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.
LEVITICUS 15:13KJVWhat does Leviticus 15:13 mean?
Leviticus 15:13 explains that when a man with a bodily discharge is healed, he must count seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in running water to be considered clean. This verse outlines the specific steps required for someone to be restored to ritual purity after recovering from an issue.
In this part of Leviticus, God is giving instructions to Moses for the Israelites about how to handle situations involving bodily discharges, which made a person ritually unclean. The verse describes what a man must do after his discharge stops: wait seven days, wash his clothes, and bathe in flowing water. These actions were part of a larger set of rules meant to protect the community’s health and maintain their ability to participate in worship.
The Hebrew behind Leviticus 15:13
- The word "issue" (זוֹב, zov) refers to a bodily discharge, often understood as an abnormal flow, which made a person ritually unclean in ancient Israelite law.
- "Cleansed" (טָהֵר, taher) means to become clean or pure, not just physically but in a ritual sense, allowing the person to rejoin community life and worship.
- "Running" (חַי, chai) water literally means "living" water, which refers to fresh, flowing water like a stream or spring, not stagnant water. This detail highlights the importance of using water that symbolizes life and renewal in the cleansing process.
- "Number" (סָפַר, saphar) means to count or keep track, showing that the seven days were to be carefully observed, not estimated.
Why Leviticus 15:13 matters
- This verse clarifies that ritual impurity was not permanent; there was a clear, practical path to restoration once the physical condition ended.
- The emphasis on "running" or "living" water shows the importance of renewal and purity, not just in body but in symbol, which connects to other biblical uses of water for cleansing.
- Leviticus 15:13 fits into a larger section about bodily discharges, showing the careful attention given to both physical health and spiritual readiness in Israelite community life.