Leviticus 11:38 kjv
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcass fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:38 nkjv
But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:38 niv
But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
Leviticus 11:38 esv
but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:38 nlt
But if the seed is wet when the carcass falls on it, the seed will be defiled.
Leviticus 11 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:37 | But if water is put on the seed... and a carcass falls on it, it is clean. | Dry seed unaffected by carcass |
| Lev 11:31-36 | Specific creatures that cause uncleanness by touch | Sources of ritual defilement |
| Lev 11:24-28 | Dealing with uncleanness from carcasses of specified creeping things | Consequences of touching unclean carcasses |
| Lev 11:47 | To distinguish between the unclean and the clean | Purpose of purity laws |
| Lev 10:10 | Distinguish between the holy and the common, and clean and unclean | Priestly duty to differentiate clean/unclean |
| Num 19:11-22 | Law of impurity concerning dead human bodies; purification by water | Water involved in purification |
| Hag 2:13 | If one who is unclean by reason of a corpse touches any of these | Principle of contact defiling |
| Deut 14:3-20 | Reiteration of clean and unclean foods | Dietary laws |
| Mk 7:14-23 | Nothing outside a person can defile them...it is what comes from within | Christ's teaching on true defilement |
| Mt 15:10-20 | For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, etc. | Inner purity prioritized over external rules |
| Acts 10:13-15 | A voice came to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” …What God has made clean. | Symbolic meaning, overturning food laws |
| Acts 15:20 | Abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from blood… | Apostolic decree, ceremonial distinctions |
| Rom 14:14 | I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. | Christian liberty regarding food |
| Col 2:16-17 | Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink or a festival | Fulfillment of ritual laws in Christ |
| Heb 9:9-10 | Pertaining only to food and drink and various washings, ordinances for the flesh | Old covenant laws are shadows |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | Be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “You shall be holy…” | Call to spiritual holiness |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord | Separation from defilement and world |
| Eph 4:22-24 | Put off your old self…be renewed…put on the new self | Moral purity, not just ceremonial |
| Tit 1:15 | To the pure, all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing | Purity of conscience |
| 1 Cor 8:8 | Food will not commend us to God | External observance vs. spiritual truth |
Leviticus 11 verses
Leviticus 11 38 Meaning
Leviticus 11:38 addresses a specific aspect of the laws of ritual uncleanness pertaining to the carcass of an unclean animal. It states that if a carcass of such an animal falls on seed that has been moistened with water, the seed itself becomes ritually unclean. The preceding verse (Lev 11:37) specifies that dry seed is not affected by a carcass. Thus, the presence of water is the critical factor that makes the seed susceptible to defilement. This law protected the food supply of Israel from becoming a source of impurity, emphasizing the pervasive nature of God's holiness and the requirement for His people to live separately and purely.
Leviticus 11 38 Context
Leviticus Chapter 11 provides an exhaustive list of clean and unclean animals, laying down specific dietary laws and regulations concerning contact with their carcasses. This chapter is part of the larger section of the Pentateuch (Torah) dealing with ritual purity and impurity, designed to separate Israel as a holy people unto the LORD. The immediate context of verse 38 builds upon verse 37, which differentiates between dry seed (clean if a carcass falls on it) and moistened seed (unclean if a carcass falls on it). This distinction highlights the principle that certain materials, when porous or absorbent, can become conduits for ritual defilement. The laws were practical for an agricultural society, preventing disease while primarily serving to teach profound theological truths about God's holiness, His desire for His people's purity, and the need for Israel to be distinct from the surrounding pagan nations.
Leviticus 11 38 Word analysis
- But if: Hebrew wə’im. This conjunction smoothly transitions from the previous verse (Lev 11:37), setting up a contrasting scenario where the outcome is different based on a specific condition. It shows the detailed and precise nature of the law.
- any of the water: Hebrew mayim (water). The specific quantity isn't defined, but merely the presence of water on the seed. Water is essential for life and sustenance but in this context, it acts as a medium that enables the absorption of ritual impurity, making the seed porous and capable of becoming defiled.
- is put on: Hebrew yūṣak. This word denotes "poured out" or "placed upon." It implies intentional or accidental application of water. The verb highlights that the water actively coats or is absorbed by the seed.
- the seed: Hebrew zeraʿ. Refers to grain, seeds for sowing or for consumption. In an agrarian society, seed was fundamental for survival and was thus an object that needed protection from defilement, ensuring both the physical health and spiritual purity of the community.
- and then a carcass: Hebrew nevelah. This specifically refers to the body of a dead, unclean animal (as defined earlier in the chapter), not just any dead thing. The carcass is the primary source of severe ritual impurity that pollutes by touch.
- falls on it: Hebrew yipol ʿālāyw. Signifies physical contact. The carcass "falling upon" implies accidental or incidental contact, yet it still renders the wetted seed unclean, emphasizing the potency of the defilement.
- it is unclean to you: Hebrew tameh hûʾ lākem. Tameh means ritually impure or defiled, separated from the realm of the holy. Lākem ("to you" or "for you") indicates that this status affects the Israelite and prohibits consumption or specific ritual use until purification or disposal. This is not about moral impurity, but ceremonial status that impacted one's participation in community worship and access to holy things. The declaration makes it a binding law for Israel.
Leviticus 11 38 Bonus section
The distinction between dry and wet objects for purity rules is a significant principle in the Mosaic Law, applying beyond just seeds. It demonstrates a foundational concept that liquid acts as a medium for transmitting ritual impurity, whereas dry goods often resist it. This concept is critical because it reveals a detailed understanding of contagion (in a ritual sense) within ancient Israelite thought. For the Israelites, this meant being extremely cautious about the state of their food storage, particularly during harvesting or processing when grains might be exposed to water or incidental contact with unclean sources. This principle serves as a microcosm of the entire Levitical system: God's holiness demands vigilance, and even seemingly minor details like whether seed is wet or dry carry profound implications for one's ritual standing before Him and within the community.
Leviticus 11 38 Commentary
Leviticus 11:38 is a precise legal distinction within the broader purity code concerning dead animals. While dry seed (grain) is not capable of absorbing uncleanness from an unclean carcass (Lev 11:37), the moment water is introduced, rendering the seed moist and absorbent, it becomes susceptible to ritual defilement upon contact with a carcass. This reflects a practical understanding of how substances absorb contamination and highlights a theological principle: the sensitivity of holiness to anything that might profane it. God's presence among Israel demanded careful observance of these distinctions in daily life, underscoring the pervasive nature of holiness and purity. This law taught Israel to guard their actions and possessions against even accidental defilement, constantly reminding them of their separation unto God. Ultimately, these physical distinctions prefigured a deeper truth about the internal purity that Christ would bring, fulfilling the shadowed demands of the Law and shifting the focus from external contact to internal disposition (Mark 7:15). The law also encouraged hygiene and awareness of health risks in handling dead animals, but its primary purpose was ritual.