Leviticus 15 32

Leviticus 15:32 kjv

This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;

Leviticus 15:32 nkjv

This is the law for one who has a discharge, and for him who emits semen and is unclean thereby,

Leviticus 15:32 niv

These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen,

Leviticus 15:32 esv

This is the law for him who has a discharge and for him who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean thereby;

Leviticus 15:32 nlt

These are the instructions for dealing with anyone who has a bodily discharge ? a man who is unclean because of an emission of semen

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 32 Meaning

Leviticus 15:32 serves as a concluding summary statement for the specific laws detailed in the preceding verses of Leviticus chapter 15 concerning ritual impurity arising from two types of male bodily discharges. Firstly, it references the abnormal, chronic discharge (zāb) discussed in verses 1-15, which rendered a man and anything he touched unclean. Secondly, it refers to the natural, transient seminal emission (šikbat-zāra') outlined in verses 16-18, which also caused ritual uncleanness. The verse establishes that the purpose of these regulations is to define and address the state of ritual defilement, requiring prescribed cleansing rituals for purification and re-entry into full communal and worship life.

Leviticus 15 32 Context

Leviticus 15 is part of a larger section (chapters 11-15) detailing ritual purity laws concerning various sources of defilement that would make an Israelite unclean. This chapter specifically focuses on bodily discharges, encompassing male and female conditions, both temporary (like menstruation or seminal emission) and chronic (like a persistent discharge or hemorrhage). The overarching purpose of these laws within Leviticus is to maintain the holiness of the community of Israel, in which the holy God (through His tabernacle) dwelled. Uncleanness, though not necessarily sinful, required separation from the sacred precincts and public life, with prescribed rituals of purification (typically bathing, washing clothes, and sometimes sacrifices) before one could return. These regulations reinforced the deep sanctity of God's presence and ensured a respectful approach to Him, teaching His people that sin and impurity could not co-exist with a holy God.

Leviticus 15 32 Word analysis

• This: Refers anaphorically to the preceding detailed instructions for purification from male discharges in Lev 15:1-18. It marks a conclusive summary.
• is the law (`tôrâ`): In Hebrew, Torah means "instruction," "teaching," or "guidance," not just a legal code. It implies divine instruction given for the proper conduct of God's people in relation to His holiness. This phrase emphasizes the divine origin and authoritative nature of these commands.
• for him who has a discharge (`zāb`): Refers specifically to a man afflicted with an abnormal, diseased genital discharge, distinct from normal seminal emission (see Lev 15:2-15). This condition caused extensive impurity, requiring a seven-day purification period and sacrifices upon recovery.
• and for him who has an emission of semen (`šikbat-zāra'`): Literally, "lying of seed." This refers to a normal, albeit temporary, nocturnal seminal emission (see Lev 15:16-18). It rendered a man unclean until evening after bathing and washing his clothes, indicating a less severe but still present impurity. The inclusion highlights that even natural bodily functions required ritual purification due to God's ultimate holiness.
• so that he is unclean (`ṭāmē'`): Signifies a state of ritual impurity, which barred an individual from entering the tabernacle or participating in communal sacred rites. This was a temporary, removable state, distinct from moral sin. The uncleanness here signifies being ritually 'set apart' from the sphere of holiness.
• thereby: Emphasizes that the specified discharges are the direct cause of the ritual uncleanness, making clear the precise reason for separation and the need for purification.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "This is the law for...": A typical summarizing or introductory formula in Leviticus and other legal sections of the Pentateuch, signposting the preceding or following detailed regulations as divine ordinance. It underscores the scope of the instruction.
• "him who has a discharge and for him who has an emission of semen": Groups the two male impurity types previously detailed in the chapter, showing their common treatment under these laws. It demonstrates the comprehensiveness of the divine instruction for bodily emissions affecting purity.
• "so that he is unclean thereby": Highlights the consequence of these conditions – ritual uncleanness. This state necessitates specific purification rites to re-establish a right relationship with God and the community, emphasizing that proximity to the Holy God requires purity.

Leviticus 15 32 Bonus section

The strict purity laws in Leviticus served several interwoven purposes:

• Holiness Distinction: They taught Israel the fundamental difference between the holy (God, His presence, sacred space) and the common or profane. This reinforced God's transcendent nature.
• Community Order: By separating the unclean from the clean, the laws maintained an ordered camp/community, especially given the presence of the Tabernacle in their midst.
• Protection of God's Presence: The regulations were critical for protecting the sanctity of the Tabernacle from human defilement, which could incur divine wrath (as seen in Lev 10).
• Symbolic Pedagogics: These physical defilements often symbolized the deeper spiritual defilement of sin, preparing God's people to recognize their need for complete redemption and a true internal cleansing, which ultimately required the atoning work of Christ. While the Levitical laws could remove ritual impurity, they could not remove sin. This distinction is key to understanding the Old Covenant's limitations and the New Covenant's superiority.

Leviticus 15 32 Commentary

Leviticus 15:32 succinctly wraps up the regulations concerning ritual impurity derived from male bodily discharges. These laws, while seemingly concerned with physical hygiene, primarily functioned as theological lessons. They underscored the profound holiness of God, demonstrating that anything that symbolizes a deviation from perfect life or order (like death, certain skin diseases, or specific bodily effluents) cannot easily approach the presence of a perfectly holy God. Impurity created a barrier to communal worship and interaction with the divine, requiring a prescribed purification process—often involving water and time—to restore cleanness. These detailed rules maintained separation from foreign idolatrous practices and served to discipline Israel in holiness, preparing them for the greater spiritual purity that would come through Christ. They illustrate that even in natural bodily functions, humanity falls short of absolute purity before a perfect God, foreshadowing the need for a radical, inward cleansing that the Law could not provide.