And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

LEVITICUS 15:21KJV
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Leviticus 15:21 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 15:21 mean?

Leviticus 15:21 says that touching a menstruating woman’s bed made a person unclean under Israel’s law. The person had to wash their clothes and bathe, and the period of uncleanness lasted until evening.

The verse follows the instruction about the woman’s bed in verse 20. It addresses contact with the bed, rather than contact with the woman herself. The instruction was given for the people of Israel as part of their rules about cleanliness.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 15:21

  • “unclean” — טָמֵא (tameʾ): This word describes a state of uncleanness under Israel’s law. Here, the word marks a temporary status connected with touching the bed, not a claim that the person was dirty in an ordinary sense.
  • “even” — עֶרֶב (ʿerev): This word means evening. It marks the end of the stated period of uncleanness.

Why Leviticus 15:21 matters

  • The verse treats the bed as a way uncleanness could be passed on. The person becomes unclean by touching “her bed,” even though the verse mentions no direct contact with her.
  • The washing includes both clothing and body. The person must “wash his clothes” and “bathe himself in water.”
  • The rule belongs to a larger set of instructions about bodily discharges. Earlier in the chapter, verses 5–8 give similar instructions for contact connected with a man who has a discharge.

Where else these words appear

“bed” Hebrew H4904 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
  • Judges 21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
  • Psalms 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

“wash” Hebrew H3526 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
  • Leviticus 14:47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.
  • Numbers 8:21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

“bathe” Hebrew H7364 · used in 71 verses

  • Genesis 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
  • Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • Judges 19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

“even” Hebrew H6153 · used in 130 verses

  • Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
  • Leviticus 15:18 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.
  • 1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.