Leviticus 15:16

15:1-33 Laws concerning ceremonial uncleanness. - We need not be curious in explaining these laws; but have reason to be thankful that we need fear no defilement, except that of sin, nor need ceremonial and burdensome purifications. These laws remind us that God sees all things, even those which escape the notice of men. The great gospel duties of faith and repentance are here signified, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for our justification, and his grace for our sanctification.

And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him,.... Not in lawful cohabitation, nor voluntarily, but involuntarily, as Aben Ezra observes; not through any disorder, which came by an accident, or in any criminal way, but through a dream, or any lustful imagination; what is commonly called nocturnal pollution (c): then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even; and so the Egyptian priests, when it happened that they were defiled by a dream, they immediately purified themselves in a laver (d) so the Jewish priests did when the like happened to them asleep in the temple (e); see Deuteronomy 23:10. (c) "----& noctem flumine purgas." Pers. Satyr. 2.((d) Chaeremon. apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia, l. 4. c. 7. (e) Misn. Tamid. c. 1. sect. 1.

Leviticus 15:16-18 . And be unclean until the even — So as that they should not dare to approach the sanctuary for that day; until even — That is, till next day began. This law served both to preserve a due regard to natural purity, and to restrain the immoderate use of the marriage-bed.

Go out from him; not through weakness of the parts, as that Leviticus 15:3 ; but in his sleep, which is called nightly pollution , which, though involuntary, might arise from some lustful dream or imagination. But if it was voluntary, and by a man’s own procurement when awake, it was esteemed abominable, and a degree of murder. See Genesis 38:9 .

13, 14. then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing—Like a leprous person he underwent a week's probation, to make sure he was completely healed. Then with the sacrifices prescribed, the priest made an atonement for him, that is, offered the oblations necessary for the removal of his ceremonial defilement, as well as the typical pardon of his sins.

(16) And if any man’s seed. —The second case, discussed in this and the following verses, is that of an involuntary emission, as in Deuteronomy 23:10 . The man who sustained it had simply to immerse his whole body in water the following morning, and remain unclean till sundown. Similar rites were performed by the ancients under the same circumstances. Thus the Egyptian priests when they were defiled by a dream purified themselves by bathing their bodies; and, according to the directions of the Koran, any faithful Mahommedan who meets with such an accident must not perform his prayers till he has gone through the prescribed oblation. ( Koran, 4:4 6. )

[Bible] 15:4. Every bed on which he sleepeth, shall be unclean, and every place on which he sitteth. 15:5. If any man touch his bed, he shall wash his clothes and being washed with water, he shall be unclean until the evening. 15:6. If a man sit where that man hath sitten, he also shall wash his clothes: and being washed with water, shall be unclean until the evening. 15:7. He that toucheth his flesh, shall wash his clothes: and being himself washed with water shall be unclean until the evening. 15:8. If such a man cast his spittle upon him that is clean, he shall wash his clothes: and being washed with water, he shall be unclean until the evening. 15:9. The saddle on which he hath sitten shall be unclean. 15:10. And whatsoever has been under him that hath the issue of seed, shall be unclean until the evening. He that carrieth any of these things, shall wash his clothes: and being washed with water, he shall be unclean until the evening. 15:11. Every person whom such a one shall touch, not having washed his hands before, shall wash his clothes: and being washed with water, shall be unclean until the evening. 15:12. If he touch a vessel of earth, it shall be broken: but if a vessel of wood, it shall be washed with water. 15:13. If he who suffereth this disease be healed, he shall number seven days after his cleansing: and having washed his clothes, and all his body in living water, he shall be clean. 15:14. And on the eighth day he shall take two turtles, or two young pigeons, and he shall come before the Lord, to the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and shall give them to the priest. 15:15. Who shall offer one for sin, and the other for a holocaust: and he shall pray for him before the Lord, that he may be cleansed of the issue of his seed. 15:16. The man from whom the seed of copulation goeth out, shall wash all his body with water: and he shall be unclean until the evening.