“‘Every bed whereon he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean.
Parallel translations
- KJV Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
- BSB Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean.
- NKJV Every bed is unclean on which he who has the discharge lies, and everything on which he sits shall be unclean.
- NASB Every bed on which the man with the discharge lies becomes unclean, and everything on which he sits becomes unclean.
- NLT Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies and anything on which he sits will be ceremonially unclean.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Whatever the unclean man lies or sits on becomes unclean. Impurity spreads by contact to the objects he uses.
Overview
This verse shows that ceremonial uncleanness is transferable, passing to beds and seats the afflicted man touches. The principle taught Israel that defilement spreads readily, unlike holiness, which must be carefully imparted. It illustrates the contagious nature of sin's corruption and the need for a cleansing powerful enough to reverse it, found in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Eph 5:11Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
- 1 Cor 15:33Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
- Titus 1:15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 15:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.