Leviticus 22 6

Leviticus 22:6 kjv

The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

Leviticus 22:6 nkjv

the person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat the holy offerings unless he washes his body with water.

Leviticus 22:6 niv

The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

Leviticus 22:6 esv

the person who touches such a thing shall be unclean until the evening and shall not eat of the holy things unless he has bathed his body in water.

Leviticus 22:6 nlt

The man who is defiled in any of these ways will remain unclean until evening. He may not eat from the sacred offerings until he has bathed himself in water.

Leviticus 22 verses

Leviticus 22 6 Meaning

Leviticus 22:6 stipulates that any person, specifically a priest or a member of his household permitted to eat holy things, who becomes ceremonially unclean through contact with defiling agents (as listed in preceding verses), must remain in a state of impurity until evening. During this period, they are prohibited from consuming the consecrated portions designated for priestly sustenance. Restoration to a clean state, and thus permission to partake of holy food, is conditional upon a full physical washing of their body in water. This highlights the absolute necessity of purity for interaction with God's sacred provisions and tabernacle.

Leviticus 22 6 Context

Leviticus 22, situated within the wider book of Leviticus, lays down specific regulations for the priests and their families concerning their access to and consumption of holy offerings. Building on chapter 21's focus on priestly holiness in life and marriage, chapter 22 meticulously defines the conditions under which priests could handle or eat sacred portions, emphasizing the importance of ritual purity. Verse 6 specifically addresses the protocol for a priest (or an authorized member of his household) who has contracted ceremonial uncleanness from specified sources (detailed in verses 4-5). These regulations underscored the critical distinction between the holy and the common, maintaining the sanctity of God's sanctuary and the things dedicated to Him, ensuring His dwelling among them was not profaned. Historically and culturally, these purity codes were central to Israel's identity and worship, setting them apart from surrounding pagan cultures that did not share the same meticulous standards for ritual cleanliness. They implicitly provided a polemic against casual interaction with the divine and the pagan idea that gods could be approached without moral or ritual consequence.

Leviticus 22 6 Word analysis

• The person (הַנֶּפֶשׁ - han·ne·phesh):

  • Literally "the soul" or "a living being."
  • In this context, it refers to any individual, specifically a priest or a member of his household, who is permitted to eat holy things.
  • Significance: Highlights that these laws apply to the individual, underscoring personal responsibility for purity.

• who touches (אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע - ’asher yigga‘):

  • Root נגע (naga‘) meaning "to touch, strike, reach."
  • Implies direct physical contact.
  • Significance: Emphasizes that even unintentional contact could transmit impurity, demanding a careful and watchful walk.

• any such thing (בָּאֶחָד מֵהֵם - bā·’e·ḥāḏ mê·hem):

  • Literally "in one of them," referring to the sources of uncleanness detailed in Lev 22:4-5, such as a bodily discharge, diseased skin, contact with an unclean person or animal carcass, or creeping things.
  • Significance: It's a comprehensive clause, covering various specified forms of defilement. The impact of ritual impurity is not discriminatory based on its source.

• shall be unclean (טָמֵא - ṭāmē’):

  • Hebrew adjective ṭāmē’, meaning "ritually defiled, unclean, impure."
  • This state of defilement makes one temporarily unfit for participation in sacred acts or consumption of holy items. It is not necessarily moral impurity, but a ceremonial status.
  • Significance: It establishes a state of separation from the sacred.

• until evening (עַד־הָעָרֶב - ‘aḏ-hā·‘ā·reḇ):

  • Literally "until the twilight" or "until sunset."
  • This specifies the duration of the state of uncleanness. Upon the setting of the sun, a new day ritually begins.
  • Significance: Indicates that uncleanness was not permanent but temporary, with a defined duration, allowing for re-entry into sacred duties after proper purification. This daily cycle highlights continuous need for cleansing.

• shall not eat of the holy things (לֹא יֹאכַל מִן־הַקֳּדָשִׁים - lō’ yō·ḵal min-haq·qŏḏā·šîm):

  • "Holy things" (הַקֳּדָשִׁים - haq·qŏḏā·šîm) refers to the portions of offerings, tithes, and other consecrated items designated as food for the priests and their families (e.g., sin offerings, peace offerings).
  • The prohibition is absolute during the state of uncleanness.
  • Significance: Underscores that access to sacred sustenance is strictly conditional on ritual purity. Profanation of holy things carried serious consequences (Lev 22:3).

• unless he has bathed his body in water (כִּי אִם־רָחַץ בְּשַׂר אֹתִי מַיִם - kî ’im-rā·ḥaṣ bə·śar ’ō·ṯî mayim):

  • "Bathed his body" (רָחַץ בְּשַׂר - rā·ḥaṣ bə·śar) refers to a full washing or immersion, not just sprinkling.
  • "in water" (מַיִם - mayim) indicates the cleansing agent.
  • Significance: This defines the specific ritual act required for purification. Water acts as a symbol of cleansing and renewal, essential for transitioning from a state of impurity back to cleanness.

Leviticus 22 6 Bonus section

The concept of "until evening" also reinforces the idea of the ritual day concluding at sunset. Once the sun set and a new day began, if the purification ritual (bathing) had been performed, the individual was considered clean again. This daily cycle of potential defilement and purification speaks to the ever-present challenge of maintaining holiness in a fallen world and God's provision for restoration. These physical purity laws were vital teaching tools, imprinting upon the Israelite mind the profound incompatibility of sin and impurity with God's perfect nature, thus preparing them to understand the deeper, spiritual truths that would be revealed through the coming Messiah.

Leviticus 22 6 Commentary

Leviticus 22:6 articulates a fundamental principle of Old Covenant worship: access to God's presence and provisions demanded ritual purity. For the priesthood, who directly handled and partook of the consecrated items, these standards were especially stringent. The verse details that contact with specified defiling agents immediately rendered a priest unclean, imposing a temporary separation from sacred duties and prohibiting the consumption of holy food. The "unclean until evening" clause signifies a defined period of impurity, indicating that defilement was not insurmountable but could be ritually overcome. The mandated "bathing in water" was not merely a physical washing but a symbolic act of purification, restoring the individual to a state of ritual cleanness.

This law highlights God's absolute holiness and His meticulous demand for the sanctification of those who serve Him and handle His holy things. It instilled reverence, reminding the priests that their closeness to God was conditional upon obedience and purity. Spiritually, it underscores the persistent reality of defilement in a fallen world and the necessity of external and internal cleansing. It prefigures the greater need for a spiritual cleansing—not merely outward washing—but a deep, internal purification provided ultimately through Christ's sacrifice, allowing believers to approach God in genuine holiness (Hebrews 9:14; 10:22).