Leviticus 15:4

4 Every bed on which the one with the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything on which he sits shall be unclean.

Leviticus 15:4 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 15:4

Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue is unclean
Which he constantly makes use of; so the Targum of Jonathan, which is peculiar to him, and appointed and appropriated for him to lie upon. Jarchi says, every bed that is fit to lie upon, thou is appropriated to another service; but, he adds meaning is, which he shall lie upon (or continue to lie upon); for it is not said, which he hath laid upon, but which he lieth upon, and is used by him continually; according to the Misnah F21, a man that has an issue defiles a bed five ways, so as to defile a man, and to defile garments; standing, sitting, lying, hanging, and leaning:

and everything whereon he sitteth shall be unclean;
which is appropriated to sit upon; and so the Targum, as before, what is his proper peculiar seat, what he is used to sit upon, and is fit for that purpose: and it is observed by some Jewish writers F23 that a vessel that is not fit to sit upon is excluded, as if a man was to turn up a bushel, or any other measure, to sit upon it; see ( Titus 1:15 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Zabim, c. 2. sect. 4.
F23 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Niddah, c. 6. sect. 3.

Leviticus 15:4 In-Context

2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When any man has a discharge from his member, his discharge makes him ceremonially unclean.
3 The uncleanness of his discharge is this: whether his member flows with his discharge, or his member is stopped from discharging, it is uncleanness for him.
4 Every bed on which the one with the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything on which he sits shall be unclean.
5 Anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.
6 All who sit on anything on which the one with the discharge has sat shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.