King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
Complete Jewish Bible:
the person who touches any of these will be unclean until evening and is not to eat the holy things unless he bathes his body in water.
Berean Standard Bible:
the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.
American Standard Version:
the soul that toucheth any such shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
The soul{H5315} which hath touched{H5060} any such shall be unclean{H2930} until even{H6153}, and shall not eat{H398} of the holy things{H6944}, unless{H518} he wash{H7364} his flesh{H1320} with water{H4325}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Leviticus 15:5
- And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even.
Hebrews 10:22
- Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Leviticus 16:24
- And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
Leviticus 16:28
- And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Haggai 2:13
- Then said Haggai, If [one that is] unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:24
- And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:25
- And whosoever beareth [ought] of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Leviticus 22:6
Leviticus 22:6 is part of a larger section of the book that deals with the rules of ritual purity for the priests of Israel, particularly those from the lineage of Aaron. The verse is situated within the context of the Levitical laws, which were given to the Israelites by God through Moses. These laws were designed to set the priests apart and maintain the sanctity of the sanctuary and its rituals.
In the historical context, the priests were responsible for offering sacrifices and conducting worship in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple), and their purity was essential for these sacred duties. The verse addresses the consequence of accidental ritual impurity: if a priest came into contact with something that made him ritually unclean—such as a dead body or certain types of impure animals—he would be barred from eating the holy offerings until evening. This period of uncleanness would last until sunset, which marked the end of the day in the Jewish calendar.
To regain ritual purity, the priest was required to wash his body with water. This act of washing was a physical symbol of spiritual and ritual cleansing, a common theme in Levitical law where outward actions signify inward purity and a right relationship with God. The holy things mentioned in the verse likely refer to the sacred offerings and food that were reserved for the priests and their families, which were considered a portion of God's gifts to His servants.
The broader theme of Leviticus 22:6, therefore, is the importance of maintaining holiness and the distinction between the sacred and the profane. It emphasizes the necessity for those in priestly service to adhere to strict purity laws to ensure the sanctity of worship and to serve as a holy example to the people of Israel. This verse reflects the detailed and meticulous nature of the rituals that were central to the religious life of ancient Israel.
*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: H5315
There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
Transliteration: nephesh
Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. - 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. - 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. - Strong's Number: H398
There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָכַל
Transliteration: ʼâkal
Pronunciation: aw-kal'
Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. - Strong's Number: H6944
There are 382 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֹדֶשׁ
Transliteration: qôdesh
Pronunciation: ko'-desh
Description: from קָדַשׁ; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity; consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, ([idiom] most) holy ([idiom] day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary. - Strong's Number: H518
There are 283 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִם
Transliteration: ʼim
Pronunciation: eem
Description: a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not; (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), though, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] unless, [phrase] verily, when, whereas, whether, while, [phrase] yet. - 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). - Strong's Number: H1320
There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּשָׂר
Transliteration: bâsâr
Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. - 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)).