Leviticus 15:20 kjv
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
Leviticus 15:20 nkjv
Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean.
Leviticus 15:20 niv
"?'Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean.
Leviticus 15:20 esv
And everything on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean. Everything also on which she sits shall be unclean.
Leviticus 15:20 nlt
Anything on which the woman lies or sits during the time of her period will be unclean.
Leviticus 15 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Purity Laws (Old Covenant) | ||
| Lev 15:19 | “When a woman has a discharge... seven days she shall be in her impurity..." | Defines the onset and duration of impurity. |
| Lev 15:21 | "And whoever eats of her bed shall wash his clothes..." | Clarifies that contact with the contaminated item imparts uncleanness. |
| Lev 15:23 | "...if it is on the bed... he who touches it shall be unclean..." | Reinforces the principle of transferred impurity through contact. |
| Lev 15:24 | "And if any man lies with her... he shall be unclean for seven days..." | Specific consequence for direct intimacy during this period. |
| Lev 15:31 | "Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness..." | Reveals the ultimate purpose: protecting the sanctuary from defilement. |
| Lev 11:44-45 | "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves... be holy..." | Overarching divine command for Israel to reflect God's holiness. |
| Num 19:20 | "...because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord..." | Another instance where impurity (from a corpse) defiles the sanctuary. |
| Deut 23:14 | "Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp..." | Necessity of cleanliness in the camp due to God's presence. |
| Isa 64:6 | "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment..." | Sin makes one spiritually unclean before God. |
| Ezek 22:10 | "In you men uncover their father's nakedness; in you they humble women in their menstrual impurity." | Violation of purity laws seen as an aspect of Judah's moral decline. |
| Ezek 36:17 | "...their way was before me like the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity." | Ritual impurity as a metaphor for profound spiritual defilement due to sin. |
| Lam 1:17 | "Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them." | Uncleanness describes Jerusalem's state due to its transgressions. |
| Haggai 2:13-14 | "If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, will it become unclean?" | Emphasizes how impurity is readily transferable, but holiness is not. |
| Zech 3:3 | "Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments." | Spiritual defilement represented by unclean clothing. |
| Fulfillment & Spiritual Purity (New Covenant) | ||
| Matt 15:18-20 | "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart... For out of the heart come evil thoughts..." | Jesus clarifies true defilement originates from sin within, not external contact. |
| Mark 5:25-34 | (Woman with chronic bleeding) "...immediately the flow of blood dried up..." | Jesus supersedes purity laws; He imparts purity rather than becoming impure. |
| Acts 10:14-15 | "...What God has made clean, do not call common." | God declares ritual distinctions obsolete, indicating a new era. |
| Rom 14:14 | "I know... nothing is unclean in itself..." | Freedom from ritual purity laws through Christ. |
| Gal 3:24-25 | "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came..." | The ceremonial law's temporary purpose fulfilled in Christ. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | "For if the blood of goats and bulls... how much more will the blood of Christ..." | Christ's blood provides ultimate, spiritual cleansing beyond ritual purity. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | "For since the law has but a shadow... it can never... make perfect..." | Old Covenant rituals were shadows, fulfilled by Christ's perfect sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct..." | Call to moral and spiritual holiness based on God's nature. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink... These are a shadow..." | Ceremonial laws fulfilled in Christ, no longer binding for believers. |
| Tit 2:14 | "...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession..." | Christ purifies from sin, creating a people set apart for God. |
Leviticus 15 verses
Leviticus 15 20 Meaning
Leviticus 15:20 dictates that any bed on which a woman lies during her menstrual period (her state of niddah or impurity) becomes ritually unclean, and similarly, any object or seating surface she sits upon also becomes ritually unclean. This law defines how her impurity is transferred through physical contact to objects she uses, and by extension, to any person who then touches those objects. It emphasizes the contagious nature of ritual impurity within the Israelite system of holiness.
Leviticus 15 20 Context
Leviticus 15, within the broader book of Leviticus, outlines the detailed laws concerning various bodily discharges that render a person ritually unclean (tameh). These purity laws were essential for ancient Israel, distinguishing them as God's holy people and safeguarding the sanctity of the Tabernacle, which symbolized God's presence among them. Any state of ritual uncleanness prevented participation in worship and required separation to prevent defiling God's holy dwelling place. Verses 19-30 specifically address female discharges, with verses 19-24 focusing on the standard seven-day period of menstruation (niddah) and the impurity that accompanies it. This specific verse (v. 20) defines how the woman's impurity is transferred to objects, thereby extending the area of defilement and underscoring the severity and transmissibility of uncleanness. This system highlighted the fragile nature of human holiness in proximity to God's absolute purity, ensuring a disciplined approach to the sacred.
Leviticus 15 20 Word analysis
- Every (כָּל – kol): Emphasizes comprehensiveness; no specific bed or article is exempt from becoming unclean if in contact with her. It highlights the pervasive nature of this particular impurity.
- bed (הַמִּשְׁכָּב – hamishkav): Refers to any place for lying down, implying an intimate and personal space. The term comes from the root shakav (שכב), "to lie down," reinforcing the direct contact involved.
- on which she lies (אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁכַּב עָלָיו – asher tishkav alav): Denotes direct physical contact. This detail is crucial for the transmission of uncleanness, not merely proximity.
- during her impurity (בְּנִדָּתָהּ – b'niddatah): This is the core condition. Niddah (נִדָּה) refers specifically to menstrual separation. It’s a technical term for ritual impurity related to the monthly flow of blood. This is not a moral failing but a temporary ritual state requiring separation for the purpose of maintaining ceremonial purity before God. The emphasis is on blood, which signifies life; its outpouring or cessation symbolizes a temporary separation from the life-source.
- shall be unclean (יִהְיֶה טָמֵא – yihyeh tameh): States the outcome of the contact. Tameh (טָמֵא) signifies ritual uncleanness. It's a temporary, cultic state that disqualifies one from sacred activities or entry into the sanctuary, not an indictment of one’s moral character. This impurity is contagious.
- and every (וְכָל – v'khol): Repetition of kol extends the comprehensiveness from beds to other items, further emphasizing the pervasiveness.
- thing/vessel (הַכְּלִי – hak'li): A broad term encompassing any article, implement, or furnishing she might sit on or use. This shows that the contagion wasn't limited to a sleeping surface but to any personal article of furniture or general object.
- on which she sits (אֲשֶׁר תֵּשֵׁב עָלָיו – asher teshev alav): Specifies another mode of direct contact—sitting. This indicates the broad range of items that could become ritually unclean.
Leviticus 15 20 Bonus section
The laws regarding niddah are often misunderstood as demeaning to women, but their theological context indicates otherwise. They set a boundary of respect for female physiology, marking a period of necessary rest and separation within the community structure. Historically, pagan cultures sometimes celebrated blood discharges in fertility rites; Israel's laws clearly distanced themselves from such practices by marking them as a source of temporary ritual impurity that needed atonement and cleansing, not veneration. This served as an indirect polemic against idolatrous worship. Furthermore, the fact that an elaborate system was established for restoration to purity (washing, time, and sometimes sacrifice) indicates God's desire for reconciliation and communal participation, not permanent ostracization. These regulations trained Israel in the discipline of holiness, preparing them for the ultimate spiritual cleanliness available through Christ.
Leviticus 15 20 Commentary
Leviticus 15:20 illustrates a foundational principle of the Old Covenant purity system: ritual impurity related to certain bodily discharges was contagious and transmissible to objects and, consequently, to other people who came into contact with those objects. The detailed specification for menstruation (known as niddah) and the defilement of bedding and seating served a multifaceted purpose. It provided practical hygiene within an ancient context, especially given communal living and rudimentary sanitation. More significantly, these laws were profoundly theological, emphasizing God's absolute holiness and the Israelite requirement to reflect that holiness.
The discharge of blood, which symbolized life, marked a state of ritual impurity (not moral sin), signifying a temporary separation from the life-source and from the community's access to God's presence in the sanctuary. This constant reminder of human frailty and the defilement inherent in the mortal realm served to highlight the perfection of God and the need for a mediator. The rigorous system of purity impressed upon Israel the sacredness of God's dwelling place and the gravity of maintaining a proper relationship with Him. While the ceremonial aspects of these laws were fulfilled in Christ, the underlying principle of seeking purity and separation from defilement (now spiritual defilement, i.e., sin) remains central to faith. Christ's interaction with the bleeding woman in Mark 5 powerfully demonstrates His ability to cleanse, not be defiled by, impurity, thus transitioning from a physical contact-based purity system to one centered on faith and His all-sufficient atonement.