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.

Introduction to Laws of Bodily Discharges

1
ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,

Uncleanness from Male Chronic Discharge

2
"Tell the people of Isra'el, 'When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean. ​
3
The discharge is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has stopped; it is still his uncleanness. ​
4
Every bed which the person with the discharge lies on is unclean, and everything he sits on is unclean. ​
5
Whoever touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
6
Whoever sits on anything the person with the discharge sat on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
7
Anyone who touches the body of the person with the discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
8
If the person with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, the latter is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
9
Any saddle that the person with the discharge rides on will be unclean.
10
Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening; he who carries those things is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
11
If the person with the discharge fails to rinse his hands in water before touching someone, that person is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
12
If the person with the discharge touches a clay pot, it must be broken; if he touches a wooden utensil, it must be rinsed in water. ​

Purification of the Male with Chronic Discharge

13
"'When a person with a discharge has become free of it, he is to count seven days for his purification. Then he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water; after that, he will be clean. ​
14
On the eighth day, he is to take for himself two doves or two young pigeons, come before ADONAI to the entrance of the tent of meeting and give them to the cohen.
15
The cohen is to offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus the cohen will make atonement for him on account of his discharge before ADONAI. ​

Uncleanness from Seminal Emission

16
"'If a man has a seminal emission, he is to bathe his entire body in water; he will be unclean until evening. ​
17
Any clothing or leather on which there is any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening.
18
If a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bathe themselves in water; they will be unclean until evening. ​

Uncleanness from Menstruation

19
"'If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she will be in her state of niddah for seven days. Whoever touches her will be unclean until evening. ​
20
Everything she lies on or sits on in her state of niddah will be unclean.
21
Whoever touches her bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
22
Whoever touches anything she sits on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
23
Whether he is on the bed or on something she sits on, when he touches it, he will be unclean until evening.
24
If a man goes to bed with her, and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on will be unclean. ​

Uncleanness from Female Chronic Discharge

25
"'If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days not during her period, or if her discharge lasts beyond the normal end of her period, then throughout the time she is having an unclean discharge she will be as when she is in niddah -she is unclean. ​
26
Every bed she lies on at any time while she is having her discharge will be for her like the bed she uses during her time of niddah; and everything she sits on will be unclean with uncleanness like that of her time of niddah.
27
Whoever touches those things will be unclean; he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

Purification of the Woman with Chronic Discharge

28
"'If she has become free of her discharge, she is to count seven days; after that, she will be clean. ​
29
On the eighth day, she is to take for herself two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the cohen at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
30
The cohen is to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus the cohen will make atonement for her before ADONAI on account of her unclean discharge. ​

Summary and Purpose of Purity Laws

31
"'In this way you will separate the people of Isra'el from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in a state of uncleanness for defiling my tabernacle which is there with them. ​
32
"'Such is the law for the person who has a discharge; for the man who has a seminal emission that makes him unclean;
33
for the woman in niddah during her menstrual period; for the person, man or woman, with a discharge; and for the man who has sexual relations with a woman who is unclean.

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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