Leviticus 5:2

Or if a person touches anything unclean—whether the carcass of any unclean wild animal or livestock or crawling creature—even if he is unaware of it, he is unclean and guilty.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The passage records divine instruction delivered to Israel regarding ritual and moral guilt, directly following the previous command about bearing witness.

The words — The Hebrew term תִּגַּע (ti.gaa) translates literally as "it will touch," paired with טָמֵא (ta.me) for "unclean," establishing physical contact as the trigger for defilement.

The thread — This principle of unintentional defilement recurs in Leviticus 5:17, where unaware commandment violation still requires bearing guilt, while the broader category of unclean creatures appears in Deuteronomy 14:8 and Leviticus 11:11.

Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment of guilt even when defilement occurs without conscious awareness, requiring the reader to treat ritual boundaries as binding regardless of intent.

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

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

Cross-references

Leviticus 5:17 If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.
Deuteronomy 14:8 as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.
Leviticus 11:11 They shall be an abomination to you; you must not eat their meat, and you must detest their carcasses.
Leviticus 11:24 These creatures will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,
Numbers 19:11 Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days.
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.
Leviticus 4:13 Now if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly so that they violate any of the LORD’s commandments and incur guilt by doing what is forbidden,
Leviticus 5:4 Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
Leviticus 7:21 If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”
Psalms 19:12 Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.