Leviticus 15:1 ¶ And the
LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath
a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is
unclean. 3 And this shall be his
uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be
stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. 4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the
issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even. 6 And he that sitteth on any
thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 7
And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
8 And if he that hath the issue spit
upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 9
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be
unclean. 10 And whosoever toucheth any
thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any
of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water,
and be unclean until the even. 11 And
whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in
water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the even. 12 And the
vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and
every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of
his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and
wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
14 And on the eighth day he shall take
to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:
15 And the priest shall offer them, the
one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and
the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.
16 And if any man’s seed of copulation
go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean
until the even. 17 And every garment,
and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water,
and be unclean until the even. 18 The
woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both
bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
A running issue is a discharge from one’s private parts. For instance, the woman
who had the issue of blood as reported in Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8 and in
the next passage regarding menstruation. Reading some commentators it appears
that it was understood that this was the result of a sexually transmitted
disease which is not surprising considering the sexual nature of ancient
religion and the fact that ancient temples resembled in their practices
modern-day houses of prostitution as much as a place of worship. The Hebrews
living in Egypt would have been involved in what some scholars call, “sacred
prostitution.”
Sexual immorality, even without the idolatrous and religious
implications, often produces unpleasant results.
Psalm 38:7 For my loins are
filled with a loathsome disease:
and there is no soundness in my
flesh.
The contrast between this running
issue and the seed of copulation in verse 16 shows that the running issue was not just what medicine
calls a nocturnal emission today. Verse 18 takes up matters of cleanliness
after sexual union.
First, we must realize that this ritual cure was dependent upon
God responding to obedience for success and is not a medical manual applicable
to the heathen world although they would have benefited from it if they had not
been so filthy, unsanitary, and immoral. Still, it is not a stretch to see the
public health benefits of these rules.
Leviticus 15:19 ¶ And if a
woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be
put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the
even. 20 And every thing that she lieth
upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon
shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever
toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and
be unclean until the even. 22 And
whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 23 And if it be on her bed, or on
any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until
the even. 24 And if any man lie with her
at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all
the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of
her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of
the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall
be unclean. 26 Every bed whereon she
lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation:
and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her
separation. 27 And whosoever toucheth
those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself
in water, and be unclean until the even. 28
But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself
seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her
two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation. 30
And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for
her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness. 31 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. 32 This is the law of him that hath an
issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;
33 And of her that is sick of her
flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of
him that lieth with her that is unclean.
Here is clearly a discussion about menstruation. Verse 25 deals
with an unusual situation like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment
mentioned earlier. Flowers is a
euphemism for menstruation like sleep
in John 11:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:51 is a euphemism for death.
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