King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Any clothing or leather on which there is any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening.
Berean Standard Bible:
Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.
American Standard Version:
And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And every garment{H899}, and every skin{H5785}, whereon is the seed{H2233} of copulation{H7902}, shall be washed{H3526} with water{H4325}, and be unclean{H2930} until the even{H6153}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Leviticus 15:17
1. **Themes:**
- **Ritual Purity and Cleanliness:** Leviticus 15:17 emphasizes the importance of ritual purity in the Israelite community. The verse is part of a larger section detailing the laws of purity and impurity, particularly in relation to bodily discharges.
- **Separation of Clean and Unclean:** The distinction between clean and unclean is a central theme, with the unclean being temporarily excluded from religious and community life to prevent the spread of impurity.
- **Sanctity of the Sanctuary:** These laws served to maintain the sanctity of the Tabernacle (and later the Temple) by ensuring that only ritually clean individuals and items could participate in or come into contact with sacred spaces and rituals.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Israelite Society:** The book of Leviticus was written for the ancient Israelites, likely during the time of Moses, as they journeyed through the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt.
- **Priestly Code:** Leviticus contains what scholars refer to as the Priestly Code, which includes detailed instructions for priests and the laity concerning sacrifices, religious rituals, and purity laws.
- **Holiness and Distinction:** The Israelites were instructed to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45). These purity laws were part of a broader effort to distinguish the Israelites from their pagan neighbors and to instill a sense of holiness in everyday life.
- **Cultic Practices:** The verse reflects the cultic practices of the time, where physical substances like semen, associated with life and fertility, were also seen as a source of ritual impurity requiring purification.
In summary, Leviticus 15:17 is situated within a complex system of purity laws that were integral to the religious and social life of ancient Israel. These laws were designed to promote a sense of the sacred, regulate communal and individual cleanliness, and reinforce the unique identity of the Israelite people in the eyes of God.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H899
There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּגֶד
Transliteration: beged
Pronunciation: behg'-ed
Description: from בָּגַד; a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage; apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, [idiom] very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe. - Strong's Number: H5785
There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עוֹר
Transliteration: ʻôwr
Pronunciation: ore
Description: from עוּר; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather; hide, leather, skin. - Strong's Number: H2233
There are 205 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זֶרַע
Transliteration: zeraʻ
Pronunciation: zeh'-rah
Description: from זָרַע; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time. - Strong's Number: H7902
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁכָבָה
Transliteration: shᵉkâbâh
Pronunciation: shek-aw-baw'
Description: from שָׁכַב; a lying down (of dew, or for the sexual act); [idiom] carnally, copulation, [idiom] lay, seed. - Strong's Number: H3526
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כָּבַס
Transliteration: kâbaç
Pronunciation: kaw-bas'
Description: a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative; fuller, wash(-ing). - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H2930
There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: טָמֵא
Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
Pronunciation: taw-may'
Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H6153
There are 130 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶרֶב
Transliteration: ʻereb
Pronunciation: eh'-reb
Description: from עָרַב; dusk; [phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night.