Reference

Leviticus 15:11

Pre-Law Clean/Unclean Distinction Symbolic / Spiritual Interpretation Levitical Dietary Law

“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.”

And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

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.

And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Pre-Law Clean/Unclean Distinction

This verse is found within the book of Leviticus, which is part of the Mosaic Law given at Sinai, and therefore describes a clean/unclean distinction *within* the Law, not prior to it.

Symbolic / Spiritual Interpretation

The verse explicitly describes a physical state of ritual impurity ("unclean until the even") and the physical actions required to rectify it ("wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water"). There is no direct textual indication within this verse itself that "unclean" is being used symbolically for spiritual purity or moral holiness. The context of Leviticus 15 is primarily concerned with ritual purity laws related to bodily discharges, which are distinct from moral or spiritual purity in the b

Levitical Dietary Law

This verse deals with ritual impurity from touching a person with a bodily discharge, not with the consumption of food or the classification of animals as clean or unclean for dietary purposes.

Pre-Law Clean/Unclean Distinction

Related Verses

Leviticus 15:27

“And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.”

Leviticus 15:7

“And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.”

Leviticus 15:5

“And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.”

Leviticus 15:10

“And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.”

Leviticus 15:6

“And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.”

Thematic Connections

Pre-Law Clean/Unclean Distinction Symbolic / Spiritual Interpretation Levitical Dietary Law

Private Study Note

Add your own reflections or cross-references for this verse.