Leviticus 15 31

Leviticus 15:31 kjv

Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.

Leviticus 15:31 nkjv

'Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them.

Leviticus 15:31 niv

"?'You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.'?"

Leviticus 15:31 esv

"Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst."

Leviticus 15:31 nlt

"This is how you will guard the people of Israel from ceremonial uncleanness. Otherwise they would die, for their impurity would defile my Tabernacle that stands among them.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 31 Meaning

Leviticus 15:31 conveys a direct command to Israel, likely communicated through the priests, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining ritual purity. It states that the people of Israel must be separated from their ritual uncleanness to prevent death, which would be the divine consequence of their defiling the Tabernacle—the dwelling place of God—that resides within their community. This verse underscores the sacredness of God's presence and the strict requirements for His people to remain holy in His proximity.

Leviticus 15 31 Context

Leviticus, a central book in the Pentateuch, is fundamentally about God's holiness and the prescribed means for a sinful people to live in relationship with a holy God. Chapters 11-15 detail laws concerning ritual purity, focusing on anything that renders an individual ceremonially unclean, thus unable to approach the Tabernacle or participate in sacred rites. Chapter 15 specifically addresses bodily discharges (e.g., semen, menstrual flow, chronic bodily issues for males and females), which were natural yet temporarily defiling. The elaborate instructions for purification, including bathing and offering sacrifices, underline the gravity of these states. Leviticus 15:31 serves as the conclusive statement for this chapter, encapsulating the purpose and severity behind these laws: to safeguard the sanctity of God's dwelling place, which was tangibly "in their midst," thereby preserving His presence and preventing divine judgment upon a defiled people. This was a crucial foundation for Israel's identity and worship in contrast to surrounding pagan nations who had no such concern for ritual purity.

Leviticus 15 31 Word analysis

• Thus (וְהִזַּרְתֶּם – vəhizzartem): This is from the Hifil stem of the verb זָרַר (zarar), meaning "to separate," "to distinguish," or "to warn." It implies an active, causative role. The plural form "you shall keep separate" strongly points to the priests, as they were divinely appointed to administer and enforce these purity laws among the people, functioning as guardians of the Tabernacle's holiness.
• you shall keep the people of Israel separate (et-bənê yiśrā’ēl): This emphasizes a communal responsibility, but the command is directed at the priestly caste, who must teach, instruct, and oversee adherence to these regulations. This separation is not from the community, but from their uncleanness. It signifies establishing clear boundaries between sacred and profane.
• from their uncleanness (miṭṭum'āṭām): Ṭum'ah (טֻמְאָה) refers to ritual impurity, a temporary state that rendered an individual unfit for participation in sacred cultic life. This is distinct from moral sin, though neglecting purity laws could become a moral sin. It reflects the inherent separation between a perfect God and an imperfect, fallen humanity, even in their physical bodies and natural functions.
• lest they die (lō’-yāmûtû): This is a severe warning of divine judgment. "Die" here could mean physical death, being "cut off" from the community of Israel (implying spiritual death and exclusion from covenant blessings), or perishing through divine plague. It stresses the grave consequences of neglecting God's holiness.
• in their uncleanness (bəṭum'āṭām): Reiterates that the condition of uncleanness, specifically its unaddressed or unpurified presence when approaching the sacred, is the direct cause of divine wrath and death. It's the persistent or intentional disregard for the purification process.
• by defiling (bəṭamm'ām): From the Hifil stem of the verb טָמֵא (ṭamē'ah), meaning "to make unclean," "to defile." The presence of unpurified, unclean individuals actively profanes the sacred space of the Tabernacle, essentially rendering God's dwelling unholy in a way that His holy presence cannot tolerate without immediate judgment.
• my tabernacle (miškānî): The "dwelling place" of God, the central locus of divine presence among the Israelites. It represented God's tangible immanence. Its purity was paramount because it housed the Holy One.
• that is in their midst (ašeR biToKâM): This phrase highlights the unique privilege and immense challenge for Israel. God was not distant; He dwelt intimately among them. This immanent presence demanded constant vigilance regarding purity, as the holy God cannot coexist with defilement without devastating consequences.

Leviticus 15 31 Bonus section

The laws in Leviticus 15 were not meant to be burdensome for their own sake but served as powerful pedagogical tools. They continually taught Israel about the absolute holiness of God, the pervasive nature of impurity (even in natural human functions), and the constant need for atonement and cleansing to maintain fellowship with Him. While the ritual purity laws are fulfilled and superseded by Christ's singular sacrifice which grants perfect and permanent spiritual cleansing (Heb 9-10), the underlying principle remains: God's holiness requires His people to be holy. The shift from external, physical rituals to internal, spiritual transformation in the New Covenant (Mark 7:15-23) does not diminish the call to purity but elevates it, demanding not just ritual cleanliness but purity of heart and life in anticipation of standing before a holy God.

Leviticus 15 31 Commentary

Leviticus 15:31 serves as the potent capstone to a series of laws concerning various ritual impurities. Its core message is that God's immediate, tabernacling presence among His people demands a rigorous standard of holiness, and failure to meet these standards – by not adequately separating from defilement – carries dire, even fatal, consequences. The command is primarily directed to the Levitical priests, empowering them to teach and enforce these distinctions between clean and unclean, holy and common. The death penalty or being "cut off" underscores the profound offense of defiling the divine sanctuary. This principle of protecting the sanctity of God's dwelling place reverberates throughout scripture, transitioning from the physical Tabernacle and Temple to the New Testament understanding of the believer's body and the Church as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17, 6:19). Just as ancient Israel risked God's judgment by disregarding physical purity laws in the Tabernacle's presence, so too believers are called to maintain purity in heart, mind, and body, understanding that God Himself indwells them by His Spirit.