Leviticus 15:13 kjv
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.
Leviticus 15:13 nkjv
'And when he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in running water; then he shall be clean.
Leviticus 15:13 niv
"?'When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean.
Leviticus 15:13 esv
"And when the one with a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes. And he shall bathe his body in fresh water and shall be clean.
Leviticus 15:13 nlt
"When the man with the discharge is healed, he must count off seven days for the period of purification. Then he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in fresh water, and he will be ceremonially clean.
Leviticus 15 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:32 | "anything on which one of them falls, when they are dead... shall be put into water, and it shall be unclean..." | Purification involves water. |
| Lev 14:8-9 | "He who is to be cleansed... wash his clothes... bathe his body in water... shave off all his hair... bathe his body in water..." | Repetitive bathing/washing for thorough cleansing. |
| Lev 15:5-12 | Details various actions leading to impurity through discharge and contact. | Context of widespread contamination from discharge. |
| Num 19:17 | "And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt sin offering and put running water on them in a vessel." | "Running water" crucial for purity rituals. |
| Num 19:19 | "...the clean person shall sprinkle it on the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day. Thus he shall purify him on the seventh day..." | Seven-day purification period. |
| Deu 23:10-11 | "If there is among you any man who becomes unclean... then he shall bathe himself in water..." | Laws requiring bathing for ritual impurity. |
| Ps 51:2 | "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!" | Prayer for spiritual cleansing, mirroring physical. |
| Ps 51:7 | "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." | Imagery of thorough cleansing, pointing to spiritual. |
| Eze 36:25 | "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you." | Prophecy of divine spiritual cleansing with water. |
| Mk 5:25-34 / Lk 8:43-48 | Woman with an issue of blood made whole by Jesus. | Jesus' power transcends ritual impurity. |
| Jn 4:10 | "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.'" | Jesus offers "living water" (spiritual life). |
| Jn 7:38-39 | "Whoever believes in me... streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit..." | "Living water" symbolizes the Holy Spirit. |
| Eph 5:26 | "...that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." | Christ's spiritual cleansing of the Church. |
| Tit 3:5 | "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." | Salvation linked to a spiritual "washing." |
| Heb 9:10 | "These are only regulations for the body, imposed until the time of reformation." | Old Testament rituals point to New Testament fulfillment. |
| Heb 10:22 | "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." | Confidence in God through spiritual cleansing. |
| Jas 4:8 | "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." | Spiritual cleansing of heart and hands. |
| 1 Cor 6:11 | "...but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." | Spiritual transformation and cleansing in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 3:21 | "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." | Water baptism as an outward sign of spiritual cleansing. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | "But if we walk in the light... the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." | Cleansing from sin by Christ's blood. |
| Rev 7:14 | "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." | Cleansing through the Lamb's sacrifice. |
| Rev 22:1 | "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb." | Eternal spiritual refreshment and life. |
Leviticus 15 verses
Leviticus 15 13 Meaning
Leviticus 15:13 outlines the final steps for a man to become ritually clean after an abnormal bodily discharge. This process requires a seven-day waiting period, a thorough washing of clothes, and a complete immersion of the body in fresh, flowing water. Upon completion, he is declared ceremonially pure, enabling him to participate fully in the community and sacred activities.
Leviticus 15 13 Context
Leviticus Chapter 15 provides detailed regulations concerning ritual impurity stemming from various bodily discharges, specifically male issues (verses 1-15) and female issues (verses 16-33). This verse (15:13) outlines the concluding steps for a man's purification after having a male issue, which refers to an abnormal and persistent discharge, not normal seminal emission.
The broader context of Leviticus emphasizes God's holiness and His demand for holiness from His covenant people. These laws were crucial for maintaining ritual purity within the community, especially regarding access to the tabernacle (God's dwelling place). Impurity, though not inherently sinful unless contracted negligently or deliberately violated, created a separation from sacred spaces and activities. The detailed rules for cleansing, including periods of separation, washing, and bathing, served to reinforce the gravity of impurity and the necessity of divine prescribed methods for its removal, distinguishing Israel from the less structured and often pagan practices of surrounding nations. They underscored God's desire for an orderly and sanctified people.
Leviticus 15 13 Word analysis
- And when he that hath an issue: The Hebrew term is hā-zāḇ (הַזָּב), referring to the one with the zōḇ (זָב), a persistent or chronic bodily discharge. This indicates a state of ritual impurity. It highlights that the purification process is specific to a person experiencing this condition, not merely a normal bodily function.
- is cleansed: From the Hebrew root ṭāhar (טָהַר), meaning "to be ceremonially clean, purified." This is an ongoing process of purification rather than an instantaneous event, involving adherence to divine requirements.
- of his issue: Again, mizōḇô (מִזּוֹבוֹ), "from his issue," emphasizing that the purification addresses the specific cause of the uncleanness.
- then he shall number to himself seven days: The Hebrew is wə-sāpar-lô šiv‘at yāmīm (וְסָפַר־לוֹ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים), literally "and he shall count for himself seven days." This period signifies a time of observation to ensure the cessation of the discharge and to confirm the complete return to health, reinforcing thoroughness in purification. Seven days often denotes completeness or divine cycles in Scripture.
- for his cleansing: lə-ṭāharatô (לְטָהֳרָתוֹ), "for his purification" or "for his purity." This specifies the purpose of the seven-day period – not just for health, but specifically for ritual cleanness.
- and wash his clothes: wə-khabbēs bə-ḡādāv (וְכִבֵּס בְּגָדָיו), a standard step in purification rites (e.g., Lev 11:25, 40; Num 19:10). Clothing touched by the discharge, or by the contaminated person, also became unclean, requiring external cleansing. This signifies that purity extends beyond the person to their possessions.
- and bathe his flesh: wə-raḥaṣ bāśārô (וְרָחַץ בְּשָׂרוֹ), indicating a complete bodily immersion, not just a superficial washing. This complete immersion (mikvah) signifies a full change of status from unclean to clean.
- in running water: bə-mayim ḥayyīm (בְּמַיִם חַיִּים), literally "in living water." This refers to fresh, flowing water, such as from a spring or river, not stagnant water in a cistern. "Living water" implies vitality and purity, seen as uniquely effective for true ceremonial purification, pointing to God as the source of true life and cleansing.
- and shall be clean: wə-ṭāhēr (וְטָהֵר). The final state of being purified, returning to a condition of ritual purity where participation in community and worship is restored. This word is in a prophetic perfect tense, indicating that if these steps are followed, the outcome is guaranteed.
Leviticus 15 13 Bonus section
The laws concerning issues in Leviticus 15 were not primarily for hygiene or health in the modern sense, but for ritual purity. While certainly promoting cleanliness, their main purpose was to teach the holiness of God and the seriousness of anything that marred that holiness, even involuntarily. This specific purification process (counting days, washing, bathing in "living water") symbolically represented a desire for God's transforming touch that changes an individual's spiritual and social standing before a holy God. This foreshadows the profound and comprehensive spiritual purification offered through Christ, whose work fundamentally changes the defiled into the clean, not just outwardly, but internally and eternally. The Old Covenant shadow pointed to the ultimate efficacy of Christ's cleansing power.
Leviticus 15 13 Commentary
Leviticus 15:13 meticulously outlines the final mandatory steps for a man recovering from a ritual impurity caused by an issue of discharge. This prescriptive divine law emphasizes the profound importance of separation and sanctification in the Mosaic covenant. The required seven-day counting period indicates a divine pattern of completeness and thorough observation, not a mere formality but a period for internal and external readiness. Washing clothes and full bodily immersion in "living water" underscore the comprehensive nature of the required cleansing; it involves external decontamination and a complete transition in status. The demand for "running water" speaks to the need for vibrant, life-giving water for purification, distinguishing it from inert sources and potentially foreshadowing the life-giving nature of spiritual cleansing available in the New Covenant through Christ. The ultimate outcome, "shall be clean," signifies restoration to a state where one can again approach God and fully engage with the holy community, illustrating God's provision for dealing with sin and uncleanness in the lives of His people. The physical act was a shadow of the spiritual truth: a full and radical cleansing is needed to approach a holy God.