Leviticus 15 24

Leviticus 15:24 kjv

And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.

Leviticus 15:24 nkjv

And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

Leviticus 15:24 niv

"?'If a man has sexual relations with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean.

Leviticus 15:24 esv

And if any man lies with her and her menstrual impurity comes upon him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

Leviticus 15:24 nlt

If a man has sexual intercourse with her and her blood touches him, her menstrual impurity will be transmitted to him. He will remain unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will be unclean.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 24 Meaning

Leviticus 15:24 details a specific consequence for a man who has sexual intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period (her flow of impurity). The verse states that if any man lies with such a woman and her menstrual discharge (or its residual uncleanness) is upon him, he becomes ritually unclean for seven days. Furthermore, any bed or resting place where he lies during this period of uncleanness also becomes unclean. This law highlights the highly transmissible nature of menstrual impurity within the Israelite ritual purity system and serves to delineate clear boundaries for interaction during a woman's niddah (separation) state, emphasizing separation and the contagious nature of ceremonial defilement to protect the sanctity of the community and the Tabernacle.

Leviticus 15 24 Context

Leviticus Chapter 15 provides detailed regulations concerning bodily discharges that result in ritual uncleanness. This chapter specifically distinguishes between male discharges (like seminal emission and abnormal flow) and female discharges (like menstruation and abnormal blood flow). The overarching purpose of these purity laws was to maintain the sanctity of the Israelite camp and, more importantly, the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple), where God's presence dwelt. Uncleanness rendered a person temporarily unfit to enter the Tabernacle or partake in certain holy things, lest they defile the sacred space and invite divine judgment.

Leviticus 15:24 falls within the section addressing female impurity (verses 19-33). Verses 19-23 detail the impurity associated with normal menstruation (niddah) and specify that a menstruating woman is unclean for seven days, and anything she lies or sits on becomes unclean. Furthermore, anyone touching her or her unclean objects also becomes unclean. Verse 24 builds directly upon this by addressing the specific and significant case of a man having sexual relations with her during this period, reinforcing the transmissible and serious nature of this particular form of uncleanness within the theocratic community.

Historically, in the Ancient Near East, many cultures had varying concepts of purity and pollution, often linked to fertility cults or taboos surrounding bodily functions. However, the Israelite purity laws, including those for niddah, were divinely revealed and unique. They were not rooted in hygiene or medical understanding (though some secondary benefits may exist) nor in fear of natural processes. Instead, they primarily served theological purposes: to teach Israel about God's absolute holiness, the distinction between holy/profane, clean/unclean, and the necessity of purity to dwell in God's presence. They served as a boundary marker, distinguishing Israel from surrounding pagan nations where unrestrained sexuality and rituals often blurred the lines between the sacred and profane, often involving practices antithetical to Israel's purity.

Leviticus 15 24 Word analysis

• And if any man (וְאִישׁ, ve'ish): "And a man." The Hebrew ish refers to a male person, emphasizing the male agent in the act. The introductory conjunction 'and' (וְ) links this consequence directly to the preceding laws about menstrual impurity.
• lie with her at all (יִשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ, yishkav otah): "lie with her." Yishkav (יִשְׁכַּב) is the Qal imperfect form of the verb shakhav (שָׁכַב), meaning "to lie down," often used in the context of sexual intercourse in biblical Hebrew. The phrase emphasizes the direct physical intimacy, leaving no ambiguity about the nature of the contact. "At all" (כָל־הוּא, kol-hu) can be an intensifier or a universal quantifier, meaning "whosoever he may be," or "by any means." It underscores that any instance of such an act carries the same consequence, without exception.
• and her flow (וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ, ut’hi niddatah): "and her uncleanness/menstruation be." Niddah (נִדָּה) is a crucial Hebrew term in Leviticus, referring specifically to menstrual impurity or the state of being separated due to menstruation. It is a state of ritual uncleanness, not a moral failing. The word itself can imply separation or set-apartness, referring to the woman being "set apart" from common sacred activities.
• be upon him (עָלָיו, 'alav): "upon him." This signifies a direct transmission of uncleanness. It's not just proximity, but the literal or conceptual transfer of her state of niddah to him through the physical act. The impurity "contaminates" him.
• he shall be unclean (וְטָמֵא, vetame): "and he is unclean." Tame (טָמֵא) is the standard Hebrew term for "ritually unclean" or "impure." It describes a ceremonial state that prevents one from participating in cultic activities or coming into contact with sacred objects/spaces. This uncleanness is a contagious status, implying defilement of holiness.
• seven days (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, shiv'at yamim): This specifies the duration of his ritual uncleanness. The number seven often signifies completion, wholeness, or a cycle in biblical numerology. Here, it indicates a prescribed period of separation and anticipation of purification, mirroring the woman's own period of impurity.
• and all the bed (וְכָל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב, vechol-hammishkav): "and all the couch/bed." Mishkav (מִשְׁכָּב) refers to a place of lying down, a bed or couch. "All" (כָּל־) signifies that the entire object is rendered unclean, not just the spot of direct contact.
• whereon he lieth (אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב־עָלֶיהָ, asher yishkav-aleha): "upon which he lies down." This clarifies that the bed becomes unclean not through initial contact with the menstruating woman (as per v. 20), but because the now-unclean man lies upon it during his own period of impurity. It illustrates the secondary transfer of impurity from person to object.
• shall be unclean (יִטְמָא, yitma): "shall become unclean." This repetition reinforces the contagiousness of ritual impurity and its pervasive effect on anything the unclean person comes into contact with, further spreading the sphere of ritual defilement.

Leviticus 15 24 Bonus section

The Levitical laws, including this one, did not condemn the menstruating woman or consider her "evil" or "cursed." Her state of niddah was a natural, divinely ordained aspect of creation, reflecting the cycle of life. The impurity was ritual, not moral, signifying a state that was set apart from direct access to the most holy God. The entire system of impurity and cleansing in Leviticus was restorative: there was always a path back to purity through prescribed rituals, symbolizing God's provision for His people to maintain a relationship with Him despite the imperfections and natural processes of human life. This contrasts sharply with some pagan beliefs that viewed menstruation as an abominable or sinister curse. For Israel, it was simply a condition that needed to be accounted for in relation to the pervasive holiness of God and His dwelling among them. The law primarily protected the sanctity of the Tabernacle from unintentional defilement rather than being primarily concerned with marital or sexual ethics, although those too had implications (Lev 18).

Leviticus 15 24 Commentary

Leviticus 15:24 encapsulates a crucial aspect of the purity laws concerning bodily discharges: the communicable nature of impurity and its impact on those who come into contact with it. The specific act of sexual intercourse during a woman's niddah (menstrual separation) immediately renders the man unclean for seven days, mirroring the duration of the woman's own primary impurity. This law served multiple, interwoven purposes.

First, it profoundly underscored the sanctity of life and blood within Israelite theology. Blood, as the carrier of life (Lev 17:11), held sacred significance; its irregular discharge, while not sinful, temporarily indicated a diminished state of life or purity. Intimate contact during this time would thus impart a serious, if temporary, ritual state.

Second, the law emphasized clear boundaries for holiness. God dwelt among His people in the Tabernacle; therefore, the people needed to maintain a state of ritual purity to ensure God's continued presence and avoid defiling His dwelling. Sexual contact during niddah created a direct, intense form of uncleanness, rendering the man temporarily unable to participate in worship or enter sacred spaces. This wasn't a punishment but a necessary separation for the sake of God's holiness.

Third, the prohibition, later made explicit as a capital offense in Lev 18:19 and 20:18, acted as a social and religious marker distinguishing Israel from surrounding cultures. Many pagan fertility cults involved sexual acts as part of worship or considered blood a source of power. Israel's laws provided a counter-narrative, establishing divine sexual purity within marriage and delineating clear separation from foreign immoral practices.

Finally, while the laws seem external and ritualistic, they served as pedagogical tools, training Israel to discern holiness from commonness, clean from unclean. This ritual awareness would ideally foster a deeper appreciation for the transcendent holiness of God and encourage moral and spiritual purity (Mk 7:15-23). The New Covenant, in Christ, fulfills these shadow laws by providing ultimate spiritual cleansing, where ritual impurity no longer separates us from God (Heb 9:13-14), but personal holiness (1 Pet 1:15-16) rooted in Christ's finished work does.