Bible Strands
Leviticus 15:11
If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord instructs Moses and the Israelites on ritual purity regulations during the wilderness period. The directive addresses direct physical contact between an individual with a bodily discharge and another person.
The words — The Hebrew term זָב (zav) literally means "one discharging," identifying the specific condition triggering the contamination rules. The verb שָטַף (shaṭaf) denotes the required rinsing of hands or utensils with water to address the impurity.
The thread — This contamination protocol parallels the cleansing requirements for contact with unclean objects in Leviticus 15:10 and the washing mandates in Leviticus 15:12. The text establishes a consistent pattern where physical contact with a discharging person transfers ritual uncleanness.
Why it lands — The text requires immediate physical washing and a period of uncleanness until evening for anyone contacted by an unwashed person with a discharge. It demands strict adherence to ritual boundaries without exception for casual contact.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.