The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

LEVITICUS 22:6KJV
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Leviticus 22:6 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 22:6 mean?

Leviticus 22:6 says that anyone who touches something considered unclean becomes unclean themselves until evening and must not eat any of the holy offerings unless they first wash their body with water. This rule is about maintaining ritual purity, especially for those handling sacred things.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to the priests of Israel through Moses. The focus is on the proper handling of "holy things," meaning food or offerings set apart for God. The verse highlights the importance of washing and waiting until evening as part of the process to restore ritual cleanliness, showing the seriousness of approaching sacred duties in the tabernacle.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 22:6

  • "Soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh) here refers to a person or individual, not just a spiritual part, emphasizing that these rules apply to real people, not just abstract ideas.
  • "Touched" (נָגַע, naga‘) means to physically come into contact with something, which in this context includes contact with things that make a person ritually unclean.
  • "Unclean" (טָמֵא, tame’) describes a state of ritual impurity, not physical dirtiness, which temporarily disqualifies someone from participating in sacred activities.
  • "Wash" (רָחַץ, rachats) means to bathe or wash the body, showing that ritual purity involved both physical action and waiting a set time.

Why Leviticus 22:6 matters

  • Leviticus 22:6 clarifies that ritual impurity was not permanent; it could be resolved with washing and waiting, which protected the holiness of sacred offerings.
  • The verse shows that even priests could become unclean and needed to follow the same process as anyone else, emphasizing fairness and the seriousness of sacred service.
  • This instruction fits into a larger section about keeping the tabernacle and its offerings holy, helping the community understand boundaries between everyday life and sacred duties.

Where else these words appear

“unless” Hebrew H518 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Numbers 24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
  • 2 Kings 9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

“wash” 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.

“touched” Hebrew H5060 · used in 142 verses

  • Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
  • Numbers 19:21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
  • Psalms 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.