Leviticus 15 10

Leviticus 15:10 kjv

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.

Leviticus 15:10 nkjv

Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until evening. He who carries any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15:10 niv

and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

Leviticus 15:10 esv

And whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening. And whoever carries such things shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.

Leviticus 15:10 nlt

If you touch anything that was under the man, you will be unclean until evening. You must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 10 Meaning

Leviticus 15:10 outlines a specific law concerning ritual impurity. It states that anyone who touches an object (such as a bed, chair, or garment) previously used or occupied by a person experiencing an unclean discharge becomes ritually impure. To remove this impurity, the person must wash their clothes, bathe their body in water, and remain in this ritually unclean state until evening, after which they are considered clean again. This law highlights the contagious nature of ceremonial defilement and the detailed requirements for maintaining ritual purity within the Israelite community, essential for their relationship with God.

Leviticus 15 10 Context

Leviticus Chapter 15 provides detailed instructions regarding various bodily discharges that render a person ritually unclean. These impurities are not moral failings but rather natural bodily functions or conditions that momentarily disqualify individuals from participating in communal worship or sacred activities, emphasizing the sanctity required in the presence of a holy God. The chapter outlines distinct categories of discharges for both men and women, the methods by which these impurities are transferred to others or to objects, and the specific purification rituals (like washing clothes, bathing, and offering sacrifices) required to restore ritual cleanness. Verse 10 specifically addresses the secondary transmission of impurity, focusing on how contact with an object that an unclean person had been using or resting on extends defilement to a third party, underscoring the pervasiveness and contagious nature of ritual uncleanness within the Israelite understanding. This system maintained strict boundaries between the clean and the unclean, guiding Israel's daily life and fostering a deep awareness of God's absolute holiness amidst a world that often lacked such distinctions.

Leviticus 15 10 Word analysis

• And whoever touches (וְכֹ֣ל הַנֹּגֵ֔עַ, v'chol hannoge'a): This phrase specifies any third party making contact. The Hebrew verb נָגַע (naga') means "to touch" or "to strike." Here, it signifies accidental or incidental contact rather than intentional interaction, highlighting the involuntary spread of impurity. Its use here reinforces the idea that even indirect contact with a contaminated object renders one impure.
• anything that was under him (בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֖ה תַּחְתָּ֑יו, b'chol asher yihyeh tachtaiv): This refers to any item or surface that the person with the discharge has sat on or lain on. These items (e.g., bed, chair, saddle, garments) are called "beds" (mishkav) and "seats" (moshav) in other verses of Leviticus 15. The phrase emphasizes the transmission of defilement from the primary source of impurity (the person with the discharge) to an object, making that object a secondary source capable of transmitting impurity further. This detail shows the comprehensive nature of the purity laws.
• shall wash his clothes (וְכִבֶּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו, v'kibbes b'gadaiw): כָּבַס (kavas) means "to wash thoroughly, cleanse." This indicates a full laundering, often involving soaking and scrubbing. The washing of clothes symbolized the external removal of defilement, representing a visible act of purification necessary to return to a state of ritual cleanness. It underscores that garments, as direct points of contact, absorbed and carried ritual impurity.
• and bathe himself in water (וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם, v'rachatz bammayim): רָחַץ (rachatz) means "to wash, bathe the body." This signifies personal immersion or thorough bodily washing, indicating the removal of impurity from the individual themselves. Water, a symbol of life and cleansing in many cultures, served as the medium of ritual purification, emphasizing God's provision for restoration.
• and be unclean until the evening (וְטָמֵ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב, v'tame' ad ha'arev): טָמֵא (tame') means "to be unclean, defiled." This denotes a state of ritual impurity that lasts for a defined period. "Until evening" refers to sunset, the division between one day and the next in the ancient Israelite calendar. This time frame signifies that the impurity is temporary, not permanent, and is naturally reset with the dawn of a new day, assuming the prescribed rituals have been performed. This daily cycle underscored God's gracious provision for renewal and avoided permanent exclusion.

Words-group analysis:

• "And whoever touches... shall wash his clothes and bathe himself... and be unclean until the evening": This sequence meticulously lays out the process of contagion and purification. It shows that simply touching an unclean object initiates a state of impurity, necessitating a multi-step ritual involving both material and bodily cleansing. The temporary duration of uncleanness ("until evening") highlights that this is a ritual status rather than a permanent condition or a moral failing. The law details how impurity spreads, emphasizing the necessity of precise steps to restore the clean state required for fellowship and access to sacred space.

Leviticus 15 10 Bonus section

The laws regarding the spread of impurity in Leviticus (such as those in 15:10) stand in theological contrast to the spread of holiness. While impurity readily contaminates by contact, holiness does not spread similarly. The prophet Haggai illustrates this when he asks whether a holy piece of meat makes whatever it touches holy (Hag 2:12); the answer is no. However, he immediately asks if touching something made unclean by a corpse makes one unclean, to which the priests affirm "yes" (Hag 2:13). This distinction underscores humanity's inherent vulnerability to defilement and sin, and our inability to make ourselves holy, emphasizing the need for divine intervention for true purification. These Old Covenant ceremonial laws, while meticulously detailed, thus consistently point to humanity's need for a perfect sacrifice and divine grace for cleansing, fully realized in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, who became "sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21) and absorbed our impurity to make us truly clean.

Leviticus 15 10 Commentary

Leviticus 15:10 serves as a pivotal point in understanding the Israelite system of ritual purity. It clarifies that impurity is not limited to direct contact with the primary source of defilement but can be transmitted indirectly through objects. This highlights the pervasive and "contagious" nature of impurity in the Old Covenant ceremonial system. The law emphasizes that a mere touch, even without ill intent or awareness of the primary source, can render one unclean. The prescribed remedies—washing clothes and bathing—were physical acts symbolizing the need for thorough purification. The designation "unclean until the evening" underscores the temporary nature of this impurity and God's provision for restoration; the passing of the day marked a natural renewal, provided the individual followed the divine statutes.

Beyond its practical implications for hygiene (which were secondary), this verse carries profound spiritual lessons. It powerfully illustrates humanity's fallen condition, where sin's defilement easily spreads and separates individuals from God's holiness. Just as an Israelite unknowingly touching a defiled object could become unclean, so too does humanity inherit and contract the stain of sin, separating us from a holy God. The washing rituals prefigure the ultimate cleansing required for true fellowship with God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His blood, unlike ritual water, offers permanent and internal purification from sin, transforming our spiritual state from unclean to righteous, allowing continuous access to God's presence, unlike the temporary ceremonial cleansing.