Leviticus 15:20
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Laws concerning various bodily discharges, emphasizing that approaching God's holy presence requires ritual purity. Chapters 11-15 address ritual purity, teaching Israel to distinguish clean from unclean. These laws served multiple purposes: promoting health, teaching spiritual lessons about sin's defilement, and separating Israel from pagan practices. Archaeological evidence shows Canaanite worship involved practices Israel's laws explicitly prohibited. Israel received these laws while encamped at Sinai, before entering Canaan. The laws prepared them for life in the promised land, distinguishing them from Canaanite practices and establishing their identity as God's holy nation. The portable tabernacle, central to Levitical worship, accompanied them through wilderness wanderings and eventually found permanent form in Solomon's temple. Ancient texts like the Code of Hammurabi show that law codes were common in the ancient Near East, but biblical law uniquely grounded ethics in God's character rather than merely social convention.
Questions for Reflection
- How can you develop greater spiritual discernment in distinguishing what honors God from what defiles?
- How does this verse point to Christ, and how does that deepen your faith and gratitude?
- What practical steps can you take this week to apply the principles taught in this verse?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
This verse falls within the section on Bodily Discharges. Laws concerning various bodily discharges, emphasizing that approaching God's holy presence requires ritual purity.
Ritual purity laws taught Israel to distinguish between clean and unclean, holy and common, training them in discernment and reverence for God's presence.
The New Testament reveals that Christ's sacrifice accomplishes what the Levitical system could only symbolize—complete forgiveness and restoration of relationship with God.