Leviticus 15:1-18

1 ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,
2 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean.
3 The discharge is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has stopped; it is still his uncleanness.
4 Every bed which the person with the discharge lies on is unclean, and everything he sits on is unclean.
5 Whoever touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
6 Whoever sits on anything the person with the discharge sat on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
7 Anyone who touches the body of the person with the discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
8 If the person with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, the latter is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
9 Any saddle that the person with the discharge rides on will be unclean.
10 Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening; he who carries those things is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
11 If the person with the discharge fails to rinse his hands in water before touching someone, that person is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
12 If the person with the discharge touches a clay pot, it must be broken; if he touches a wooden utensil, it must be rinsed in water.
13 "'When a person with a discharge has become free of it, he is to count seven days for his purification. Then he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water; after that, he will be clean.
14 On the eighth day, he is to take for himself two doves or two young pigeons, come before ADONAI to the entrance of the tent of meeting and give them to the cohen.
15 The cohen is to offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus the cohen will make atonement for him on account of his discharge before ADONAI.
16 "'If a man has a seminal emission, he is to bathe his entire body in water; he will be unclean until evening.
17 Any clothing or leather on which there is any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening.
18 If a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bathe themselves in water; they will be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15:1-18 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.