Bible Strands
Leviticus 22:6
the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text addresses priests managing sacred offerings after contact with ritual impurity. It establishes a temporal boundary for their ceremonial status before they may resume eating holy food.
The words — נֶפֶשׁ (Ne.fesh) translates to "anyone" or "person," while טָמְאָה (ta.me.'Ah) means "it will be unclean." These terms anchor the verse in a physical contact that triggers a defined state of ritual impurity.
The thread — The pattern of washing and waiting until evening appears in Leviticus 15:5 and Leviticus 11:24. Hebrews 10:22 contrasts this temporary physical cleansing with permanent spiritual purification through faith.
Why it lands — The verse requires readers to recognize that physical contact with impurity demands a specific remedial process before approaching holy things. It establishes a clear boundary between ceremonial defilement and restored participation.
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
The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 15:5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
- Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Leviticus 11:24 These creatures will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,
- Leviticus 16:24 He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people.
- Numbers 19:7 Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening.
- Haggai 2:13 So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.