Leviticus 15:13

The Cleansing of Men

13 When the man has been cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in fresh water, ^[a] and he shall be clean.

Leviticus 15:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 15:13

And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue
That is, it is ceased from him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi explain it; for otherwise, according to the ceremonial law, he was not yet cleansed, until he had done everything next prescribed; but when he perceived there was an entire stop put to his disorder: then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing;
by which time it would appear whether he was thoroughly rid of it or not; and these seven days, as Jarchi observes, must be seven pure days, quite free from pollution, and continued in a constant course, without interruption; for, as Gersom says, if he saw any impurity in anyone of these days it did not come into the account: nay, according to Maimonides ^F2, he must begin to number again from the day of the last appearance: and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water;
typical of the fountain opened in Christ to wash in for sin and uncleanness, even the fountain of his blood, which cleanses from all sin; and in which both the persons and garments of the saints are washed and made white: and shall be clean;
in a ceremonial sense; as all that are washed from their sins in the blood of Christ are clean in a spiritual and evangelical sense.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Hilchot Mechosre Capharah, c. 3. sect. 1.

Leviticus 15:13 In-Context

11 If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

12 Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.

13 When the man has been cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in fresh water, and he shall be clean.

14 On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.

15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or flowing water or living water