upon in the day time, instead of a carpet. ↩

  24. Lev 15:5; Eph 4:17-19, Eph 5:3-11; 2Tim 2:22; 1Pet 2:11 ↩

  25. Exod 19:15; 1Sam 21:4-5; Ps 51:5; 1Cor 6:12, 1Cor 6:18; 1Thess 4:3-5; Heb 13:4 ↩

  26. Lev 12:2, Lev 12:4, Lev 20:18; Lam 1:8-9, Lam 1:17; Ezek 36:17; Matt 15:19; Mark 5:25 ↩

  27. Heb. in her separation ↩

  28. Lev 15:4-9; Prov 2:16-19, Prov 5:3-13, Prov 6:24, Prov 6:35, Prov 7:10-27, Prov 9:13-18, Prov 22:27; Eccl 7:26; 1Cor 15:33 ↩

  29. Lev 15:5-6; Isa 22:14; 2Cor 7:1; Heb 9:26; Rev 7:14 ↩

  30. Lev 15:33, Lev 20:18; Ezek 18:6, Ezek 22:10; 1Thess 5:22; Heb 13:4; 1Pet 2:11 ↩

  31. Lev 15:19-24; Matt 9:20; Mark 5:25, Mark 7:20-23; Luke 8:43 ↩

  32. Lev 15:5-8, Lev 15:13, Lev 15:21, Lev 17:15-16; Ezek 36:25, Ezek 36:29; Zech 13:1; Heb 9:14, Heb 10:22; 1Pet 1:18-19; 1John 1:7 ↩

  33. Lev 15:13-15; Matt 1:21; 1Cor 1:30, 1Cor 6:11; Gal 3:13, Gal 4:4; Eph 1:6-7 ↩

  34. Lev 15:14 ↩

  35. Lev 11:47, Lev 13:59; Num 5:3; Deut 24:8; Ps 66:18; Ezek 44:23; Heb 10:29; Heb 12:14-15; Jude 1:4 ↩

  36. Lev 19:30, Lev 21:23; Num 5:3, Num 19:13, Num 19:20; Ezek 5:11, Ezek 23:38, Ezek 44:5-7; Dan 9:27; 1Cor 3:17; These laws were principally intended to impress the minds of the Israelites with reverence for the sanctuary; and, on the one hand, to shew them what need they had of circumspection, and purity of heart and life, in order to worship the holy God with acceptance; and, on the other hand, that being sinners in a world full of temptations and defilements, they would continually need forgiveness, through the great atonement typified by all the sacrifices, and the sanctification of the Spirit, shewed forth by all the purifications. While they were encamped in the desert, it would not be very burdensome to bring the prescribed oblations; but after they were settled in Canaan, many of them at a great distance from the tabernacle, this would become much more difficult. We may, however, observe, continues Mr. Scott, that many of the cases stated only required such washings as might any where be performed, and that those, respecting which sacrifices were appointed, would more rarely occur. We may also suppose, that provided these were brought, when the person who had been unclean first came to the sanctuary, it would suffice: though distance or other hindrances prevented its being done immediately, at the expiration of the seven days. ↩

  37. Lev 15:1-18, Lev 11:46, Lev 13:59, Lev 14:2, Lev 14:32, Lev 14:54-57; Num 5:29, Num 6:13, Num 19:14; Ezek 43:12 ↩

  38. Lev 15:19-30 ↩

  39. Lev 15:24, Lev 20:18 ↩