New Living Translation
Leviticus 15:31
31“This is how you will guard the people of Israel from ceremonial uncleanness. Otherwise they would die, for their impurity would defile my Tabernacle that stands among them.
Leviticus 15:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘You must 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.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst."
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them.
Context of Leviticus 15:31
29On the eighth day she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons and present them to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 30The priest will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify her before the Lord for the ceremonial impurity caused by her bleeding. “This is how you will guard the people of Israel from ceremonial uncleanness. Otherwise they would die, for their impurity would defile my Tabernacle that stands among them. 32These are the instructions for dealing with anyone who has a bodily discharge—a man who is unclean because of an emission of semen 33or a woman during her menstrual period. It applies to any man or woman who has a bodily discharge, and to a man who has sexual intercourse with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.”
Read all of Leviticus 15Leviticus 15:31 word by word
וְהִזַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִטֻּמְאָתָ֑ם וְלֹ֤א יָמֻ֙תוּ֙ בְּטֻמְאָתָ֔ם בְּטַמְּאָ֥ם אֶת־מִשְׁכָּנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּתוֹכָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus shall ye separateנָזַרnâzar · to dedicateH5144
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- from their uncleannessטֻמְאָהţûm'âh · uncleannessH2932
- that they dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- when they defileטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
- my tabernacleמִשְׁכָּןmishkân · tabernacleH4908
- amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
Cross-references for Leviticus 15:31
- Leviticus 11:47By these instructions you will know what is unclean and clean, and which animals may be eaten and which may not be eaten.”
- Leviticus 13:59“These are the instructions for dealing with mildew that contaminates woolen or linen clothing or fabric or anything made of leather. This is how the priest will determine whether these items are ceremonially clean or unclean.”
- Numbers 5:3This command applies to men and women alike. Remove them so they will not defile the camp in which I live among them.”
- Deuteronomy 24:8“In all cases involving serious skin diseases, be careful to follow the instructions of the Levitical priests; obey all the commands I have given them.
- Psalms 66:18If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
- Ezekiel 44:23They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.
- Hebrews 10:29Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.
- Hebrews 12:14Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
- Jude 1:4I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
- Leviticus 19:30“Keep my Sabbath days of rest, and show reverence toward my sanctuary. I am the Lord.
- Leviticus 21:23Yet because of his physical defect, he may not enter the room behind the inner curtain or approach the altar, for this would defile my holy places. I am the Lord who makes them holy.”
- Numbers 19:13All those who touch a dead body and do not purify themselves in the proper way defile the Lord’s Tabernacle, and they will be cut off from the community of Israel. Since the water of purification was not sprinkled on them, their defilement continues.
- Ezekiel 5:11“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will cut you off completely. I will show you no pity at all because you have defiled my Temple with your vile images and detestable sins.
- Ezekiel 23:38Furthermore, they have defiled my Temple and violated my Sabbath day!
- Ezekiel 44:5And the Lord said to me, “Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning the Lord’s Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple’s entrances and exits.
- Daniel 9:27The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”
Commentaries on Leviticus 15:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness - By this separation the cause became less frequent, and the contagion, if it did exist, was prevented from spreading. So pest-houses and fever-wards are constructed for the purpose of separating the infected from the sound; and thus contagion is lessened, and its diffusion prevented. That they die not - That life may be prolonged by these prudential cares; and that he who is morally and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31-33Verses 31-33 This solemn admonition is addressed to Moses and Aaron, see Leviticus 15:1. Leviticus 15:31 My tabernacle - Strictly, “my dwelling-place” משׁכן mı̂shkān as in Leviticus 8:10; Leviticus 17:4; Leviticus 26:11. The word rendered “tabernacle” elsewhere in Leviticus is properly “tent.” See the Exodus 26:1 note.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-33The idea of normal and abnormal, along with the created order, helps interpret these rules (see “Clean, Unclean, and Holy” Theme Note). Bodily discharges, like infections (see study note on Leviticus 13:1–46), were not considered "normal" because they weakened a person's health. This made the person seem incomplete. Whether male (15:1–18) or female (15:19–33), such a person became unclean.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3331-33. Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness--The divine wisdom was manifested in inspiring the Israelites with a profound reverence for holy things; and nothing was more suited to this purpose than to debar from the tabernacle all who were polluted by any kind of uncleanness, ceremonial as well as natural, mental as well as physical. The better to mark out that people as His family, His servants and priests, dwelling in the…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 15:31
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
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