God’s Word Translation
Leviticus 15:16
16“If a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body. He will be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water and be unclean until the evening.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening.
Context of Leviticus 15:16
14On the eighth day he must take two mourning doves or two pigeons and come into the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He will give these birds to the priest. 15The priest will sacrifice one as an offering for sin and the other as a burnt offering. So in the Lord’s presence, the priest will make peace with the Lord for the man who had a discharge. “If a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body. He will be unclean until evening. 17Any clothes or any leather with semen on it must be washed. It will be unclean until evening. 18“When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and has an emission of semen, they must wash themselves. They will be unclean until evening.
Read all of Leviticus 15Leviticus 15:16 word by word
וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־כָּל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if any man’sאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: semenH2233
- of copulationשְׁכָבָהshekâbâh · semenH7902
- go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: issueH3318
- from him, then he shall washרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
- all his fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- in waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- and be uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
- until the evenעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
Cross-references for Leviticus 15:16
- Leviticus 15:5Those who touch his bed must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening.
- Leviticus 22:4“No descendant of Aaron who has a skin disease or a discharge may eat any of the holy offerings until he is clean. Any person who has an emission of semen or touches a dead body,
- Deuteronomy 23:10If one of your men becomes unclean from a nocturnal emission, he must go outside the camp and stay there.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.
- 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you.
- 1 John 1:7But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin.
Commentaries on Leviticus 15:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Most of the ancient religions made a similar recognition of impurity and of the need of purfication. Leviticus 15:17 Every garment - Compare Jude 1:23.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17In the case of an emission of semen, the discharge was not a sign of illness (see study note on Leviticus 15:1–33). But the same rule applied. The man had to wash and was ceremonially unclean until the next evening.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-182. When any man hath a running issue--This chapter describes other forms of uncleanness, the nature of which is sufficiently intelligible in the text without any explanatory comment. Being the effects of licentiousness, they properly come within the notice of the legislator, and the very stringent rules here prescribed, both for the separation of the person diseased and for avoiding contamination from anything connected with him, were well calculated not…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 15:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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