Leviticus 15 5

Leviticus 15:5 kjv

And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

Leviticus 15:5 nkjv

And whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15:5 niv

Anyone who touches his bed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

Leviticus 15:5 esv

And anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.

Leviticus 15:5 nlt

So if you touch the man's bed, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15 verses

Leviticus 15 5 Meaning

Leviticus 15:5 details a specific purity law: anyone who touches the bed (or any place where one has been lying) of a person experiencing an abnormal bodily discharge (like gonorrhea for a man or prolonged bleeding for a woman) becomes ritually unclean. To rectify this state, they are required to wash their clothes and bathe their entire body in water. This state of impurity lasts until evening. This verse highlights the contagious nature of ceremonial uncleanness in ancient Israelite law, even through indirect contact.

Leviticus 15 5 Context

Leviticus chapter 15 addresses laws concerning various bodily discharges (emissions, issues, menstruation) that render an individual ceremonially unclean (ṭāmēʾ). This chapter, following those on clean and unclean animals, skin diseases, and house molds, reinforces Israel's call to holiness and distinction from surrounding nations. The primary focus is ritual purity, essential for a holy people who dwell in the presence of a holy God. Contact with these bodily issues was viewed as defiling, preventing participation in sacred communal life until purification rituals were performed.

Verse 5 specifically highlights that the uncleanness could be transmitted not only by direct contact with the person having the issue but also indirectly, through contact with objects they had touched or used (like their bed or seat). This shows a pervasive concern for defilement spreading throughout the community. The requirement for washing clothes and bathing in water, with impurity lasting "until the even," was a standard purification protocol for lesser forms of ritual uncleanness, signaling the temporary nature of this state and the availability of return to ritual purity. The laws emphasized boundaries, separation, and the sanctity required to approach the holy.

Leviticus 15 5 Word analysis

• "And whosoever toucheth" (וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע – v’khol-ʾasher yigga):

  • "toucheth" (יִגַּע - yigga, from נָגַע - naga): This verb means to touch, reach, strike, or make contact. Here, it denotes an act of physical contact. Its use here indicates that even an accidental or indirect touch was sufficient to transfer ritual impurity. The breadth of "whosoever" emphasizes the universality of the law among the Israelite community, irrespective of status.

• "his bed" (מִשְׁכָּבוֹ - mishkāvo):

  • "bed" (מִשְׁכָּב - mishkav): Refers to a place of lying down, a couch, or a bed. In this context, it is not just the physical bed but represents anything the unclean person lies on, effectively transferring their uncleanness to that object. This extends the scope of defilement from the person to objects closely associated with them during their unclean state.

• "shall wash his clothes" (וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו - v'kibbēs bĕgādâv):

  • "wash" (כִּבֶּס - kibbēs): Implies a thorough washing, often involving pounding or trampling the clothes. This was a common purification ritual throughout the Mosaic Law, symbolizing the removal of the defiling element.
  • "clothes" (בְּגָדָיו - bĕgādâv): Clothing was considered an extension of the person and could transmit or absorb ritual uncleanness, hence requiring purification alongside the individual.

• "and bathe himself in water" (וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם - v'rāḥatz bammayim):

  • "bathe himself" (רָחַץ - rāḥatz): This refers to a full immersion or washing of the entire body. It signifies a complete cleansing, crucial for returning to a state of ritual purity. The act of bathing underscores the comprehensive nature of the required purification.

• "and be unclean until the even" (וְטָמֵא עַד הָעָרֶב - v'ṭāmēʾ ʿad hāʿārev):

  • "unclean" (טָמֵא - ṭāmēʾ): The Hebrew term for ritual impurity or defilement. It describes a state that renders a person unfit for sacred activities, participation in the tabernacle worship, or even certain communal interactions. It's not a moral condemnation but a ritual state.
  • "until the even" (עַד הָעָרֶב - ʿad hāʿārev): This phrase specifies the duration of the uncleanness. The evening marked the end of a day in the Jewish calendar, implying that after sundown, upon completion of the purification rites, the person would be considered ritually clean again. This set a clear temporal boundary, signifying a temporary, rather than permanent, state of defilement for this type of impurity.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "whosoever toucheth his bed": This phrase emphasizes the breadth of impurity transmission, moving beyond direct contact with the afflicted person to their possessions. It highlights the potential for ceremonial impurity to spread throughout the community through common objects, demanding vigilance.
  • "shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water": This pairing of actions is a recurring motif in Levitical purification laws. It signifies a complete, multi-faceted purification: both the external (clothes, symbolizing one's outward life) and the internal/physical (the body itself). It shows the seriousness of even indirect contact.
  • "and be unclean until the even": This phrase establishes the temporal limit of impurity. It clarifies that this type of uncleanness is temporary and resolved within a day, given the completion of the required rituals. This short duration underscores that while the defilement is real, it's a manageable part of life within the covenant, not a state of perpetual alienation.

Leviticus 15 5 Bonus section

The strictness of these purity laws regarding contagion from inanimate objects reveals the extent to which the Israelites were taught to differentiate between the sacred and the profane, the clean and the unclean. This was not about germ theory but about theological categories that mirrored the separation between God's holiness and humanity's sinfulness. The meticulous attention to detail in transmission and purification impressed upon the people that every aspect of life was to be lived in awareness of God's presence and purity. It underscored that even passive or unintended contact could disrupt one's access to the tabernacle or communal worship, compelling constant vigilance and a reverence for holy boundaries. The daily "until the even" timeframe suggests a common and manageable category of impurity, contrasting with more severe impurities (like leprosy or contact with the dead) that required longer periods and more extensive rituals (Lev 13, Num 19). This tiered system reflected the varying degrees of defilement and reinforced God's ordered and righteous governance.

Leviticus 15 5 Commentary

Leviticus 15:5 underscores the meticulous nature of the ritual purity laws in ancient Israel, which sought to maintain the sanctity of the community dwelling in God's presence. The verse reveals that uncleanness was not confined to the person experiencing the discharge but could contagiously spread to others even through indirect contact with their belongings. The "bed" signifies objects intimately associated with the unclean individual's daily life. This strict separation taught the Israelites the profound holiness of God and the defiling nature of sin, as even common life aspects could become unclean in proximity to defilement.

The prescribed remedies—washing clothes and bathing in water—were standard purification rituals, indicating a divine method for transition from uncleanness to purity. The "until the even" clause emphasizes that this state of defilement was temporary, a short disruption that could be rectified through specific, God-ordained actions, allowing for re-integration into the community. While these laws had practical benefits related to hygiene in a pre-scientific age, their primary purpose was theological: to instil a sense of holiness, the pervasive nature of impurity (sin), and the necessity of divine intervention/atonement to cleanse. This prefigured the need for a more perfect cleansing found in Christ, who, unlike these Levitical rules, touched the unclean without becoming defiled, instead imparting His purity (Mark 5:25-34; Heb 9:13-14).

• Example 1: Just as contact with an unclean object made one ritually impure, sin, even indirect exposure to it, can lead to spiritual defilement that requires cleansing through God's Word and the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:26).
• Example 2: The need for washing and bathing teaches us the importance of ongoing spiritual purification in our walk with Christ, regularly repenting and seeking His cleansing from sins.
• Example 3: The temporal nature ("until the even") reminds believers that though sin brings temporary separation or defilement, God provides a way back to fellowship and purity through repentance and faith in Christ's completed work.