What number verse is Leviticus 15:17 in the Bible?

Leviticus 15:17 is the 3,186th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Leviticus 15:17 sits at position 3,186.

Translation

King James Version

And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

Ask

KJV (with Strong's)

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.

Ask

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.

Ask

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.

Ask

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.

Ask

World English Bible Messianic

Every garment, and every skin, whereon the semen is, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.

Ask

Geneva Bible (1599)

And euery garment, and euery skinne whereupon shalbe issue of seede, shall be euen washed with water, and be vncleane vnto the euen.

Ask

Young's Literal Translation

`And any garment, or any skin on which there is seed of copulation, hath also been washed with water, and been unclean till the evening.

Ask

In the KJVVerse 3,186 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 15:17 is a crucial component of the Mosaic Law, specifically delineating regulations concerning ritual purity. This verse stipulates that any garment or skin that comes into contact with seminal emission must be washed with water and remains ritually unclean until the evening. It powerfully underscores the pervasive nature of ritual impurity within the Israelite community and the divine imperative for meticulous adherence to cleansing protocols, which were essential for maintaining the sanctity required for God's holy presence to dwell among His people.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Leviticus 15:17 is embedded within the broader legal framework of Leviticus, particularly chapters 11-15, which meticulously detail laws concerning various sources of ritual impurity. Chapter 15 specifically addresses bodily discharges, distinguishing between normal and abnormal flows for both men and women. Verses 1-15 focus on male discharges, such as those associated with gonorrhea, and their resulting uncleanness. Verses 16-18, the immediate context of our verse, specifically deal with seminal emissions, whether voluntary or involuntary. Leviticus 15:16 establishes that a man who has an emission becomes unclean and must wash his entire body. Leviticus 15:17 extends this principle of uncleanness to inanimate objects—garments and skins—that come into contact with the emission, mandating their washing and a period of uncleanness until evening. This demonstrates a cascading effect of impurity, where the defilement of a person can transfer to objects, necessitating comprehensive cleansing. The subsequent verse, Leviticus 15:18, addresses the uncleanness resulting from sexual intercourse, applying a similar principle of washing and uncleanness until evening for both parties involved. This immediate literary context highlights the meticulousness and comprehensiveness of the purity laws, ensuring that all aspects of life, even natural bodily functions, were brought under the divine standard of holiness.
Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Israelite society, as depicted in the Pentateuch, lived in intimate proximity to the Tabernacle, the very dwelling place of Yahweh. This unique relationship necessitated an unparalleled emphasis on holiness and purity, as God's transcendent presence could not tolerate defilement. The concept of "unclean" (Hebrew: ṭameh) in this context did not denote moral sin or inherent evil, but rather a ritual state that temporarily precluded participation in sacred activities or entry into the Tabernacle precincts. While many ancient Near Eastern cultures possessed their own purity codes, often linked to cultic practices or health, Israel's laws were distinct in their direct connection to the absolute holiness of Yahweh and the covenant community's sacred space. Bodily fluids, including seminal emissions, were often associated with the mysteries of life and death, and thus, in many ancient cultures, were viewed as potent or potentially defiling. For Israel, these regulations served multiple critical purposes: they ritually distinguished Israel from surrounding pagan nations, instilled a profound reverence for God's holiness, and provided a structured system for maintaining order and communal health within the camp. The requirement to wash with water and remain unclean "until the even" (sunset) signifies a temporary state, emphasizing that ritual impurity was not permanent and could be remedied through prescribed actions, allowing for re-entry into the community's full ritual life. This meticulousness ensured that the people were always prepared to approach a holy God, even in their daily routines, as detailed throughout the book of Leviticus.
Key Themes: Leviticus 15:17 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost among these is the theme of Holiness and Purity. The verse underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for a holy people who reflect His character. It teaches that even natural bodily functions can create a state of ritual impurity that must be addressed to maintain the community's sacred status. This leads to the theme of Distinction and Separation, as these laws set Israel apart from the nations around them, whose practices often lacked such meticulous attention to purity. The temporary nature of the uncleanness and the provision for cleansing highlight the theme of Divine Provision for Restoration. God provides the means for His people to move from a state of impurity back to purity, emphasizing His desire for fellowship rather than permanent exclusion. Finally, the cascading effect of impurity, where contact with a defiled person or substance renders objects unclean, reinforces the theme of the Pervasiveness of Defilement, illustrating how impurity can spread and impact the entire community, necessitating comprehensive cleansing protocols for communal well-being and access to God's presence, a principle also seen in laws concerning contact with the dead in Numbers 19.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Unclean (Hebrew, ṭâmêʼ', H2930): This term (H2930) refers to a state of ritual defilement, not moral sin. According to the ground truth data, it signifies being "foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated)." In Leviticus 15:17, it denotes a temporary ritual state that renders a person or object unsuitable for sacred activities or proximity to the Tabernacle. The requirement for washing and waiting "until the even" highlights that this state is remediable and not permanent, emphasizing God's provision for purification.
Washed (Hebrew, kâbaç', H3526): This verb (H3526) describes the prescribed action for purification. The ground truth data indicates it means "to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative." This suggests a vigorous, thorough cleansing process, not merely a light rinse. In the context of garments and skins, it implies a complete immersion and scrubbing to remove the defiling substance, signifying a complete removal of the ritual impurity.
Seed (Hebrew, zeraʻ', H2233): This noun (H2233) is central to identifying the source of impurity. The ground truth data defines it as "seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time." In Leviticus 15:17, combined with "copulation" (H7902, shᵉkâbâh), it explicitly refers to seminal fluid, which, as a bodily discharge associated with life-giving potential, was considered a source of ritual impurity requiring specific purification.

Verse Breakdown

"And every garment, and every skin": This opening phrase specifies the objects that become ritually unclean. It broadens the scope of the uncleanness beyond the person themselves (as addressed in Leviticus 15:16) to include items that have come into direct contact with the defiling agent. This demonstrates the contagious nature of ritual impurity, which could spread from person to object, necessitating a comprehensive approach to purification within the community.
"whereon is the seed of copulation": This clause precisely identifies the specific source of the uncleanness: seminal fluid. The phrase "seed of copulation" (Hebrew: zeraʻ shᵉkâbâh) directly refers to semen, indicating that its presence on a garment or skin is the specific trigger for the ritual impurity. This highlights the meticulous detail of the purity laws, addressing even natural bodily functions and their potential to affect ritual status.
"shall be washed with water": This prescribes the mandatory action for purification. Washing with water was the standard and divinely ordained method for cleansing both persons and objects from various forms of ritual impurity throughout the Mosaic Law. It signifies a physical act of removal that corresponds to the spiritual removal of the state of uncleanness, preparing the object for re-entry into a state of ritual purity.
"and be unclean until the even": This specifies the duration of the uncleanness. Even after the prescribed washing, the garment or skin remained ritually impure until sunset of the same day. This temporal element emphasizes that the cleansing process was not instantaneous but involved a period of waiting, signifying the completion of the purification cycle and the full transition from a state of defilement back to purity. This "until the even" clause is a recurring legal formula in Leviticus, underscoring the temporary nature of ritual impurity.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 15:17 employs several literary techniques to convey its legal and theological message. The phrase "seed of copulation" is a clear instance of Metonymy, where a characteristic or outcome (seed, referring to offspring) stands in for the entire substance (seminal fluid). This direct and explicit language is characteristic of legal texts in the Pentateuch, leaving no ambiguity regarding the specific bodily discharge being addressed. The verse also utilizes Prescriptive Language, a hallmark of legal and covenantal literature, issuing direct and unambiguous commands ("shall be washed," "shall be unclean"). This imperative mood underscores the divine authority behind these laws and the mandatory nature of their observance. Furthermore, the recurring structure and phrasing, particularly the phrase "unclean until the even," function as a Formulaic Expression. This repetition throughout Leviticus reinforces the consistent nature of the cleansing process and the temporary status of ritual impurity, thereby imprinting these principles deeply into the Israelite consciousness and demonstrating the systematic order of God's covenant requirements.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 15:17, alongside the broader purity laws, profoundly communicates God's absolute holiness and His demand for a holy people. These regulations, though ceremonial and focused on external defilement, were designed to instill a deep reverence for God's immanent presence in the Tabernacle and, later, the Temple. They taught Israel that even natural bodily functions, when they intersected with the sacred space or the community's readiness for worship, required divine protocol. The temporary nature of the uncleanness and the provision for cleansing through water foreshadowed a greater spiritual reality: that defilement, whether ritual or moral, is not permanent and God provides a way for restoration and purification. This system underscored the constant need for vigilance and intentional living in the presence of a holy God, preparing the people for a deeper understanding of spiritual purity and the ultimate need for a perfect sacrifice to cleanse sin.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While Christians are not bound by the specific ceremonial laws of Leviticus, the underlying principles of purity, holiness, and the need for cleansing remain profoundly relevant. Leviticus 15:17 reminds us that God is meticulous in His holiness and desires purity not just in our spiritual lives, but in all aspects of our being. The temporary nature of the uncleanness and the prescribed washing with water serve as a powerful metaphor for our own spiritual condition. We are all, by nature, spiritually unclean due to sin, unable to stand in God's holy presence. Yet, God has graciously provided a means of cleansing, not through ritual washing, but through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This passage calls us to consider how we approach God, not with a sense of self-righteousness, but with humility and a recognition of our constant need for His grace and cleansing. It also encourages us to live intentionally, recognizing that even the seemingly mundane aspects of our lives have implications for our walk with God and our witness to the world. Our daily choices, thoughts, and interactions can either contribute to spiritual defilement or reflect the purity God desires.

Questions for Reflection

How does the meticulousness of the Levitical purity laws, like the one in Leviticus 15:17, deepen your understanding of God's absolute holiness and His desire for purity in His people?
In what ways do you recognize your own ongoing need for spiritual cleansing, and how do you actively seek that cleansing and transformation in your daily life through Christ?
What "garments" or "skins" in your life—representing habits, attitudes, relationships, or hidden thoughts—might need to be "washed with water" metaphorically, to align more closely with God's standard of holiness and purity?

FAQ

What was the primary purpose of these detailed purity laws in ancient Israel, and how did they function in daily life?

Answer: The detailed purity laws in ancient Israel, including Leviticus 15:17, served multiple critical purposes. Primarily, they were designed to maintain the holiness of the Israelite camp and its people, specifically because God's holy presence dwelt among them in the Tabernacle. These laws ritually distinguished Israel from surrounding pagan nations, who often had different or less stringent purity codes. They instilled a deep reverence for God's absolute holiness, teaching the people that even natural bodily functions required divine regulation to ensure a proper relationship with a holy God. In daily life, these laws meant that individuals encountering specific bodily discharges or other defiling agents would temporarily be considered "unclean." This state did not imply moral guilt but restricted their participation in communal worship or entry into the Tabernacle. The prescribed cleansing rituals, often involving washing with water and a waiting period "until the even," provided a clear pathway back to ritual purity, allowing the individual to re-engage fully with the community and its sacred activities. Furthermore, these laws also served as pedagogical tools, teaching the Israelites about the pervasive nature of defilement and the necessity of God's provision for cleansing and restoration, ultimately pointing to a greater spiritual need for purification from sin.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 15:17, with its emphasis on ritual uncleanness and the need for washing with water to achieve temporary purity, finds its ultimate fulfillment and transcendence in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament purity laws, including those concerning seminal emissions, were "a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" as articulated in Colossians 2:17. Where the washing of garments and skins provided only a temporary, external cleansing, Jesus offers a complete and internal purification from the defilement of sin. His sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate "washing with water," but of a far greater kind—the shedding of His precious blood, which "cleanses us from all sin" as declared in 1 John 1:7. The state of being "unclean until the even" points to the temporary nature of the Old Covenant's provisions and the constant need for repeated cleansing rituals. In contrast, Christ's work provides a permanent and eternal cleansing, making believers perpetually clean in God's sight. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, rendering all who believe in Him perfectly pure and fit to stand in the presence of a holy God, not just until evening, but for all eternity, having been "sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).

Copy as

Commentary on Leviticus 15 verses 1–18

1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.

3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.

4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

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

6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:

15 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.

16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.

17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.

We have here the law concerning the ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by running issues in men. It is called in the margin (Lev 15:2) the running of the reins: a very grievous and loathsome disease, which was, usually the effect and consequent of wantonness and uncleanness, and a dissolute course of life, filling men's bones with the sins of their youth, and leaving them to mourn at the last, when all the pleasures of their wickedness have vanished, and nothing remains but the pain and anguish of a rotten carcase and a wounded conscience. And what fruit has the sinner then of those things whereof he has so much reason to be ashamed? Rom 6:21. As modesty is an ornament of grace to the head and chains about the neck, so chastity is health to the navel and marrow to the bones; but uncleanness is a wound and dishonour, the consumption of the flesh and the body, and a sin which is often its own punishment more than any other. It was also sometimes inflicted by the righteous hand of God for other sins, as appears by David's imprecation of a curse upon the family of Joab, for the murder of Abner. Sa2 3:29, Let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or is a leper. A vile disease for vile deserts. Now whoever had this disease upon him, 1. He was himself unclean, Lev 15:2. He must not dare to come near the sanctuary, it was at his peril if he did, nor might he eat of the holy things. This signified the filthiness of sin, and of all the productions of our corrupt nature, which render us odious to God's holiness, and utterly unfit for communion with him. Out of a pure heart well kept are the issues of life (Pro 4:23), but out of an unclean heart comes that which is defiling, Mat 12:34, Mat 12:35. 2. He made every person and thing unclean that he touched, or that touched him, Lev 15:4-12. His bed, and his chair, and his saddle, and every thing that belonged to him, could not be touched without a ceremonial uncleanness contracted, which a man must remain conscious to himself of till sunset, and from which he could not be cleansed without washing his clothes, and bathing his flesh in water. This signified the contagion of sin, the danger we are in of being polluted by conversing with those that are polluted, and the need we have with the utmost circumspection to save ourselves from this untoward generation. 3. When he was cured of the disease, yet he could not be cleansed from the pollution without a sacrifice, for which he was to prepare himself by seven days' expectation after he was perfectly clear from his distemper, and by bathing in spring water, Lev 15:13-15. This signified the great gospel duties of faith and repentance, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for our justification and his grace for our sanctification. God has promised to sprinkle clean water upon us, and to cleanse us from all our filthiness, and has appointed us by repentance to wash and make ourselves clean: he has also provided a sacrifice of atonement, and requires us by faith to interest ourselves in that sacrifice; for it is the blood of Christ his Son that cleanses us from all sin, and by which atonement is made for us, that we may have admission into God's presence and may partake of his favour.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–18. Public domain.

Copy as

Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

Copy as

Continue studying Leviticus 15:17 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.