Leviticus 11:38
Leviticus 11:38 in Multiple Translations
but if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
But if water be put upon the seed, and aught of their carcass fall thereon, it is unclean unto you.
But if water is put on the seed, and any part of the dead body gets on to it, it will be unclean to you.
but if the seed has been soaked in water and one of their dead bodies falls on it, it is unclean for you.
But if any water be powred vpon ye seede, and there fal of their dead carkeis thereon, it shall be vncleane vnto you.
and when water is put on the seed, and [any] of its carcase hath fallen on it — unclean it [is] to you.
But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
But if any water shall be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcass shall fall on it, it shall be unclean to you.
But if any man pour water upon the seed, and afterwards it be touched by the carcasses, it shall be forthwith defiled.
But if water has been put on the seeds and then a carcass falls on them, the seeds must be thrown away.
Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 11:38
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Leviticus 11:38 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/כִ֤י
יֻתַּן
מַ֨יִם֙
עַל
זֶ֔רַע
וְ/נָפַ֥ל
מִ/נִּבְלָתָ֖/ם
עָלָ֑י/ו
טָמֵ֥א
ה֖וּא
לָ/כֶֽם
וְ/כִ֤י
kîy
H3588
for
Conj | Conj
יֻתַּן
nâthan
H5414
to give
V-Hophal-Imperf-3ms
מַ֨יִם֙
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
N-mp
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
זֶ֔רַע
zeraʻ
H2233
seed
N-ms
וְ/נָפַ֥ל
nâphal
H5307
to fall
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
מִ/נִּבְלָתָ֖/ם
nᵉbêlâh
H5038
carcass
Prep | N-fs | Suff
עָלָ֑י/ו
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep | Suff
טָמֵ֥א
ṭâmêʼ
H2931
unclean
Adj
ה֖וּא
hûwʼ
H1931
he/she/it
Pron
לָ/כֶֽם
Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 11:38
וְ/כִ֤י
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj | Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
יֻתַּן
nâthan
H5414
"to give"
V-Hophal-Imperf-3ms
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon
Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.
מַ֨יִם֙
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
זֶ֔רַע
zeraʻ
H2233
"seed"
N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means seed or offspring, like in Genesis where God promises Abraham many descendants. It can also mean a plant or sowing time, as in Isaiah 55:10. This concept is central to God's plan for humanity.
Definition: : seed/sowing 1) seed, sowing, offspring 1a) a sowing 1b) seed 1c) semen virile 1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children 1e) of moral quality 1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.) 1f) sowing time (by meton)
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time. See also: Genesis 1:11; 1 Samuel 1:11; Psalms 18:51.
וְ/נָפַ֥ל
nâphal
H5307
"to fall"
Conj | V-Qal-3ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Definition: : fall/drop/fail 1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fall 1a2) to fall (of violent death) 1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before 1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of 1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result 1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to 1a7) to lie, lie prostrate 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate 1b2) to overthrow 1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot 1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.) 1b5) to cause to fall 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon 1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself 1d) (Pilel) to fall
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל)), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. See also: Genesis 2:21; 1 Samuel 17:52; Esther 9:3.
מִ/נִּבְלָתָ֖/ם
nᵉbêlâh
H5038
"carcass"
Prep | N-fs | Suff
This Hebrew word refers to a dead body or carcass, whether human or animal, often translated as 'dead body' or 'carcass'. It can also symbolize an idol.
Definition: 1) carcass, corpse 1a) of humans, idols, animals
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: (dead) body, (dead) carcase, dead of itself, which died, (beast) that (which) dieth of itself. See also: Leviticus 5:2; Joshua 8:29; Psalms 79:2.
עָלָ֑י/ו
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
טָמֵ֥א
ṭâmêʼ
H2931
"unclean"
Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be unclean in a spiritual sense, often due to sin or impurity, as seen in Leviticus. It can refer to people, places, or things. The concept is key to understanding biblical purity laws.
Definition: 1) unclean, impure 1a) ethically and religiously 1b) ritually 1c) of places
Usage: Occurs in 78 OT verses. KJV: defiled, [phrase] infamous, polluted(-tion), unclean. See also: Leviticus 5:2; Numbers 9:6; Isaiah 6:5.
ה֖וּא
hûwʼ
H1931
"he/she/it"
Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Definition: pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)
Usage: Occurs in 1693 OT verses. KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. See also: Genesis 2:11; Genesis 32:19; Exodus 21:3.
לָ/כֶֽם
""
Prep | Suff
Study Notes — Leviticus 11:38
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Leviticus 11:38 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 11:38
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 11:38
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
- Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
- Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
- Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 11:38
Context — Clean and Unclean Animals
36Nevertheless, a spring or cistern containing water will remain clean, but one who touches a carcass in it will be unclean.
37If a carcass falls on any seed for sowing, the seed is clean;
38but if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
39If an animal that you may eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening. 40Whoever eats from the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening, and anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.Leviticus 11:38 Summary
Leviticus 11:38 teaches us that if water has been put on seed and then a dead animal falls on it, the seed becomes unclean. This shows how easily things can become contaminated and why God wanted the Israelites to be careful about what they touched and ate, as also seen in Leviticus 11:37. It reminds us that God is a holy God who wants His people to be holy too, as stated in Leviticus 11:44-45. By following God's commands, we can learn to separate ourselves from things that are unclean and seek to live pure lives, just as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:8.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the seed unclean in Leviticus 11:38?
The seed becomes unclean because water has been put on it and then a carcass falls on it, as stated in Leviticus 11:38. This is in contrast to the seed being clean if a carcass falls on it without water, as seen in Leviticus 11:37.
Why is water significant in this verse?
Water is significant in this verse because it likely makes the seed more susceptible to contamination, highlighting the importance of purity in the Israelites' daily lives, as also seen in Leviticus 15:13 where water is used for cleansing.
How does this verse relate to the concept of purity in the Bible?
This verse is part of a larger discussion on purity in Leviticus, emphasizing the distinction between clean and unclean things, which is also a theme in other parts of the Bible, such as in Genesis 7:2 and Ezekiel 22:26.
What is the purpose of these purity laws in the context of the Israelites' lives?
The purpose of these laws was to teach the Israelites about the importance of holiness and separation from uncleanness, as commanded by God in Leviticus 11:44-45, and to foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ, who would ultimately cleanse His people from sin, as seen in Hebrews 10:22.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I can apply the principle of being separate from uncleanness in my own life, based on the teachings of Leviticus 11:38 and other parts of Scripture?
- How can I balance the need for purity with the reality of living in a world filled with impurities, as discussed in Leviticus 11 and other parts of the Bible?
- What does this verse teach me about God's character, particularly in relation to His desire for His people to be holy?
- In what ways can I use the principles from this verse to examine my own heart and actions, and to seek cleansing and purification through Jesus Christ, as taught in 1 John 1:9?
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 11:38
But if [any] water be put upon the seed,.... Either accidentally or on purpose; whether on sowing seed, and with water with which they water the field, as Aben Ezra interprets it; or on seed used for
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 11:38
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
The reason of the difference is, partly because wet seed doth sooner receive and longer retain any pollution; and partly because such seed was not fit to be sown presently; and therefore that necessity which justified the use of the dry seed, which was speedily to be sown, could not be pretended in this case.
Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
Leviticus 11:38 But if [any] water be put upon the seed, and [any part] of their carcase fall thereon, it [shall be] unclean unto you.Ver. 38. It shall be unclean.] And therefore not to be eaten, but given to beasts.
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 11:38
(38) But if any water be put upon the seed.—The case, however, is different when the grain is moistened, because the fluid softens the corn, and thus enables the defilement of the carcase to penetrate into its very fibres. The wet corn therefore is regarded in the same light as porous clay vessels which become saturated with defilement, and must be broken. (Comp. Leviticus 6:28.) By water, according to the rule which obtained during the second Temple, the seven liquids mentioned in Leviticus 11:34 are meant.
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 11:38
37, 38. For the seed which is to be sown, contact with swarming things may be disregarded; but if water be added (i.e. if it is put with water in a vessel for cooking), uncleanness will ensue. A special case comes in Leviticus 11:39-40.