What are the bodily discharges mentioned in Leviticus 15, and why did they make a person unclean?

Answer

Leviticus 15 contains rules for the Israelites under the Mosaic Law concerning various bodily discharges. The end of the chapter sums up: “These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean” (Leviticus 15:32-33).

The four bodily discharges mentioned in Leviticus 15 all rendered a person ceremonially unclean and required cleansing. The discharges are as follows:

1) A running discharge from a man (Leviticus 15:2-15); based on the context, we assume the discharge flows from a man’s sexual organs, although the text speaks only in general terms of “an unusual bodily discharge” «Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. », (Leviticus 15:2).

2) An emission of semen, whether involuntary (Leviticus 15:16-17) or occurring during sexual intercourse «The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even. », (Leviticus 15:18).

3) The monthly period of a woman (Leviticus 15:19-24).

4) An issue of blood from a woman unrelated to menstruation (Leviticus 15:25-30).

These conditions fall into two groups: two of the discharges result from some type of disease or malfunction of the body, and the other two are natural, resulting from normal bodily function, with no hint of pathology.

In every case, cleansing a person after one of these bodily discharges required washing clothes and bathing. However, if the discharge was related to a malady or a chronic condition, the affected person had additional steps to take: he or she had to wait seven days after the end of the discharge and on the eighth day “take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way, he will make atonement . . . before the LORD” (Leviticus 15:29-30). Normal bodily discharges, such as those that occur when a married couple has sex, did not require a sacrifice and did not necessitate a seven-day wait; for a normal discharge, the uncleanness only lasted one day.

Some of the rules concerning bodily discharges obviously helped promote personal hygiene and prevent the spread of disease. However, in Leviticus 15:31, God gives a higher purpose: to “keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.” The tabernacle was a sacred place—the place where the people would meet with God—and the Israelites were to approach God with the utmost veneration and respect. The rules in Leviticus 15 remind the people that they are flesh and God is spirit; that they carry personal pollution even when they do not sin outright; that they are privileged to be set apart by God and invited to His tabernacle; and that what happens in secret is seen by God.

The laws concerning bodily discharges did not concern morality any more than those concerningRegarding diseases of the skin (Leviticus 13) and childbirth (Leviticus 12), there is nothing immoral about a husband and wife engaging in sexual relations or a woman experiencing menstruation. The regulations in Leviticus 15 were concerned with ceremonial cleanliness, not moral purity. However, if someone disregarded the regulations and approached the tabernacle without proper cleansing, it then became a moral issue as it constituted disobedience to God’s explicit command.

Christians are not bound by the Law of Moses, as stated in Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Therefore, they are not obligated to adhere to the law’s strict guidelines regarding bodily discharges. Nevertheless, the principles outlined in Leviticus 15 remain relevant: we honor God; we acknowledge our human nature and God’s spiritual essence, emphasizing the need to worship Him in spirit and truth, as expressed in John 4:24. We recognize our inherent unrighteousness and rely on God’s purification, as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 6:11. We appreciate being chosen and set apart by God to be part of His church, as described in 1 Peter 2:9. Lastly, we understand that God observes all that occurs, even in secret, as affirmed in the Bible.

Find comfort in the words of the Bible: (Psalm 139:12).