Leviticus 15

1 God spoke to Moses and Aaron,
2 "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them: When a man has a discharge from his genitals, the discharge is unclean.
3 Whether it comes from a seepage or an obstruction he is unclean. He is unclean all the days his body has a seepage or an obstruction.
4 "Every bed on which he lies is ritually unclean, everything on which he sits is unclean.
5 If someone touches his bed or sits on anything he's sat on, or touches the man with the discharge, he has to wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening.
8 "If the man with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, that person has to wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening.
9 Every saddle on which the man with the discharge rides is unclean.
10 Whoever touches anything that has been under him becomes unclean until evening. Anyone who carries such an object must wash his clothes and bathe with water; he remains unclean until evening.
11 If the one with the discharge touches someone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water; he remains unclean until evening.
12 "If a pottery container is touched by someone with a discharge, you must break it; a wooden article is to be rinsed in water.
13 "When a person with a discharge is cleansed from it, he is to count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe in running water. Then he is clean.
14 On the eighth day he is to take two doves or two pigeons and come before God at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and give them to the priest.
15 The priest then offers one as an Absolution-Offering and one as a Whole-Burnt-Offering and makes atonement for him in the presence of God because of his discharge.
16 "When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his entire body in water; he remains unclean until evening.
17 Every piece of clothing and everything made of leather which gets semen on it must be washed with water; it remains unclean until evening.
18 When a man sleeps with a woman and has an emission of semen, both are to wash in water; they remain unclean until evening.
19 "When a woman has a discharge of blood, the impurity of her menstrual period lasts seven days. Anyone who touches her is unclean until evening.
20 Everything on which she lies or sits during her period is unclean.
21 Anyone who touches her bed or anything on which she sits must wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening.
24 "If a man sleeps with her and her menstrual blood gets on him, he is unclean for seven days and every bed on which he lies becomes unclean.
25 "If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, but not at the time of her monthly period, or has a discharge that continues beyond the time of her period, she is unclean the same as during the time of her period.
26 Every bed on which she lies during the time of the discharge and everything on which she sits becomes unclean the same as in her monthly period.
27 Anyone who touches these things becomes unclean and must wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening.
28 "When she is cleansed from her discharge, she is to count off seven days; then she is clean.
29 On the eighth day she is to take two doves and two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
30 The priest will offer one for an Absolution-Offering and the other for a Whole-Burnt-Offering. The priest will make atonement for her in the presence of God because of the discharge that made her unclean.
31 "You are responsible for keeping the People of Israel separate from that which makes them ritually unclean, lest they die in their unclean condition by defiling my Dwelling which is among them.
32 "These are the procedures to follow for a man with a discharge or an emission of semen that makes him unclean,
33 and for a woman in her menstrual period - any man or woman with a discharge and also for a man who sleeps with a woman who is unclean."

Leviticus 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Laws concerning ceremonial uncleanness.

- We need not be curious in explaining these laws; but have reason to be thankful that we need fear no defilement, except that of sin, nor need ceremonial and burdensome purifications. These laws remind us that God sees all things, even those which escape the notice of men. The great gospel duties of faith and repentance are here signified, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for our justification, and his grace for our sanctification.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 15

This chapter treats of uncleanness by issues in men and women; in men, a running issue, Le 15:1-3, which defiles him, and everything he touches, or that touches him or them, Le 15:4-12; the cleansing from which is directed to, Le 15:13-15; and seed flowing from him, Le 15:16-18; in women, their ordinary courses, Le 15:19-24; or extraordinary ones, Le 15:25-27; and the law for the cleansing of them, Le 15:28-31; and a recapitulation of the whole, Le 15:32,33.

Leviticus 15 Commentaries

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.