And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

LEVITICUS 15:9KJV
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Leviticus 15:9 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 15:9 mean?

Leviticus 15:9 states that any saddle or seat that a man with a bodily discharge uses will also be considered unclean. This rule is part of a larger set of instructions about ritual cleanliness and how contact with certain things can spread impurity.

In this verse, God is giving Moses and Aaron detailed instructions for the Israelites about how to handle situations involving bodily discharges. The focus is on preventing the spread of ritual impurity within the community. The verse highlights that not just direct contact with a person, but also with objects they have used—like a saddle—can make someone or something unclean.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 15:9

  • "saddle" (מֶרְכָּב, merkav): This word refers to any kind of seat or riding equipment, not just what we think of as a horse saddle. It could include anything a person sits or rides on, broadening the scope of what could become unclean.
  • "rideth" (יִּרְכַּב, yirkav): This verb means "to ride" or "to mount." The focus is on the act of using the object, not just owning it.
  • "issue" (זוֹב, zov): This word describes a bodily discharge, usually understood as an ongoing or abnormal flow, not just a one-time event.
  • "unclean" (יִטְמָא, yitma): This term means ritually impure, not necessarily dirty or sinful. It signals a temporary state that affects participation in community and worship.

Why Leviticus 15:9 matters

  • This verse clarifies that ritual impurity in ancient Israel could be transferred not just by touch but also through shared objects, emphasizing the seriousness of maintaining community purity.
  • The rule is part of a larger passage (Leviticus 15) that outlines practical steps for dealing with bodily discharges, showing the importance of health, hygiene, and ritual in daily life.
  • Understanding the specific words used helps modern readers see that the concern was about ritual status, not moral guilt or physical dirtiness, which can clear up common misunderstandings.

Where else these words appear

“saddle” Hebrew H4817 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Kings 4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
  • Song of Solomon 3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

“issue” Hebrew H2100 · used in 41 verses

  • Exodus 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
  • Leviticus 15:25 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.
  • Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

“rideth” Hebrew H7392 · used in 75 verses

  • Genesis 24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
  • 1 Kings 1:44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
  • Psalms 66:12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

“unclean” Hebrew H2930 · used in 142 verses

  • Genesis 34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
  • Leviticus 15:20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
  • Deuteronomy 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day;(for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.