Leviticus 15:17

Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God delivers this directive to Moses and the Israelite assembly through the priestly code, regulating ceremonial purity within the wilderness camp.

The words — בֶּגֶד (beged) denotes a woven garment, while עוֹר (or) specifies tanned hide or leather. שִׁכְבַת (shikhbat) literally means a "laying" and here denotes a seminal emission.

The thread — The identical washing requirement and evening-uncleanness timeline appear in Leviticus 15:16 and Leviticus 15:18, establishing a consistent protocol for bodily fluids.

Why it lands — The text commands immediate washing of contaminated textiles and mandates a fixed period of ceremonial exclusion before ritual restoration.

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

וְכָל־ve./kholand/ every בֶּ֣גֶדBe.gedgarment וְכָל־ve./kholand/ every ע֔וֹרorhide אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which יִהְיֶ֥הyih.Yehit will be עָלָ֖יו'a.La/von/ it שִׁכְבַת־shikh.vat-a laying of זָ֑רַעZa.ra'seed וְכֻבַּ֥סve./khu.Basand/ it will be washed בַּמַּ֖יִםba./Ma.yimwith <the>/ water וְטָמֵ֥אve./ta.Me'and/ it will be unclean עַד־'ad-until הָעָֽרֶב׃ פha./'A.revthe/ evening

King James Version

And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.