Leviticus 15 2

Leviticus 15:2 kjv

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.

Leviticus 15:2 nkjv

"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean.

Leviticus 15:2 niv

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When any man has an unusual bodily discharge, such a discharge is unclean.

Leviticus 15:2 esv

"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean.

Leviticus 15:2 nlt

"Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. "Any man who has a bodily discharge is ceremonially unclean.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 2 Meaning

Leviticus 15:2 introduces the ritual laws concerning men with a bodily discharge, often referred to as "gonorrhea" or a similar genital flux, distinct from seminal emission or nocturnal emission covered later in the chapter. This verse declares that any man experiencing such a flow from his body is considered ritually unclean. This uncleanness has specific implications for his interaction with the holy realm and the community. It's not a moral judgment or sin, but a state of ceremonial impurity that prevents participation in sacred acts and requires temporary separation until purified.

Leviticus 15 2 Context

Leviticus 15 is part of the larger section (chapters 11-15) of the Book of Leviticus that deals with various forms of ritual impurity. Specifically, this chapter outlines laws concerning bodily discharges (both normal and abnormal) from men and women, detailing how such conditions render an individual, and whatever they touch, ritually unclean. This framework established the required processes for purification, including washing and specific offerings, enabling the defiled person to be re-admitted to the community and access the sanctuary. The broader historical and cultural context is the nascent Israelite nation camped around the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Maintaining ritual purity was paramount, distinguishing Israel from pagan nations, emphasizing God's holiness, and ensuring the sanctuary—the dwelling place of a holy God—remained undefiled within the community. These laws acted as tangible reminders of the pervasiveness of imperfection in the human sphere and the necessity of divine provisions for atonement and cleansing, thus preparing the people for a deeper understanding of holiness.

Leviticus 15 2 Word analysis

• "Speak" (דַּבְּרוּ, dabbrû): An imperative, signifying a direct divine command and instruction from God through Moses to the people. It underscores the authoritative nature of these laws.
• "children of Israel" (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, bênê Yiśrāʾēl): Designates the specific covenant community to whom these divine laws apply, setting them apart.
• "say to them" (וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵהֶם֙, wəʾāmā́rtā ʾălêhem): Reinforces the direct and personal delivery of the instruction, ensuring clarity and accountability.
• "When any man" (אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ, ʾîš ʾîš): A common Hebrew emphatic construction, literally "man, man," meaning "each man," "whoever is a man," or "any man whatsoever." It universalizes the application of the law within the male population.
• "discharge" (זָב֙, zāv): The verb form, "one who flows." This refers to an abnormal, persistent bodily flux, primarily from the genitalia, in contrast to normal bodily emissions. It represents a "loss" or "waste" of vital bodily fluid, symbolizing a breach in the ideal state of wholeness or 'life'.
• "from his body" (מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ, mibbəśārô): Lit. "from his flesh." Highlights that the source of impurity is internal and physical, stemming directly from the person's own biological being.
• "his discharge" (זוֹב֑וֹ, zôḇô): The noun form of "discharge" or "flux." This repetition clarifies that it's the specific nature of the flow that causes impurity, not just any liquid from the body. It specifically points to a problematic, sustained emission.
• "is unclean" (טָמֵ֣א הוּא֒, ṭāmê hûʾ): Lit. "he is unclean." ṭāmê signifies a state of ritual impurity. This is not a moral defilement (sin), but a cultic state requiring ritual separation from the sacred and others, and eventually, purification rituals. It creates a temporary barrier to holiness and community participation.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them": This customary prophetic formula establishes divine authority and mandates that these instructions are for the entire covenant people, emphasizing their distinct relationship with God and the responsibility to obey.
• "When any man has a discharge from his body": This defines the specific condition and the affected individual. The emphasis is on an internal, bodily flow that is considered 'outside' the normal, ordered processes of the body, indicating a state of being potentially related to decay or brokenness, which aligns with ritual impurity.
• "his discharge is unclean": This definitive statement declares the immediate ritual status. The impurity stems from the discharge itself, but affects the person who has it. This condition is contagious, transferring ritual impurity through touch (Lev 15:3-12), necessitating a detailed set of purification laws to restore the individual to a state of ritual cleanness, symbolizing restoration to God's presence and community fellowship.

Leviticus 15 2 Bonus section

• The laws of Leviticus 15 serve as a "schoolmaster" (Gal 3:24) in discerning what separates man from a holy God, prefiguring the need for an ultimate purification. They trained Israel to recognize inherent impurity, even non-moral impurity, in anticipation of a perfect Savior.
• The ritual impurity in Leviticus 15, while contagious by contact, does not spread infinitely. Its sphere of contagion is specific and limited, indicating a controlled and defined separation, rather than an unmanageable spiritual "contamination" without remedy.
• While seemingly focused on bodily fluids, the broader implication of these laws extends to the constant presence of potential defilement in daily life, reminding the Israelites to continually pursue holiness in all aspects of their existence, not just during formal worship.
• The repetitive structure in Leviticus 15, detailing the impurity and subsequent purification for various conditions, underlines God's meticulous care in guiding His people towards holiness, providing clear pathways back to His presence when impurity occurred.

Leviticus 15 2 Commentary

Leviticus 15:2 introduces a specific instance of ritual uncleanness within the Old Testament purity laws. The "discharge" (zav) is generally understood as a persistent, pathological flow, likely venereal, differentiating it from normal, temporary emissions like semen. This state of being "unclean" was not a moral judgment or a declaration of sin, but a temporary ritual barrier to interacting with the sacred things of God and the communal tabernacle worship. It reflected a divinely ordained distinction between ideal wholeness (purity) and anything that might signify a breach or decay of life (impurity), emphasizing God's absolute holiness. These laws, while sometimes having secondary hygienic benefits, were primarily theological. They underscored the pervasive impact of fallenness even on the physical body, the constant human need for cleansing, and God's absolute holiness which required strict boundaries to protect His sacred presence among an imperfect people. For Israel, these tangible practices taught profound truths about sin, atonement, and the constant striving for separation unto God, ultimately pointing forward to the ultimate and spiritual purity offered through Christ.