Leviticus 15 30

Leviticus 15:30 kjv

And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.

Leviticus 15:30 nkjv

Then the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for the discharge of her uncleanness.

Leviticus 15:30 niv

The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the LORD for the uncleanness of her discharge.

Leviticus 15:30 esv

And the priest shall use one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.

Leviticus 15:30 nlt

The priest will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify her before the LORD for the ceremonial impurity caused by her bleeding.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 30 Meaning

This verse details the required priestly action for a woman who has completed her purification from an abnormal or chronic bodily discharge that rendered her ritually unclean. The priest offers two birds: one as a sin offering to address the defilement and restore purity before the Lord, and the other as a burnt offering signifying dedication and full acceptance. Through these sacrifices, the priest makes atonement for her uncleanness, allowing her to re-enter full fellowship within the holy community and approach God's presence.

Leviticus 15 30 Context

Leviticus Chapter 15 provides laws concerning various bodily discharges that cause ritual uncleanness for both men and women. These discharges include seminal emissions, menstruation, and chronic abnormal flows. The regulations detail how one becomes unclean, what defiles during this state, and the specific procedures for purification, which often involve waiting a prescribed period, ritual washing, and offering sacrifices at the Tabernacle or Temple. Verse 30 specifically concludes the purification process for a woman with a prolonged or abnormal flow, who, like the man with a similar condition earlier in the chapter (Lv 15:1-15), must bring specific offerings (two turtledoves or two young pigeons) to the priest. This chapter, and indeed the entire book of Leviticus, highlights God's absolute holiness and the necessity for His people to maintain ritual purity to live in His presence and interact with the Tabernacle/Temple, His dwelling place among them. Uncleanness was not inherently moral sin but a state incompatible with God's perfect holiness, requiring specific rites for restoration to communal and divine fellowship.

Leviticus 15 30 Word analysis

• Then (וְהִקְרִיב): This indicates a sequential action, following the woman's eight-day waiting period after her discharge ceased, and her presenting the birds to the priest. It signifies the culmination of her purification process.
• the priest (הַכֹּהֵן - hak-kohen): Refers to a male descendant of Aaron, specifically appointed by God to mediate between God and the people. The priest's role was indispensable in the Old Covenant system, authorized to offer sacrifices and perform rites of purification.
• shall offer (הִקְרִיב - hiqrib): To bring near or present, specifically in the context of bringing an offering to God. This highlights the active role of the priest in the purification ritual.
• the one (אֶחָד - ʾeḥād): Referring to one of the two birds (turtledoves or young pigeons) brought by the woman.
• as a sin offering (לְחַטָּאת - ləḥaṭṭāṯ): The Hebrew word ḥaṭṭāṯ often translates to "sin offering" but also means "purification offering." Its primary function in these contexts was to atone for defilement or ritual impurity that prevented fellowship with God, rather than directly for moral trespasses, though it could cover unintentional moral sin. It signifies cleansing and expiation from a state of impurity that would otherwise desecrate the sanctuary.
• and the other (וְאֶת־הָאֶחָד - wəʾeṯ-hāʾeḥāḏ): Referring to the second bird.
• as a burnt offering (לְעֹלָה - ləʿōlâ): The Hebrew word ʿōlâ means "what goes up," as it was entirely consumed on the altar. This offering symbolized complete dedication and surrender to God, acknowledging His sovereignty, and also served to provide general atonement for sins, symbolizing acceptance into God's presence.
• and the priest (וְכִפֶּר - wəḵipper): Reiterates the priestly role.
• shall make atonement (וְכִפֶּר - wəḵipper): From the root kipper, meaning to "cover," "purify," or "propitiate." This is the core act that reverses the state of uncleanness. It is a divine act, mediated by the priest, where defilement is 'covered' or 'removed' so that the person can approach a holy God. It signifies reconciliation and cleansing from the ritual impurity.
• for her (עָלֶיהָ - ʿāleīhā): For the specific woman suffering from the abnormal discharge, providing specific individual restoration.
• before the LORD (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - lip̄nê Yahweh): Literally "before the face of YHWH." This emphasizes that the atonement is enacted in the sacred presence of God and is a divine work, validated by Him. It assures the person's restoration to the holy community under God's watchful eye.
• for the discharge (מִדְּמֵי - mîd-məy): Literally "from her flowing/discharge," referring to the specific abnormal blood flow.
• of her uncleanness (נִדָּתָהּ - nid-dāṭāh): From the root nadad (to flow) and niddah (menstrual flow, state of impurity). It encapsulates the state of ritual impurity that necessitated the purification rites.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering": This precise instruction demonstrates the divine prescription for dealing with impurity. The two distinct offerings highlight dual aspects of restoration: purification from the specific defilement (sin offering) and acceptance/consecration before God (burnt offering). The humility of the offering (doves/pigeons) underscores that access to God's holiness is available even to the poor (compare with larger animals for those who could afford it), by God's grace and design.
• "and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD": This emphasizes the mediatorial role of the priest as God's designated agent. The phrase "make atonement" (kipper) is central to the Levitical system, underscoring that cleansing and reconciliation are achieved through God-ordained means, making the person acceptable in God's holy presence.
• "for the discharge of her uncleanness": This precisely identifies the root cause of the separation. The focus on "uncleanness" highlights that ritual defilement, even if not moral sin, was a serious barrier to fellowship with a holy God. The entire system taught the gravity of any impurity in the presence of Holiness and the need for divine provision for restoration.

Leviticus 15 30 Bonus section

The strict purity laws concerning bodily discharges (like those in Leviticus 15) were not primarily about hygiene, though practical health benefits likely existed. Their profound significance was theological: they constantly taught Israel about God's absolute holiness and the sacred space of His dwelling (Tabernacle/Temple). Anything that diminished "life" (e.g., death, bleeding from conception) or disrupted the divinely ordered flow of creation required purification. The necessity for the "sin offering" even for unintentional or ritual uncleanness underscored that humanity, in its fallen state, carries an inherent capacity for defilement that renders it incompatible with a perfect God, and requires divine grace for purification. This set Israel apart from pagan nations whose religious rites often involved various bodily fluids in superstitious ways, reinforcing God's distinct holiness.

Leviticus 15 30 Commentary

Leviticus 15:30 concludes the purification ritual for a woman suffering from a chronic bodily discharge, a state that rendered her ritually unclean and temporarily separated from the holy community. The verse highlights the indispensable role of the priest and the efficacy of the divinely prescribed sacrifices. The sin offering addressed the defilement caused by the uncleanness, symbolizing cleansing and removal of impurity. The burnt offering represented dedication and full acceptance before the Lord, indicating restoration to complete fellowship. Together, these offerings achieved atonement, covering the state of uncleanness and making the individual ceremonially pure again. This system taught Israel the profound truth that holiness is paramount for dwelling in God's presence, and that even non-moral forms of uncleanness required divine provision for reconciliation. Ultimately, these purification rites prefigured the perfect and complete cleansing provided by Jesus Christ, who through His single sacrifice makes ultimate atonement for all forms of defilement – both moral sin and its defiling effects – enabling true and lasting fellowship with God.