Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 15:19
And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
As regards women (19 30)
19 24. Normal periodical issues. The uncleanness of these issues is similar to that in the preceding case (cp. Lev 15:4-11), but no sacrifice is required at the close of the period. For the belief in early religions that in such cases special precautions were needed against maleficent spiritual agencies, see Rob.-Sm. Rel. Sem. 2 447 ff., and Frazer, G.B. 3 , Pt II. pp. 145 ff.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Heb. And a woman, when she shall have an issue of blood, (and because that might be at her nose or other parts, he adds,) and her issue shall be in her flesh, i.e. in her secret parts, as the word flesh is taken Lev 15:2. So it notes her monthly disease. Apart, not out of the camp, as the lepers and some others, but from converse with her husband and others, and from access to the house of God.
Seven days; for sometimes it continues so long, and it was but decent to allow some time for purification after the ceasing of her issue.
Whosoever toucheth her, to wit, of grown persons. For the infant, to whom in that case she might give suck, was exempted from this pollution by the greater law of necessity, and by that antecedent law which required women to give suck to their own children.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. if a woman have an issueThoughthis, like the leprosy, might be a natural affection, it wasanciently considered contagious and entailed a ceremonial defilementwhich typified a moral impurity. This ceremonial defilement had to beremoved by an appointed method of ceremonial expiation, and theneglect of it subjected any one to the guilt of defiling thetabernacle, and to death as the penalty of profane temerity.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if a woman have an issue,…. Having finished, as Aben Ezra observes, what was to be said of the male, now the Scripture begins with the female, whose issue, of a different sort, is thus described:
[and] her issue in her flesh be blood; or, “blood be her issue in her flesh”; not in any part of her, but in that which by an euphemism is so called, in the same sense as the phrase is used of men, Le 15:2; and so it distinguishes it from any flow of blood elsewhere, as a bleeding at the nose, c.
she shall be put apart seven days not out of the camp, nor out of the house, but might not go into the house of God:
whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even; the same as one that had touched a man that had an issue, Le 15:7; the pollution of the one reached to the same things as that of the other; and so, in the Misnah h, they are put together, and the same is ascribed to the touch of the one as of the other; it may be understood of everything as well as of every person.
h Zabim, c. 5. sect. 6, 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The menses of a woman. – “If a woman have an issue, (if) blood is her issue in her flesh, she shall be seven days in her uncleanness.” As the discharge does not last as a rule more than four or five days, the period of seven days was fixed on account of the significance of the number seven. In this condition she rendered every one who touched her unclean (Lev 15:19), everything upon which she lay or sat (Lev 15:20), every one who touched her bed or whatever she sat upon (Lev 15:21, Lev 15:22), also any one who touched the blood upon her bed or seat (Lev 15:23, where and are to be referred to ); and they remained unclean till the evening, when they had to wash their clothes and bathe themselves.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. 24 And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 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. 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness. 31 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. 32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
This is concerning the ceremonial uncleanness which women lay under from their issues, both those that were regular and healthful, and according to the course of nature (v. 19-24), and those that were unseasonable, excessive, and the disease of the body; such was the bloody issue of that poor woman who was suddenly cured by touching the hem of Christ’s garment, after she had lain twelve years under her distemper, and had spent her estate upon physicians and physic in vain. This made the woman that was afflicted with it unclean (v. 25) and every thing she touched unclean, Lev 15:26; Lev 15:27. And if she was cured, and found by seven days’ trial that she was perfectly free from her issue of blood, she was to be cleansed by the offering of two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, to make an atonement for her, Lev 15:28; Lev 15:29. All wicked courses, particularly idolatries, are compared to the uncleanness of a removed woman (Ezek. xxxvi. 17), and, in allusion to this, it is said of Jerusalem (Lam. i. 9), Her filthiness is in her skirts, so that (as it follows, v. 17) she was shunned as a menstruous woman.
I. The reasons given for all these laws (which we are ready to think might very well have been spared) we have, v. 31. 1. Thus shall you separate the children of Israel (for to them only and their servants and proselytes these laws pertained) from their uncleanness; that is, (1.) By these laws they were taught their privilege and honour, that they were purified unto God a peculiar people, and were intended by the holy God for a kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement to them which was not so to others. (2.) They were also taught their duty, which was to preserve the honour of their purity, and to keep themselves from all sinful pollutions. It was easy for them to argue that if those pollutions which were natural, unavoidable, involuntary, their affliction and not their sin, rendered them for the time so odious that they were not fit for communion either with God or man, much more abominable and filthy were they if they sinned against the light and law of nature, by drunkenness, adultery, fraud, and the like sins, which defile the very mind and conscience. And, if these ceremonial pollutions could not be done away but by sacrifice and offering, something greater and much more valuable must be expected and depended upon for the purifying of the soul from the uncleanness of sin. 2. Thus their dying in their uncleanness by the hand of God’s justice, if while they were under any of these defilements they should come near the sanctuary, would be prevented. Note, It is a dangerous thing to die in our uncleanness; and it is our own fault if we do, since we have not only fair warning given us, by God’s law, against those things that will defile us, but also such gracious provision made by his gospel for our cleansing if at any time we be defiled. 3. In all these laws there seems to be a special regard had to the honour of the tabernacle, to which none must approach in their uncleanness, that they defile not my tabernacle. Infinite Wisdom took this course to preserve in the minds of that careless people a continual dread of, and veneration for, the manifestations of God’s glory and presence among them in his sanctuary. Now that the tabernacle of God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed contempt, and therefore the law made so many things of frequent incidence to be ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near to the sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not approach without great caution, and reverence, and serious preparation, and fear of being found unfit. Thus they were taught never to draw near to God but with an awful humble sense of their distance and danger, and an exact observance of every thing that was required in order to their safety and acceptance.
II. And what duty must we learn from all this? 1. Let us bless God that we are not under the yoke of these carnal ordinances, that, as nothing can destroy us, so nothing can defile us, but sin. Those may now partake of the Lord’s supper who durst not then eat of the peace-offerings. And the defilement we contract by our sins of daily infirmity we may be cleansed from in secret by the renewed acts of repentance and faith, without bathing in water or bringing an offering to the door of the tabernacle. 2. Let us carefully abstain from all sin, as defiling to the conscience, and particularly from all fleshly lusts, possessing our vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness, which not only pollute the soul, but war against it, and threaten its ruin. 3. Let us all see how indispensably necessary real holiness is to our future happiness, and get our hearts purified by faith, that we may see God. Perhaps it is in allusion to these laws which forbade the unclean to approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, Who shall stand in God’s holy place? it is answered, He that hath clean hands and a pure heart (Psa 24:3; Psa 24:4); for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 19-24:
The “issue” of this text is that of ordinary menstruation, see Le 20:18. During her monthly menstrual period, a woman was regarded as ceremonially unclean. This does not imply that there is something sinful or morally defiling in the normal physical process of menstruation. The uncleanness associated with this function was likely due to the blood of the menses.
All persons and things with which the woman came in contact during her menstrual period were considered unclean. This uncleanness was purified by the simple act of washing with water; no sacrifice was involved. This implies that there was no moral offense associated with this uncleanness.
Verses 24: “flowers,” niddah, “impurity, separation,” from nada, “flowing.” This is a reference to the menses.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
19. And if a woman have an issue. Women are now spoken of who suffer under a twofold issue of blood; for with almost all it occurs every month, (whence it is called menses, or menstruation,) and some labor under a constant hemorrhage. He declares both to be unclean; and, after menstruation, a certain period of separation is appointed, during which the law prohibited their cohabitation with men; but, if the blood flowed beyond the usual time, the time of purification is postponed until it ceased. Whence it appears, that in every shameful thing the Jews were reminded of their uncleanness, that thus they might be accustomed to modesty and seek after purity. And this still more clearly appears at the end of the chapter, where it is said, (v. 3l,) “Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not — when they defile my tabernacle.” God, I say, briefly sets forth His intention that He would drive away all profanation far from His people; because he desires sincerity to prevail amongst his worshippers, and cannot bear his tabernacle to be polluted by any stain.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE MENSTRUAL PERIOD OF WOMEN 15:1924
TEXT 15:1924
19
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whosover toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
20
And everything that she lieth upon in her impurity shall be unclean: everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
21
And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
22
And whosoever toucheth anything that she sitteth upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
23
And if it be on the bed, or on anything whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
24
And if any man lie with her, and her impurity be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 15:1924
325.
Was there some physical hygienic reason in the regulation of Lev. 15:19?
326.
Name three conditions of uncleanness and how they are cleansed.
327.
Is sexual intercourse forbidden during this time? Discuss.
PARAPHRASE 15:1924
Whenever a woman menstruates, she shall be in a state of ceremonial defilement for seven days afterwards, and during that time anyone touching her shall be defiled until evening. Anything she lies on or sits on during that time shall be defiled. Anyone touching her bed or anything she sits upon shall wash his clothes and bathe himself and be ceremonially defiled until evening. A man having sexual intercourse with her during this time is ceremonially defiled for seven days, and every bed he lies upon shall be defiled.
COMMENT 15:1924
Lev. 15:19-24 The menses of a woman.If a woman have an issue, (if) blood is her issue in her flesh, she shall be seven days in her uncleanness. As the discharge does not last as a rule more than four or five days, the period of seven days was fixed on account of the significance of the number seven. In this condition she rendered every one who touched her unclean (Lev. 15:19), everything upon which she lay or sat (Lev. 15:20), every one who touched her bed or whatever she sat upon (Lev. 15:21-22), also any one who touched the blood upon her bed or seat; and they remained unclean till the evening, when they had to wash their clothes and bathe themselves.Lev. 15:24. If a man lay with her and her uncleanness came upon him, he became unclean for seven days, and the bed upon which he lay became unclean as well. The meaning cannot be merely if he lie upon the same bed with her, but if he have conjugal intercourse, as is evident from chapter Lev. 20:18 and Num. 5:13 (Cf. Gen. 26:10; Gen. 34:2; Gen. 35:22; 1Sa. 2:22). It cannot be adduced as an objection to this explanation, which is the only admissible one, that according to chapter Lev. 18:19 and Lev. 20:18 intercourse with a woman during her menses was an accursed crime, to be punished by extermination. For the law in chapter Lev. 20:18 refers partly to conjugal intercourse during the hemorrhage of a woman after child-birth, as the similarity of the words in chapter Lev. 20:18 and Lev. 12:7 clearly proves, and the case of a man attempting cohabitation with a woman during her menstruation. The verse before us, on the contrary, refers simply to the possibility of menstruation commencing during the act of conjugal intercourse, when the man would be involuntarily defiled through the unexpected uncleanness of the woman.
FACT QUESTIONS 15:1924
349.
Why seven days involved in this purifying?
350.
Do you suppose there was any embarrassment involved in the uncleanness and the purifying?
351.
Some felt that intercourse with a woman during her period was an accursed crime, to be punished by extermination. This is not right. Why not? Discuss.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(19) And if a woman have an issue.Having legislated for cases in connection with manas well as for one case in which both the husband and the wife are concerned, the Law now lays down directions for two cases affecting the woman.
And her issue in her flesh be blood.Better, if her issue, &c. This clause defines the preceding one, stating more minutely what the issue consists of and proceeds from.
She shall be put apart seven days.Though as a rule the discharge ceases after three or four days, yet, as in the first stage after childbirth, the period of uncleanness is extended to seven days to include exceptional cases. (See Lev. 12:2.) To fully appreciate the merciful provisions of the laws here enacted, it is necessary to bear in mind not only the gross superstitions which obtained among the ancients about women in this condition, but the cruel treatment to which wives and daughters were subjected, and in some countries both in the Old and New Worlds still are subjected. It was believed that if a woman in this condition sat under a tree, all its fruit fell off; at her approach the edge of a tool became blunted, and copper utensils contracted a fetid smell, and meat got sour, and a thousand other things. Hence the Parsees not only isolated her from the rest of the family, but forbade her speaking to any one, and those who took food to her in her seclusion had to put it at some distance from her. The Zabii purified with fire every place which she trod. Even if the wind which came from the quarter where she was blew upon any one, he became polluted. To this day the negroes in Issing, the Calmucks, and many others, have special houses for them outside each town and village; and at the River La Plata they are sewn into hammocks, with only a small aperture for the mouth, till they are well again. To restrain the Jews from sharing these superstitions, and from resorting to any of these inhuman acts, as well as for sanitary purposes, the Lawgiver ordained these benign and necessary rules.
Whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean.Like other unclean persons, she defiled by being touched. Though not expressed here, it is implied that he who contracted this defilement had both to wash his garments and bathe his body as usual.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE UNCLEANNESS OF WOMEN IN THEIR ISSUES, Lev 15:19-33.
The separation of the woman during the menstrual period is so obviously a sanitary requirement that the custom was not confined to the Hebrews.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19. Seven days This is sufficient to cover the ordinary period of physical impurity. It is worthy of note that no ceremonial cleansing or atonement is required at the expiration of this normal uncleanness, as there is after the healing of an abnormal issue. See Lev 15:25; Lev 15:30.
Toucheth This word is used in its common signification, and not in the Pauline sense, (1Co 7:1,) which is treated of in Lev 15:24, and especially in Lev 20:18, where the penalty of excision is attached.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A Woman’s Menstruation ( Lev 15:19-24 ).
The next aspect of uncleanness is a woman’s menstrual period. We can imagine how strange and even alarming this monthly flow of blood would have seemed to be in ancient times. But at least in Israel they could connect it with the fall of man. It would seem like a flowing out of life, and a period when the woman was losing some of her wholeness. It was thus a time of ‘uncleanness’, a coming short of God’s perfections. Furthermore to come in contact with the blood would be to come in contact with the woman’s life force, and God wanted it to be known that this was disapproved of. That is the second reason why the blood was therefore declared ‘unclean’.
Lev 15:19
“And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.”
When a woman is having her monthly period and blood flows she is to be seen as ‘in her impurity’ for seven days. Thus anyone who touches her becomes unclean until the evening. This would, at least to some extent, result in her not being pressed into work among others who might be affected by becoming unclean, and would protect her from the attentions of her husband. It would also assist with the problem of protecting herself against the problem of losing blood and how to cope with it.
Lev 15:20
“And everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean.”
Whatever she lies on or sits on becomes unclean. It is feasible that this law may well be the carrying on of an old custom. Rachel may well have made use of it to ensure that Laban did not examine her saddle. If this was the custom then within the Terah tribes he would not want to be rendered ‘unclean’, See Gen 31:34-45.
Lev 15:21-22
“And whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.”
Thus anyone who touches her bed and anything she sits on becomes unclean. Those who touch either must wash their clothes, wash themselves thoroughly with water, and be unclean until the evening. The very nuisance of this would form an envelope of protection around the woman.
Lev 15:23
“And if it be on the bed, or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening.”
Also to touch any blood that falls on the bed or on a seat will mean to be rendered ‘unclean’ until the evening.
Lev 15:24
“And if any man lie with her, and her impurity be on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.”
To lie with a woman so that her blood comes on him will render a man unclean for seven days, and this will result in any bed on which he lies becoming unclean. This would seem to refer to a situation which is ‘unwitting’, for Lev 20:18 makes a deliberate lying with a menstruous woman a ground for being ‘cut off’, and Ezekiel lists it as a sin parallel to idolatry and adultery (Eze 18:6; Eze 22:10).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
In the Case of Women
v. 19. And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, v. 20. And everything that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean; everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean; v. 21. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even, v. 22. And whosoever toucheth anything that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
v. 23. And if it, v. 24. And if any man lie with her at all, v. 25. And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, v. 26. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation; and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
v. 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.
v. 28. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself Seven days, v. 13. and after that she shall be clean.
v. 29. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, v. 30. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord For the issue of her uncleanness. v. 31. Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, v. 32. This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him and is defiled therewith, v. 33. and of her that is sick of her flowers,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
What was before appointed respecting the pollutions of men, is here equally appointed to women: teaching us thereby, the universal taint of evil, which attaches itself to both sexes, and concludes all under sin. Believers in JESUS, can better feel, than any for them can point out, what self-loathings, and abhorrence, arise at times, in the soul of a truly regenerated follower of the LAMB, under a sense of this body of sin and death, we carry about with us. As Paul groaned being burthened with it; so do they. Happy the person, whether man or woman, that hath grace to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; and not in the lust of concupiscence; 1Th 4:4 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and her issue: Lev 12:2, Lev 12:4, Lev 20:18, Lam 1:8, Lam 1:9, Lam 1:17, Eze 36:17, Mat 15:19, Mar 5:25
put apart: Heb. in her separation
Reciprocal: Gen 18:11 – the Gen 31:35 – custom Lev 15:25 – General Lev 15:33 – of her Lev 18:19 – General Lev 22:5 – or a man 1Sa 20:26 – he is not clean 2Sa 11:4 – purified
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 15:19. She shall be put apart Not out of the camp, but from converse with her husband and others, and from access to the house of God. Seven days During the time of her infirmity, which might perhaps continue so long, and it was decent to allow time for her purification after the ceasing of her issue. Whosoever toucheth her Of grown persons; for the infant, to whom in that case she might give suck, was exempted from this pollution by the greater law of necessity, and by that antecedent law, which required women to give suck to their own children.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 15:19-24. Here the ceremonial has become almost identical with what would now be considered the hygienic. The prescriptions for infected persons are the same as those in Lev 15:1-15. Lev 15:24 conveys a very salutary caution: contrast Lev 20:18the two cases, however, may not be the same. The impurity is held to disappear of itself after an interval of a week from its beginning.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
The third case deals with the woman’s menstrual cycle (cf. 2Sa 11:4).
"By placing the woman in what amounted to a state of isolation, the legislation made it possible for her to enjoy some respite from her normal duties, and gave her an opportunity of renewing her energy." [Note: Harrison, p. 164.]
This law appears very harsh to the modern reader. It appears to consign virtually every woman in Israel to a state of being untouchable for one week each month. Some authorities, however, believe that women in ancient Israel had menstrual periods far less frequently than modern women. They believe that earlier marriage, later weaning (up to the age of two or three), and the prevalence of large families made these unclean periods far more infrequent. [Note: Wenham, The Book . . ., p. 224.] Those most affected by this law were probably unmarried teenage girls. The result would have been that God-fearing young men would have been wary of making physical contact with them. This law then would have had the effect of curbing the passions of the young.