Keraia
Leviticus 15

Leviticus 15:21

The Uncleanness of Women · Leviticus 15:19–27
Read Leviticus 15

Translations

Modern
…and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
Traditional
And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
Literal
And anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe in the water, and he shall be unclean until the evening.
Latin
…et in quo dormierit vel sederit diebus separationis suæ, polluetur.

Original

Hebrew
English
…and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.

Notes

Leviticus 15:19–23

A woman's menstrual period is natural and not a disease. But because it involved a bloody discharge, she became ceremonially unclean (see Leviticus 15:32–33). The rules were similar to those for a man with a bodily discharge (15:2–12). She could stay at home, but anything she sat on became unclean. Anyone who touched her had to wash, and she probably did the same after the seven-day quarantine. There was no animal sacrifice needed.

Leviticus 15:1–33

The idea of normal and abnormal, along with the created order, helps interpret these rules (see “Clean, Unclean, and Holy” Theme Note). Bodily discharges, like infections (see study note on Leviticus 13:1–46), were not considered "normal" because they weakened a person's health. This made the person seem incomplete. Whether male (15:1–18) or female (15:19–33), such a person became unclean.

Glossary

Bathe, Bathing Biblical Concept of Law Blood, Flow of Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Deuteronomy, Book of Hemorrhage History of Israel John the Baptist Law of Moses Leviticus, Book of Medicine and Medical Practice Offerings and Sacrifices Priesthood Worship

Topics

Defilement: Caused by Menses Menstruation: Law Relating To Purification for Women: After Menstruation Purification: Scriptures Relating To Sanitation: Contagion Sanitation: Disinfection Sanitation: Venereal Diseases Women: Purifications of After Menstruation