Leviticus 15:24

Translation
King James Version
And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And if any man H376 lie H7901 with her at all H7901, and her flowers H5079 be upon him, he shall be unclean H2930 seven H7651 days H3117; and all the bed H4904 whereon he lieth H7901 shall be unclean H2930.
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Complete Jewish Bible
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.
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Berean Standard Bible
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.
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American Standard Version
And if any man lie with her, and her impurity be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
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World English Bible Messianic
“‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lies shall be unclean.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And if a man lye with her, and the flowers of her separation touch him, he shalbe vncleane seuen dayes, and all the whole bed whereon he lieth, shalbe vncleane.
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Young's Literal Translation
`And if a man really lie with her, and her separation is on him, then he hath been unclean seven days, and all the bed on which he lieth is unclean.
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See also
Leviticus 20:181 Peter 2:11Leviticus 18:19Ezekiel 18:6Hebrews 13:4Ezekiel 22:10Leviticus 15:33
In the KJVVerse 3,193 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Leviticus 15:24 delineates a specific statute within the Mosaic Law concerning ritual impurity, stipulating that if a man engages in sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual period, he incurs a seven-day state of ritual uncleanness. Furthermore, any bed or object upon which he lies during this period also becomes ritually defiled. This regulation is an integral part of a broader corpus of purity laws designed to underscore the sanctity required for the Israelite community to dwell in the presence of a holy God, highlighting the pervasive nature of ritual defilement and the necessity of separation for maintaining covenant fidelity.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 15 is entirely dedicated to the intricate laws concerning various bodily discharges that render individuals ritually unclean. The chapter systematically addresses emissions from men, including seminal discharges (Leviticus 15:1-18), before transitioning to regulations for women. Within the section pertaining to women, the text first establishes the woman's own seven-day impurity during menstruation (Leviticus 15:19) and the subsequent defilement of objects she touches or sits upon (Leviticus 15:20-23). Our focal verse, Leviticus 15:24, directly builds upon these preceding statutes, extending the state of impurity to any man who has sexual contact with a menstruating woman. The chapter culminates with a profound summary statement (Leviticus 15:31-33), emphasizing the overarching purpose of these laws: to safeguard the Israelites from their uncleanness, lest they desecrate God's Tabernacle and incur divine judgment.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, these purity laws were fundamentally ritualistic, not primarily concerned with hygiene or moral culpability. Their paramount purpose was to maintain the community's ritual fitness for dwelling in the presence of a holy God and participating in communal worship. The Tabernacle, serving as God's earthly dwelling place among His people, necessitated stringent protocols to preserve its sanctity. Unlike surrounding pagan cultures, which often incorporated sexual acts and menstrual blood into fertility cults and idolatrous rituals, Israel's laws established a stark distinction between the sacred and the common, and between life and death. Blood, particularly menstrual blood, was intrinsically linked to life (or its temporary cessation of life-giving potential), thereby requiring ritual separation. These regulations served to instill a profound awareness of God's absolute holiness and the pervasive nature of anything that compromised the community's ritual purity, preparing them for a life lived in covenant with a holy God, as commanded throughout the Pentateuch, particularly in the call to be holy found in Leviticus 19:2.
  • Key Themes: Leviticus 15:24 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Leviticus and the Pentateuch. The primary theme is Holiness and Purity, emphasizing God's intrinsic holiness and the corresponding requirement for His people to maintain ritual purity to approach Him. This verse illustrates the Contagion of Impurity, demonstrating how defilement could spread through contact, necessitating strict boundaries to prevent widespread contamination within the camp. It also subtly reinforces the theme of Order and Distinction, as the laws meticulously categorize and differentiate between clean and unclean, sacred and common, guiding Israel in a life ordered by divine principles. Furthermore, these laws, while seemingly restrictive, served a Pedagogical Purpose, teaching Israel about the pervasive nature of sin and the constant need for atonement and cleansing, foreshadowing the ultimate purification found in the New Covenant, as suggested by the broader theological trajectory from Leviticus to Hebrews.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Man (Hebrew, ʼîysh', H376): This term refers to a male individual, emphasizing that the law applies specifically to the male participant in the sexual act. The use of ʼîysh here highlights the personal responsibility of the man in adhering to these purity regulations, underscoring that the consequences of defilement are not limited to the woman alone but extend to him through contact.
  • Flowers (Hebrew, niddâh', H5079): While the KJV uses the archaic euphemism "flowers," the Hebrew word niddâh is far more significant. It literally means "separation," "impurity," or "menstrual impurity," referring to the state of a woman during her menstrual period. Crucially, niddâh is also used more broadly in the Old Testament to denote various forms of profound ritual and moral impurity, including idolatry and incest (e.g., Ezekiel 36:17), thereby linking physical defilement to a deeper spiritual state of separation from God's holiness.
  • Unclean (Hebrew, ṭâmêʼ', H2930): The Hebrew word ṭâmêʼ signifies a state of ritual impurity or defilement. It is vital to understand that ṭâmêʼ does not imply moral sin (which is ḥaṭṭāʼt) but rather a temporary ritual status that prevented an individual from participating in sacred activities, entering holy spaces, or interacting freely within the community. This state required a prescribed period of separation and specific rituals (such as washing and waiting) to become ṭāhôr (ritually clean) again.
  • Lie (Hebrew, shâkab', H7901): The verb shâkab here refers specifically to engaging in sexual intercourse. The phrase "lie with her at all" emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the prohibition – any sexual contact, regardless of intent or duration, would trigger the consequence of impurity for the man, underscoring the seriousness of observing these divinely established boundaries.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And if any man lie with her at all": This opening clause establishes the specific action being addressed: a man engaging in sexual intercourse. The emphatic phrase "at all" signifies that even a single instance of such contact, irrespective of its nature or duration, is sufficient to incur ritual impurity, highlighting the strictness and comprehensiveness of the law.
  • "and her flowers be upon him": This specifies the critical condition under which the man becomes unclean: the woman must be in her menstrual period, a state of ritual impurity referred to by the archaic term "flowers" (Hebrew niddâh). This means the woman is already considered ritually unclean as defined in Leviticus 15:19, and the man's contact with her during this time transfers that impurity.
  • "he shall be unclean seven days": This declares the direct consequence for the man. Mirroring the woman's own seven-day period of impurity (Leviticus 15:19), the man who has sexual contact with her during her menstruation also incurs a seven-day period of ritual defilement. During this time, he would be restricted from certain activities, particularly those involving the Tabernacle or sacred objects, and would be considered a source of contagion to others.
  • "and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean": This clause extends the principle of contagious impurity beyond the individual to inanimate objects. Not only the man, but also any object he lies upon (specifically the bed, which is intimately associated with the act) during his state of impurity becomes ritually unclean. This illustrates the pervasive and transferable nature of ritual defilement, necessitating careful adherence to the laws to prevent the spread of uncleanness throughout the Israelite community and, by extension, to the Tabernacle.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 15:24 employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological and practical implications. The most prominent device is Symbolism, where the physical state of "unclean" (Hebrew ṭâmêʼ) symbolizes a temporary, ritual separation from the holy presence of God and the sacred life of the community. The shedding of blood in menstruation, while a natural biological process, was symbolically associated with a loss of life-potential, and thus required ritual separation to maintain the vibrancy and purity of the community in God's eyes. The verse also powerfully demonstrates the Contagion Principle, a pervasive theme in Levitical law, where impurity is shown to be transferable through contact, not only from the menstruating woman to the man but also from the man to inanimate objects like the bed. This principle underscores the seriousness and pervasive nature of ritual defilement, emphasizing the meticulous care required to maintain holiness within the camp of Israel. Furthermore, the use of "flowers" for menstruation is a form of Metonymy, where a characteristic or associated item (the menstrual flow) stands in for the state itself (menstruation/ritual impurity), though in contemporary English, it functions more as an archaic euphemism.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 15:24, like all the purity laws, profoundly underscores God's absolute holiness and the non-negotiable necessity for His covenant people to maintain a high standard of purity in His presence. These laws were not arbitrary restrictions but served as pedagogical instruments, meticulously teaching Israel about the pervasive nature of defilement and the meticulous care required to approach a holy God. They highlighted the critical distinction between the sacred and the common, preparing the people for reverent worship and intimate fellowship with their Creator. While the specific rituals are no longer binding for New Covenant believers, the underlying theological principles of God's unchanging holiness, the pervasive reality of defilement (now understood primarily as sin), and the profound need for cleansing remain eternally relevant, pointing to a greater purification to come.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the specific ritual laws of Leviticus 15 are not directly applicable to Christians today, they offer profound and enduring insights into God's immutable character and His unwavering desire for a holy people. This passage compels us to understand that true defilement, in the New Covenant era, is not primarily external or physical, but internal and spiritual, originating from the depths of the human heart. It prompts us to reflect on the pervasive nature of sin, which, much like ritual impurity, possesses a contagious quality, capable of spreading and affecting not only individuals but also relationships, families, and entire communities. The law reminds us of God's unchanging holiness and His persistent call for us to live lives set apart for Him. Our pursuit of purity is now a matter of internal transformation, striving for moral and spiritual integrity, acknowledging our constant need for God's grace, and relying on His power to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, allowing us to walk in renewed fellowship with Him.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does understanding the purpose of ritual purity laws in Leviticus deepen your appreciation for God's absolute holiness and His desire for a pure relationship with humanity?
  • In what ways might we, as New Covenant believers, inadvertently allow "contagious impurity" (e.g., ungodly influences, sinful habits, toxic attitudes) to subtly spread within our personal lives or within our Christian communities today?
  • How does the New Testament's emphasis on internal purity, as taught by Jesus (e.g., Mark 7:15), challenge and refine your understanding of what it truly means to be "clean" and acceptable before God?

FAQ

Was menstruation considered a sin in ancient Israel?

Answer: No, menstruation itself was emphatically not considered a sin. It was a natural, God-ordained biological process essential for human procreation. The state of niddâh (ritual impurity) associated with menstruation was a temporary ritual status, not a moral failing or a punishment for sin. It simply meant a woman (and those who came into contact with her or her belongings, as seen in Leviticus 15:19-24) was temporarily disqualified from participating in certain religious activities or entering sacred spaces, requiring a period of separation and ritual cleansing before returning to a state of ritual ṭāhôr (cleanliness).

Why were these laws so strict, even making objects unclean?

Answer: The strictness of these laws, including the contagion of impurity to objects, served several crucial theological and pedagogical purposes. Firstly, they provided a constant, tangible reminder to the Israelites of God's absolute holiness and the meticulous care required to live in His immediate, manifest presence. Secondly, they underscored the pervasive and insidious nature of anything that compromised the community's ritual purity, teaching them that defilement could spread easily and subtly. Thirdly, these laws functioned as a pedagogical shadow, pointing forward to the ultimate, radical cleansing from sin that would be required—a cleansing far beyond what ritual washings or animal sacrifices could achieve. The laws were designed to cultivate a deep reverence for God and a constant awareness of the need for purity in every aspect of life, preparing them for the profound reality of spiritual purity that would ultimately be revealed in Christ.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 15:24, like all the purity laws of the Old Covenant, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The temporary, external ritual impurity caused by contact with a menstruating woman, requiring separation and repetitive ritual cleansing, powerfully foreshadows the far deeper, pervasive spiritual impurity of sin that inherently defiles all humanity. While the Old Testament laws could only declare someone ritually unclean and offer temporary, external cleansing rituals involving animal blood (which, as Hebrews 9:13 explains, could only purify the flesh), Jesus, through His perfect life, sinless obedience, and sacrificial death on the cross, became the ultimate and final source of true, internal cleansing. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose precious blood cleanses us not merely from external defilement but from the internal defilement of a guilty conscience, enabling us to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). Unlike the Old Covenant system where contact with impurity rendered one unclean, Jesus radically demonstrated His power over all forms of impurity by touching the unclean (e.g., a leper in Matthew 8:3 or a woman with a discharge in Mark 5:25-34) and making them clean, showing that true purity flows from Him. He shifted the focus from external washings and dietary restrictions to internal transformation, declaring that what truly defiles a person comes from the heart (Mark 7:15). Thus, Christ not only fulfills the Old Testament's need for cleansing but radically redefines purity itself, making us truly clean, holy, and blameless in God's sight through faith in Him (Colossians 1:22).

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Commentary on Leviticus 15 verses 19–33

This is concerning the ceremonial uncleanness which women lay under from their issues, both those that were regular and healthful, and according to the course of nature (Lev 15:19-24), and those that were unseasonable, excessive, and the disease of the body; such was the bloody issue of that poor woman who was suddenly cured by touching the hem of Christ's garment, after she had lain twelve years under her distemper, and had spent her estate upon physicians and physic in vain. This made the woman that was afflicted with it unclean (Lev 15:25) and every thing she touched unclean, Lev 15:26, Lev 15:27. And if she was cured, and found by seven days' trial that she was perfectly free from her issue of blood, she was to be cleansed by the offering of two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, to make an atonement for her, Lev 15:28, Lev 15:29. All wicked courses, particularly idolatries, are compared to the uncleanness of a removed woman (Eze 36:17), and, in allusion to this, it is said of Jerusalem (Lam 1:9), Her filthiness is in her skirts, so that (as it follows, Lev 15:17) she was shunned as a menstruous woman.

I. The reasons given for all these laws (which we are ready to think might very well have been spared) we have, Lev 15:31. 1. Thus shall you separate the children of Israel (for to them only and their servants and proselytes these laws pertained) from their uncleanness; that is, (1.) By these laws they were taught their privilege and honour, that they were purified unto God a peculiar people, and were intended by the holy God for a kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement to them which was not so to others. (2.) They were also taught their duty, which was to preserve the honour of their purity, and to keep themselves from all sinful pollutions. It was easy for them to argue that if those pollutions which were natural, unavoidable, involuntary, their affliction and not their sin, rendered them for the time so odious that they were not fit for communion either with God or man, much more abominable and filthy were they if they sinned against the light and law of nature, by drunkenness, adultery, fraud, and the like sins, which defile the very mind and conscience. And, if these ceremonial pollutions could not be done away but by sacrifice and offering, something greater and much more valuable must be expected and depended upon for the purifying of the soul from the uncleanness of sin. 2. Thus their dying in their uncleanness by the hand of God's justice, if while they were under any of these defilements they should come near the sanctuary, would be prevented. Note, It is a dangerous thing to die in our uncleanness; and it is our own fault if we do, since we have not only fair warning given us, by God's law, against those things that will defile us, but also such gracious provision made by his gospel for our cleansing if at any time we be defiled. 3. In all these laws there seems to be a special regard had to the honour of the tabernacle, to which none must approach in their uncleanness, that they defile not my tabernacle. Infinite Wisdom took this course to preserve in the minds of that careless people a continual dread of, and veneration for, the manifestations of God's glory and presence among them in his sanctuary. Now that the tabernacle of God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed contempt, and therefore the law made so many things of frequent incidence to be ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near to the sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not approach without great caution, and reverence, and serious preparation, and fear of being found unfit. Thus they were taught never to draw near to God but with an awful humble sense of their distance and danger, and an exact observance of every thing that was required in order to their safety and acceptance.

II. And what duty must we learn from all this? 1. Let us bless God that we are not under the yoke of these carnal ordinances, that, as nothing can destroy us, so nothing can defile us, but sin. Those may now partake of the Lord's supper who durst not then eat of the peace-offerings. And the defilement we contract by our sins of daily infirmity we may be cleansed from in secret by the renewed acts of repentance and faith, without bathing in water or bringing an offering to the door of the tabernacle. 2. Let us carefully abstain from all sin, as defiling to the conscience, and particularly from all fleshly lusts, possessing our vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness, which not only pollute the soul, but war against it, and threaten its ruin. 3. Let us all see how indispensably necessary real holiness is to our future happiness, and get our hearts purified by faith, that we may see God. Perhaps it is in allusion to these laws which forbade the unclean to approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, Who shall stand in God's holy place? it is answered, He that hath clean hands and a pure heart (Psa 24:3, Psa 24:4); for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–33. Public domain.
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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.
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