Leviticus 15

Laws touching the seed of men, running, either through weakness and disease, v. 1, etc. or, in their sleep, 16, 17, 18. and of the women their monthly courses, either ordinarily, 19. or, extraordinarily, 25. together with their cleansing, 29. and an exhortation to cleanness, 31. whereupon followeth the Conclusion of the Chapter, 32.

1. Moreover the LORD spoke to Moseh and to Aaron, saying:

2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say to them: Every man, [Heb. man, man, which repetition implieth all men, or every one. Thus Exodus 36:4. and below chapter 17, 3, 8, 10, & c.] when he shall be running (or, issuing , flowing) out of his flesh, [thus the Scripture modestly calleth the man’s privy part, as likewise above chapter 12 verse 3. Ezekiel 16:26. and 23. 20. and here in the next verse] shall be unclean for his running.

3. This now shall be his uncleanness for his running: if his flesh run forth his running, [viz. through weakness and natural infirmity, which the Physitians call Gonorrhea] or his flesh doth stop it self of his running, that is his uncleanness.

4. Every couch (or, lying place) whereon he that hath the running, shall lie, shall be unclean: and every stuff [or, Vessel. The Hebrew word signifieth here all manner of house-hold stuff, furniture, vessels, garments, utensils, moveable goods, so below verse 6, and 22.] whereon he shall sit, shall be clean.

5. Every one likewise that shall touch his couch, shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and shall be unclean until the evening.

6. And he that sitteth upon that stuff, whereon he that hath the running, shall have sat, shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and shall be unclean until the Even.

7. And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the running, [i.e. any part of his body, saving the hands, they being washed , see below verse 11.] shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

8. Likewise, when he that hath the running, shall have spit upon a clean one, then shall he [viz. that is spit upon] wash his clothes, and shall bath himself with water, and be unclean until the Even.

9. Also every saddle (understand hereby all manner of furniture, cushions, seats, & c. whereon men use to sit] whereon he shall have ridden [whether on horse-back, or any otherwise; for the Hebrew word signifieth not only to ride upon a horse, or other beast, as Genesis 24:61. Numbers 22:22. but likewise upon Waggons and Chariots & c. 2 Chron. 35. ver. 24. Jeremiah 17:25.] shall be unclean:

10. And whosoever toucheth anything that shall have been under him, shall be unclean until the even, and he that beareth the same, shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

11. Besides, every one, whom he that hath the running, shall have touched, not having rinsed his hands with water, the same shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

12. The earthen vessel likewise, which he that hath the running, shall have touched, shall be broken: but every wooden vessel shall be rinsed with water.

13. Now when he that hath the running, shall be cleansed of his running, [i.e. when his running shall have ceased] then shall he for his cleansing [Understand, for the Ceremonies which the Law required that he might be reputed clean again] number seven days for himself, [see Numbers 19:11, & c.] and wash his clothes; and he shall bath his flesh with living water, [see above chapter 14. on verse 5.] so he shall be clean.

14. And on the eight day, he shall take for himself two Turtle-doves, or two young Pigeons; [Heb. two sons of a dove, and so below verse 29.] and shall come before the face of the LORD, at the door of the Tent of the Congregation, and shall give them to the Priest.

15. And the Priest shall prepare the same, one for a sin-offering, and one for a burnt-offering: so the Priest shall make expiation over him before the face of the LORD, by reason of his running.

16. Moreover a man, when the seed of copulation shall be gone forth from him, [viz. in his sleep; for here is described another sort of uncleanness, besides that which proceeded from bodily weakness] he shall bath all his flesh with water, and be unclean until the even.

17. Also every garment, and every skin, on which the seed of copulation shall be, the same shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

18. Likewise the woman, [viz. shall be unclean] when a man shall have lain by her with the seed of copulation: [Understand here, such a man, as had the aforesaid infirmity upon him, or who was polluted in his sleep] therefore they shall bath themselves with water, and be unclean until the even.

19. But when a woman shall be running, her issue of blood being in her flesh, then she shall be seven days in her separation, [See above chapter 12. on verse 2.] and whosoever toucheth her, shall be unclean until the even.

20. And whatsoever she shall have lain upon in her separation, the same shall be unclean; together with whatsoever she shall have sat upon, shall be unclean.

21. And whatsoever toucheth her couch (or, lying place); shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

22. Also whosoever toucheth any stuff, [See above on verse 4.] whereon she shall have sat, shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

23. Yea, if it shall have been upon the couch, or upon the stuff whereon she sat, [viz. any stuff, vessel, furniture or moveable goods, that lay upon her bed, couch or upon anything that was thereupon] when he touched the same, he shall be unclean until the even.

24. Likewise if any have surely lain [Heb. lying, lain] by her, [she having her course upon her, though without his knowledge; for wittingly and willingly to lie with a menstruous woman, was forbidden on pain of death, below chapter 20. verse 18.] that her separation [i.e. her monthly course, so called, because that during the same, she was separated from the society of men] be upon him, [i.e. that he be defiled with her monthly issue] then he shall be seven days unclean; besides every couch, [or, lying place] whereon he shall have lain, shall be unclean.

25. Also when a woman shall run many days of the course of her blood, without the time of her separation. [Understand, without the ordinary time of her course] or when she shall run, above her separation, [i.e. longer than she was used to do] she shall be unclean all the days of the course of her uncleanness, as in the days of her separation.

26. Every couch, whereon she shall have lain all the days of her courses, shall be unto her, as the couch of her separation: and all (the) stuff, whereon she shall have sat, shall be unclean, according to the uncleanness of her separation.

27. And so he that toucheth those things, shall be unclean: therefore he shall wash his clothes, and bath himself with water, and be unclean until the even.

28. But when she becometh clean of her course, [i.e. when it ceaseth] then she shall tell seven days for herself, and after that she shall be clean.

29. And on the eight day, she shall take for her self two Turtle-doves, or two young Pigeons: and she shall bring them to the Priest, at the door of the Tent of the Congregation.

30. Then the Priest shall prepare one for a sin-offering, and one for a burnt-offering: and the Priest shall make expiation for her from the course of her uncleanness, before the face of the LORD.

31. Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, that they die not in their uncleanness, [i.e. by reason thereof] when they should pollute my Tabernacle, which is in the midst of them.

32. This is the Law of him that hath the running, and from whom the seed of copulation issueth forth, so that thereby he becometh unclean.

33. Together with a weak woman in her separation, and of him that is running of his issue, for a man, and for a wife; and for a man that shall have lain by an unclean (woman).