Leviticus 15:31

31 Therefore ye shall teach the sons of Israel, that they eschew uncleannesses, and that they die not for their filths, when they defoul my tabernacle that is among them. (And so ye shall teach the Israelites, that they must shun uncleannesses, and not bring in their filths to defile my Tabernacle that is among them, and so be put to death because of that.)

Leviticus 15:31 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 15:31

Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their
uncleanness
Or because of it, and while they are in it, as from other persons, even their nearest relations, and from the house of God, as the next clause shows; or teach them, by observing the above laws and rules, to separate themselves, and that they be careful and cautions to keep themselves apart while in such impurities; and the children of Israel are only made mention of, because these laws are only binding upon them, with their proselytes and servants, free or not free F12, but not upon Gentiles; (See Gill on Leviticus 15:2): that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle
that [is] among them;
from whence it appears, that men and women, in the above circumstances, might not go into the tabernacle; and it was chiefly to prevent their access to it that these laws were given, for the greater reverence and honour of it; and that for such persons to enter there was a pollution of it, and the punishment was cutting off, or death; and for one to die in his impurity, without purification and sacrifice, was a dreadful thing, and to be deprecated, and to be guarded against by an observance of the above laws. But the Jews now say F13, that forasmuch as the reason of these precepts was, because such persons were forbidden to enter into the temple, that being destroyed, all these precepts of uncleanness are ceased also.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Misn. Zabim, c. 2. sect. 1.
F13 Leo Modena's History of Rites, Customs of the present Jews, par. 1. c. 8.

Leviticus 15:31 In-Context

29 and in the eighth day she shall offer for herself to the priest two turtles, either culver birds, at the door of the tabernacle of witnessing; (and on the eighth day she shall bring her offering of two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the priest, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Witnessing;)
30 and the priest shall offer one for her sin, and the tother into burnt sacrifice (and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt sacrifice); and the priest shall pray for her before the Lord, and for the flowing out of her uncleanness.
31 Therefore ye shall teach the sons of Israel, that they eschew uncleannesses, and that they die not for their filths, when they defoul my tabernacle that is among them. (And so ye shall teach the Israelites, that they must shun uncleannesses, and not bring in their filths to defile my Tabernacle that is among them, and so be put to death because of that.)
32 This is the law of him that suffereth the flowing out of seed, and (of him) that is defouled with fleshly coupling, (This is the law for him who suffereth the flowing out of seed, and for him who is defiled with fleshly coupling,)
33 and also of the woman that is separated in the time of (the) months, either that floweth out in continual blood, and of the man that sleepeth with her. (and also of the woman who is set apart at the time of the month, or who floweth out with continual blood, and of the man who sleepeth with her.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.