Leviticus 15:12

12 Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, while any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.^[a]

Leviticus 15:12 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 15:12

And the vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath an issue
shall be broken
That it might not be made use of afterwards; which was ordered, that they might be careful what they touched who were in such circumstances: according to Gersom an earthen vessel received no uncleanness but from the middle, though he owns the law does not distinguish between the middle and the outside; wherefore Jarchi is of opinion, that if the back or outside of it was touched, it was unclean, and to be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water;
and after that be used: what should be the reason why an earthen vessel defiled by touching should be broken, and a wooden vessel defiled in the same way should not, but be rinsed and cleansed, when an earthen vessel might as well be rinsed and fit for use as that, is not easy to say; it depended upon the will of the lawgiver: according to Ainsworth, the one may signify the destruction of reprobate persons, the other the cleansing of penitent sinners.

Leviticus 15:12 In-Context

10 Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.

11 If the man with the discharge touches anyone without [first] rinsing his hands in water, the person who was touched is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.

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

13 "When the man with the discharge has been cured of it, he is to count seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; he will be clean.

14 He must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons on the eighth day, come before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and give them to the priest.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lv 6:28; 11:33