Leviticus 15:27

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Whoever touches those things will be unclean; he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

Berean Standard Bible:

Anyone who touches these things will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

American Standard Version:

And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And whosoever toucheth^{H5060} those things shall be unclean^{H2930}, and shall wash^{H3526} his clothes^{H899}, and bathe^{H7364} himself in water^{H4325}, and be unclean^{H2930} until the even^{H6153}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Leviticus 15:27

Leviticus 15:27 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus that deals with the laws of purity and impurity. The historical context of this verse is the life of the Israelites after their Exodus from Egypt, as they received various laws from God through Moses to shape their community and worship.

**Themes:**

1. **Ritual Purity:** The verse reflects the theme of ritual purity, which was crucial in the religious life of ancient Israel. Maintaining purity was essential for the people to participate in religious activities and to live in the presence of a holy God.

2. **Holiness and Separation:** The laws of purity served to separate the holy from the common and the clean from the unclean, reinforcing the idea that God's people were to be distinct and holy, just as God is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45).

3. **Ceremonial Cleanliness:** The emphasis on washing clothes and bathing in water indicates the importance of ceremonial cleanliness. These actions were symbolic of moral and spiritual cleansing.

4. **Contagion of Impurity:** The verse also highlights the idea that impurity could be transferred through contact. This required those who touched something unclean to undergo a purification process.

5. **Temporal Nature of Impurity:** The phrase "and be unclean until the even" suggests that some forms of impurity were temporary, with a set time for purification to be completed.

**Historical Context:**

Leviticus 15 specifically addresses bodily discharges, which in the ancient worldview were considered sources of ritual impurity. The laws were given to Moses for the Israelite community to instruct them on how to deal with various types of impurities, including those related to childbirth, menstruation, and skin diseases.

The verse in question is part of the regulations concerning a man's seminal emission, which rendered both the man and anything he lay upon or sat upon ritually unclean. The requirement to wash clothes and bathe was a standard procedure for restoring ritual purity, and the period of uncleanness lasted until sunset, which marked the end of a day in the Jewish calendar.

These laws were not just about physical cleanliness but were deeply intertwined with the religious and social life of the Israelites, emphasizing the need for moral and ritual purity before God and within the community.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5060
   There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָגַע
   Transliteration: nâgaʻ
   Pronunciation: naw-gah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with a woman); by implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.); beat, ([idiom] be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch.
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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).
   
4. 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.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7364
   There are 71 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָחַץ
   Transliteration: râchats
   Pronunciation: raw-khats'
   Description: a primitive root; to lave (the whole or a part of a thing); bathe (self), wash (self).
   
6. 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)).
   
7. 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.