Leviticus15

Leviticus 15 details laws concerning various bodily discharges that cause ritual uncleanness among the Israelites. It outlines regulations for men with a running issue or seminal emission, and for women with menstruation or abnormal blood flow. These conditions render individuals and anything they touch unclean, necessitating specific purification rituals. The chapter emphasizes the importance of these laws to maintain the purity of the community and prevent defilement of the Tabernacle.
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Introduction to Laws of Bodily Discharges

1
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

Uncleanness from Male Chronic Discharge

2
“Say to the Israelites, ‘When any man has a bodily discharge, the discharge is unclean. ​
3
This uncleanness is from his discharge, whether his body allows the discharge to flow or blocks it. So his discharge will bring about uncleanness. ​
4
Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean. ​
5
Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
6
Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
7
Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
8
If the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, that person must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
9
Any saddle on which the man with the discharge rides will be unclean.
10
Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
11
If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
12
Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water. ​

Purification of the Male with Chronic Discharge

13
When the man has been cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in fresh water, and he shall be clean. ​
14
On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.
15
The priest is to sacrifice them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the man before the LORD because of his discharge. ​

Uncleanness from Seminal Emission

16
When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean until evening. ​
17
Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.
18
If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will remain unclean until evening. ​

Uncleanness from Menstruation

19
When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. ​
20
Anything on which she lies or sits during her menstruation will be unclean,
21
and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
22
Whoever touches any furniture on which she was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
23
And whether it is a bed or furniture on which she was sitting, whoever touches it will be unclean until evening.
24
If a man lies with her and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will become unclean. ​

Uncleanness from Female Chronic Discharge

25
When a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days at a time other than her menstrual period, or if it continues beyond her period, she will be unclean all the days of her unclean discharge, just as she is during the days of her menstruation. ​
26
Any bed on which she lies or any furniture on which she sits during the days of her discharge will be unclean, like her bed during her menstrual period.
27
Anyone who touches these things will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Purification of the Woman with Chronic Discharge

28
When a woman is cleansed of her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. ​
29
On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
30
The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge. ​

Summary and Purpose of Purity Laws

31
You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them. ​
32
This is the law of him who has a discharge, of the man who has an emission of semen whereby he is unclean,
33
of a woman in her menstrual period, of any male or female who has a discharge, and of a man who lies with an unclean woman.’”

Study Notes for Leviticus 15

Verse 2

The 'running issue' refers to an abnormal, likely chronic, genital discharge, distinguishing it from normal seminal emission (v. 16). This condition resulted in prolonged ritual impurity.

Verse 3

The law clarifies that the uncleanness applies whether the flow is continuous or intermittent, emphasizing that the underlying pathological condition, rather than just the discharge itself, is the source of impurity.

Verse 4

This verse establishes the concept of transferable uncleanness. Objects touched by the person become unclean and can transmit impurity to others.

Verse 12

Earthenware vessels (pottery) were considered porous and absorbed the impurity permanently, thus requiring destruction. Wooden vessels, being less porous, could be cleansed by rinsing.

Verse 13

The cleansing process required a seven-day waiting period followed by bathing in 'running water' (or 'living water'), typically spring or river water, symbolizing complete purification and renewal.

Verse 15

The required offering included a sin offering (purification) and a burnt offering (dedication). This required atonement highlights the seriousness of such a prolonged state of impurity, which separated the individual from the holy space.

Verse 16

Unlike the chronic issue (v. 2), normal seminal emission results in a temporary impurity lasting only until the evening, requiring only bathing and washing of clothes.

Verse 18

Sexual intercourse, even within marriage, resulted in temporary ritual impurity for both parties, necessitating bathing before they could participate in sacred life.

Verse 19

This section defines the law of *niddah* (separation). The woman is ritually separated for seven days, and anything she touches or sits upon becomes secondarily unclean.

Verse 24

If a man violates the separation period, he inherits the full duration of her impurity (seven days), highlighting the intense, transferable nature of menstrual uncleanness.

Verse 25

This refers to abnormal, prolonged uterine bleeding (metrorrhagia), a condition functionally parallel to the male chronic issue (v. 2). The woman remains unclean for the entire duration of the flow.

Verse 28

The purification process mirrors that of the male (vv. 13-15), requiring a seven-day waiting period after cessation of the flow before sacrifices could be offered.

Verse 30

Atonement was required for the abnormal discharge, restoring the woman to full ritual purity and allowing her to re-engage with the Tabernacle community.

Verse 31

This verse provides the theological rationale for all purity laws: they ensure the holiness of the community and protect the Tabernacle from defilement, preventing the people from facing divine judgment ('that they die not').

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