The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any man has an unusual bodily discharge, such a discharge is unclean.
God thinks of everything. I guess it can still be unusual even if there’s a rule for how to deal with it.
The idea is of some obviously abnormal genital discharge, indicating some type of disease. When this occurs, the man was to be somewhat isolated in order not to pass on the infection to anyone else.
i. “This refers to an abnormal fluid that comes out of the male sexual organ as a result of some kind of sickness.” (Peter-Contesse)
ii. “The exact nature of this discharge is not stated, although the most frequently suggested opinion is that it refers to gonorrhea. ” (Rooker)
3 Whether it continues flowing from his body or is blocked, it will make him unclean.
Good enough.
From the context, it is clear that this is a polite reference to the penis, the male sexual organ. God and His word deal with all manner of private and sexual matters but do so in an appropriate, dignified way. There is no coarse or inappropriate reference here.
“One way of understanding this passage is that the discharge caused by the infection may block the opening in the penis.” (Peter-Contesse)
This is how his discharge will bring about uncleanness:
In contrast to the previous chapters regarding the broad definition of leprosy, there is no mention made of priestly inspection or monitoring. This was done by the individual, supported by the expectation of the culture.
Nobody else should want to look at that anyway. Can’t blame the priests for staying away from this one.
The status of “unclean” did not completely take the unclean one out of the community. It placed restrictions on them and required a ceremonial purification if and when the infection was gone.
4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean. 5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Why are there other people in this guy’s room?
6 Whoever sits on anything that the man with a discharge sat on must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
That stuff can probably get anywhere. I don’t blame them one bit.
He made every person and thing unclean that he touched, or that touched him, v. 4-12. His bed, and his chair, and his saddle, and every thing that belonged to him, could not be touched without a ceremonial uncleanness contracted, which a man must remain conscious to himself of till sunset, and from which he could not be cleansed without washing his clothes, and bathing his flesh in water. This signified the contagion of sin, the danger we are in of being polluted by conversing with those that are polluted, and the need we have with the utmost circumspection to save ourselves from this untoward generation.
7 “‘Whoever touches the man who has a discharge must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
He’s also got to make sure it doesn’t happen again over night. Viscous cycle. Especially if it happens in his sleep. I don’t know what this guy’s specific health issues are.
a. Every bed is unclean on which he who has the discharge lies: Essentially, the uncleanness associated with an abnormal genital discharge from a man was spread through contact. Therefore, it could be transmitted to a bed, to a place on which he sits, and by direct touch (he who touches).
b. Whoever touches his bed: In this context, there were three ways a person or thing might be made unclean. The first level was the uncleanness of the man afflicted with the abnormal genital discharge (15:1-3). The second level was an object or person who came into contact with the afflicted one. The third level was someone who came in contact with an object made unclean.
8 “‘If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Is spitting on someone that common?
The uncleanness could also be spread through saliva. The general principle was that when the unclean comes into contact with the clean, it is the clean that is made unclean.
9 “‘Everything the man sits on when riding will be unclean, 10 and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense even in modern times.
11 “‘Anyone the man with a discharge touches without rinsing his hands with water must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Agreed.
12 “‘A clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article is to be rinsed with water.
Nobody will want to use it again.
13 “‘When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean.
The Lord and the people of Israel didn’t want this to be a regular thing.
14 On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons and come before the Lord to the entrance to the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. 15 The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge.
Would he have enough doves and pigeons over the course of time?
When he was cured of the disease, yet he could not be cleansed from the pollution without a sacrifice, for which he was to prepare himself by seven days’ expectation after he was perfectly clear from his distemper, and by bathing in spring water, v. 13-15. This signified the great gospel duties of faith and repentance, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ’s blood to our souls for our justification and his grace for our sanctification. God has promised to sprinkle clean water upon us, and to cleanse us from all our filthiness, and has appointed us by repentance to wash and make ourselves clean: he has also provided a sacrifice of atonement, and requires us by faith to interest ourselves in that sacrifice; for it is the blood of Christ his Son that cleanses us from all sin, and by which atonement is made for us, that we may have admission into God’s presence and may partake of his favour.
16 “‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense. Nobody else wants to see or touch that.
18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
That’s interesting, since the culture of the time was all about having kids, and as far as I’m aware, that’s the only way two people can make one. I’m single (as of the time of this writing). What do I know? (as of the time of this writing).
When a man discharged semen (either accidentally or in sex), he had to cleanse himself and respect a brief time of ceremonial impurity.
i. The fact that even normal and permitted sexual activity made a man ceremonially unclean was not God’s condemnation of sex. It was a powerful way to prevent an aspect of sexual and spiritual corruption common in the ancient world: ritual prostitution, often practiced at a sacred place. Under this principle of the Law of Moses, any emission of semen was ceremonially unclean and could not be associated with the working of the tabernacle or temple. In a radical way, this separated Israel from the spiritual and sexual practices of the surrounding peoples.
ii. “The declaration of semen as unclean in this passage illustrates the sharp distinction between Israelite religion and the pagan religions of the ancient Near East. In pagan religion sexual activity among worshipers was believed to activate the gods into fertilizing the soil with rain.” (Rooker)
19 “‘When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.
Can’t touch blood unless it’s a priest in a sacrifice situation, Remember?
This is concerning the ceremonial uncleanness which women lay under from their issues, both those that were regular and healthful, and according to the course of nature (v. 19-24), and those that were unseasonable, excessive, and the disease of the body; such was the bloody issue of that poor woman who was suddenly cured by touching the hem of Christ’s garment, after she had lain twelve years under her distemper, and had spent her estate upon physicians and physic in vain. This made the woman that was afflicted with it unclean (v. 25) and every thing she touched unclean, v. 26, 27. And if she was cured, and found by seven days’ trial that she was perfectly free from her issue of blood, she was to be cleansed by the offering of two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, to make an atonement for her, v. 28, 29. All wicked courses, particularly idolatries, are compared to the uncleanness of a removed woman (Eze. 36:17), and, in allusion to this, it is said of Jerusalem (Lam. 1:9), Her filthiness is in her skirts, so that (as it follows, v. 17) she was shunned as a menstruous woman.
20 “‘Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 21 Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 22 Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 23 Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense.
24 “‘If a man has sexual relations with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean.
You can’t touch blood.
Both the man and his wife needed to ceremonially cleanse themselves and respect a brief time of ceremonial impurity.
i. It is the habit of many today – even many believers – to consider their sexual life and practices to be their own business and not God’s business. Here we see that God has a part in even natural, permitted, blessed expressions of sexuality.
ii. “We must bring the thought of God into the simplest, the commonest, and the most secret acts. Nothing is outside His jurisdiction. Though hid from sight, yet He is ever near the child of God. His grace, and blood, and cleansing, are always requisite, and ever ready.” (Meyer)
25 “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Keeps people from catching whatever it was.
a. If a woman has a discharge: In the case of a bloody discharge from a woman (her normal menstruation), her ceremonial impurity could be spread through direct contact or through an object that she lay or sat upon.
b. She shall be set apart seven days: The woman’s ceremonial impurity lasted seven days. There is no specific washing commanded at the end of the seven days, but it was either implied or considered unnecessary.
i. There was at least one other additional benefit: “The laws would also provide the woman a break from housework, caring for children, and marital relations.” (Rooker)
c. If any man lies with her: A man who had sex with a woman during her days of normal menstruation was also unclean seven days, following the course of the woman’s uncleanness. The man made unclean could spread his uncleanness through contact (every bed on which he lies shall be unclean).
i. The avoidance of intercourse during menstruation was later mentioned in Ezekiel 18:6 as an evidence of a righteous man. As an aspect of the law given to Israel under the Old Covenant, under the New Covenant this is no longer binding on Christians, whatever other reasons there may be for avoiding intercourse during menstruation.
ii. Yet a principle behind this command is universal, for every Christian and even every person: God commands sexual restraint. The command forced the obedient Israelite man or woman to say “no” to their sexual desires in certain situations. This does not mean that God regards sex itself as inherently sinful or impure, but it does mean that the sexual ethic of “if it feels good, do it” is an ungodly and destructive approach.
iii. The principle of sexual restraint is often stated in the New Testament. The mere presence of both desire and opportunity do not mean that a sexual act is obedient or pure before God. It is significant that the Apostle Paul made a close connection between uncleanness and sexual immorality, as in 2 Corinthians 12:21, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5 and other passages.
iv. Beyond building a culture of appropriate sexual restraint, there were additional benefits to these commands. “These laws, in addition to rendering the raelites as a distinct nation, would undeniably provide a measure of good hygiene as well.” (Rooker)
28 “‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 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.
Similar process to the guys.
31 “‘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.’”
he reasons given for all these laws (which we are ready to think might very well have been spared) we have, v. 31.
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1. Thus shall you separate the children of Israel (for to them only and their servants and proselytes these laws pertained) from their uncleanness; that is,
- (1.) By these laws they were taught their privilege and honour, that they were purified unto God a peculiar people, and were intended by the holy God for a kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement to them which was not so to others.
- (2.) They were also taught their duty, which was to preserve the honour of their purity, and to keep themselves from all sinful pollutions. It was easy for them to argue that if those pollutions which were natural, unavoidable, involuntary, their affliction and not their sin, rendered them for the time so odious that they were not fit for communion either with God or man, much more abominable and filthy were they if they sinned against the light and law of nature, by drunkenness, adultery, fraud, and the like sins, which defile the very mind and conscience. And, if these ceremonial pollutions could not be done away but by sacrifice and offering, something greater and much more valuable must be expected and depended upon for the purifying of the soul from the uncleanness of sin.
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2. Thus their dying in their uncleanness by the hand of God’s justice, if while they were under any of these defilements they should come near the sanctuary, would be prevented. Note, It is a dangerous thing to die in our uncleanness; and it is our own fault if we do, since we have not only fair warning given us, by God’s law, against those things that will defile us, but also such gracious provision made by his gospel for our cleansing if at any time we be defiled.
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3. In all these laws there seems to be a special regard had to the honour of the tabernacle, to which none must approach in their uncleanness, that they defile not my tabernacle. Infinite Wisdom took this course to preserve in the minds of that careless people a continual dread of, and veneration for, the manifestations of God’s glory and presence among them in his sanctuary. Now that the tabernacle of God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed contempt, and therefore the law made so many things of frequent incidence to be ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near to the sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not approach without great caution, and reverence, and serious preparation, and fear of being found unfit. Thus they were taught never to draw near to God but with an awful humble sense of their distance and danger, and an exact observance of every thing that was required in order to their safety and acceptance
The Lord just wants His people to be healthy.
32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.
To sum up. In case anyone fell asleep.
Where I got the Blue Quotes from…
Where I got the Green Quotes from…
Scripture Discussed: Leviticus 15
IIWAC: Jizzle Drizzle
God thinks of everything. I guess it can still be unusual even if there’s a rule for how to deal with it.
3 Whether it continues flowing from his body or is blocked, it will make him unclean.
Good enough.
This is how his discharge will bring about uncleanness:
Nobody else should want to look at that anyway. Can’t blame the priests for staying away from this one.
4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean. 5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Why are there other people in this guy’s room?
6 Whoever sits on anything that the man with a discharge sat on must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
That stuff can probably get anywhere. I don’t blame them one bit.
7 “‘Whoever touches the man who has a discharge must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
He’s also got to make sure it doesn’t happen again over night. Viscous cycle. Especially if it happens in his sleep. I don’t know what this guy’s specific health issues are.
8 “‘If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Is spitting on someone that common?
9 “‘Everything the man sits on when riding will be unclean, 10 and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense even in modern times.
11 “‘Anyone the man with a discharge touches without rinsing his hands with water must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Agreed.
12 “‘A clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article is to be rinsed with water.
Nobody will want to use it again.
13 “‘When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean.
The Lord and the people of Israel didn’t want this to be a regular thing.
14 On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons and come before the Lord to the entrance to the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. 15 The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering[a] and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge.
Would he have enough doves and pigeons over the course of time?
16 “‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense. Nobody else wants to see or touch that.
18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
That’s interesting, since the culture of the time was all about having kids, and as far as I’m aware, that’s the only way two people can make one. I’m single (as of the time of this writing). What do I know? (as of the time of this writing).
19 “‘When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.
Can’t touch blood unless it’s a priest in a sacrifice situation, Remember?
20 “‘Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 21 Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 22 Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 23 Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening.
Makes sense.
24 “‘If a man has sexual relations with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean.
You can’t touch blood.
25 “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.
Keeps people from catching whatever it was.
28 “‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 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.
Similar process to the guys.
The Lord just wants His people to be healthy.
32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.
To sum up. In case anyone fell asleep.
Where I got the Blue Quotes from…
Where I got the Green Quotes from…
Scripture Discussed: Leviticus 15