Commentary on Leviticus, Book · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Ver. 1. Verſe 1 AND the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, and to Aaron, ſaying.] For Aaron was particularly concerned to ſee theſe Laws obſerved, as well as the foregoing.
Ver. 2. Verſe 2 Speak unto the Children of Iſrael, and ſay unto them.] Moſes, it is likely, firſt delivered theſe Laws to them, in the preſence of Aaron; who afterward inſtructed and exhorted them to the obſervance of them.
When any man hath a running iſſue.] He ſpeaks of that Diſeaſe, which Phyſicians call a Gonorrhaea: which commonly proceeded from an ill courſe of Life, and had in thoſe Countries a great virulency in it. If it proceeded meerly from ſome ſtrain in the back, by carrying too great a Burden, or by violent leaping (and ſeveral other natural Cauſes, (which Maimonides enumerates in his Mechuſſ. Kapparah, cap. 2.) the Man was not defiled with it, nor concerned in this Law. And therefore the Cauſes from whence it proceeded, were diligently to be conſidered, as Maimonides there admoniſhes; which might be diſcerned by ſuch effects, as made it a very naſty and offenſive Diſeaſe in thoſe hot Countries, as it is ſometimes here in theſe colder Climates.
Out of his fleſh.] The word Fleſh ſignifies the Secret Parts, as it doth VI. 10. XVII Gen. 13. XVI Ezek. 26. and other places.
Becauſe of his iſſue he is unclean.] Upon that account alone he was to be kept from the Sanctuary, and ſeparated from Company. See v. 31.
Ver. 3. Verſe 3 And this ſhall be his uncleanneſs in his iſſue.] The Rule whereby to judge of it.
Whether the fleſh run with his iſſue, or his fleſh be ſtopped from his iſſue, it is his uncleanneſs.] Whether there were a continued diſtillation of the corrupt Matter, or it was ſo coagulated as to ſtop in the paſſage: either way, it made the Man unclean.
Be ſtopped from his iſſue.] Rather, with his iſſue; as the Hebrew words will bear.
Ver. 4. Verſe 4 Every bed whereon he lyeth that bath the iſſue, is unclean: and every thing whereon he ſitteth, &c.] This, and the following Verſes, unto v. 13. are a demonſtration that this Diſeaſe made a Man legally Unclean to a very high degree: being ſo offenſive, that not only every thing he touched became unclean, but whoſoever touched ſuch things, was made unclean alſo. There is little in them, that needs any Explication: the only difficulty was to know, whether a Man laboured under this Diſeaſe. Which was not wholly left unto his Conſcience to determine; but his Countenance diſcovered it: the continual Flux making a great alteration in the whole habit of his Body. For virulent Gonorrhaea's ſometimes laſt ſeveral years, (as Th. Bartholinus ſaith he knew one that had it ten years, and was reduced to skin and bone) being frequently accompanied with Inflamations and Ulcers in the neighbouring parts, from which the filthy Humor flows, Bartholin. Hiſtor. Artatom. Cent. II. Hiſt. XXXVI.
Ver. 5. Verſe 5 And whoſoever toucheth his bed.] Upon which he hath lain.
Shall waſh his clothes, and bathe himſelf in water; and be unclean until the even.] Which was the Law in other Caſes, when Men bad touched an unclean thing, XI. 28.
Ver. 6. Verſe 6 And he that ſitteth on any thing, whereon he ſat that hath the iſſue.] Though he did but juſt ſit down, and did it ignorantly; preſently riſing up aagain as ſoon as he knew his Error; he became defiled, and might not go to the Sanctuary till he was purified, by waſhing his Clothes and himſelf in water.
Ver. 7. Verſe 7 And he that toucheth the fleſh of him that hath the iſſue.] That is, any part of his Body.
Ver. 8. Verſe 8 And if he that hath the iſſue ſpit upon him that is clean, &c.] By the ſame reaſon, if he blowed his Noſe upon him, it defiled him.
Then he ſhall waſh his clothes.] i. e. The Man upon whom the Spittle fell.
Ver. 9. Verſe 9 And what ſaddle ſoever he rideth upon, &c.] By the ſame reaſon that the Seat he ſat upon, was defiled, v. 4.
Ver. 10. Verſe 10 And whoſoever toucheth any thing that was under him, &c.] Either the Saddle, or any thing elſe that was under him when he rode.
And he that beareth any of thoſe things, &c.] Removeth them from one place to another; though it be to carry them out of the way, that others may not be defiled by them unawares.
Ver. 11. Verſe 11 And whomſoever he toucheth that hath the iſſue (and hath not rinſed his hands in water) he ſhall waſh, &c.] It is ſomewhat doubtful, whether theſe words (hath not waſhed his hands in water) belong to him that had the Iſſue; or to him that his hands touched. Moſt underſtand it of the former, That if the Man who had an Iſſue touched any other Man, and had not firſt waſht his hands, that Man whom he touched ſhould be defiled. But the Syriack takes it to refer to the Man that was touched by him, who, if he did not immediately waſh his hands with water, was to be cleanſed after a more laborious manner, by waſhing his Clothes, and bathing himſelf in Water. But I do not ſee how waſhing of his hands could cleanſe him; when the Man that had the Iſſue, touched perhaps ſome other part of his Body.
Ver. 12. Verſe 12 And the veſſel of earth that he toucheth, which hath the iſſue, ſhall be broken, &c.] That it might not be imployed hereafter to any uſe. See XI. 33. VI. 28.
And every veſſel of wood ſhall be rinſed in water.] Such Veſſels were not broken, but only well waſhed, becauſe they were not ſo eaſily made as the other; and were of more value. There are ſo many waſhings preſcribed here, and on other occaſions, that it is reaſonable to believe, there were not only at Jeruſalem, and in all other Cities, but in every Village, ſeveral bathing places contrived, for theſe Legal Purifications; that Men might without much labour be capable to fulfil theſe Precepts. And one cannot but think, that ſuch frequent waſhings were enjoyned, to admoniſh them how carefully they ought to preſerve Purity of Heart and Life.
Ver. 13. Verſe 13 And when he that hath an iſſue is cleanſed of his iſſue.] It having ceaſed for ſome time.
Then he ſhall number to himſelf ſeven days for his cleanſing.] That there might be ſufficient proof made, whether the Iſſue was ſtopt: that is, he was really cured.
And waſh his clothes, and bathe his fleſh.] In the concluſion of the ſeventh day.
In running water.] i. e. Spring-water (as we ſpeak) which was moſt pure. River-water was the ſame which comes from Springs.
And ſhall be clean.] So that he might keep Company with his Neighbours; but not have Communion with God at the Sanctuary, till after the following Sacrifices were offered. For, if in the end of the ſeventh day, after his waſhing, the Flux returned again, all this labour was loſt, and he was to ſtay ſeven days more; as Maimonides obſerves in his Treatiſe on this Subject, cap. 3.
Ver. 14. Verſe 14 And on the eighth day.] If he continued free from the Flux, after his waſhing on the ſeventh day, in the Evening.
He ſhall take to him two turtle doves, or two young pigeons.] Theſe were the Sacrifices appointed for the meaner ſort of People, who were not able to be at the charge of a Lamb, or other Sacrifices of the Flock or Herd, V. 7. XII. 8. And perhaps the great trouble the Man had endured, and given others while he laboured under this Diſeaſe, might be conſidered ſo far, as to put him to as little charge as might be, for his Purification.
And come before the LORD, unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.] But not into the Court of the Iſraelites, till his Sacrifices were offered.
Ver. 15. Verſe 15 And the Priest ſhall offer them, the one for a ſin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.] As in the Caſe of a poor Leper, (XIV. 31.) who was bound alſo to offer a Treſpaſs-offering of greater value.
And the Prieſt ſhall make an atonement for him before the LORD, for his iſſue.] Perfectly reſtore him to partake of holy things; of which he was debarred while he had his Iſſue. And here it may be fit to obſerve, That the greater part of all the Legal Defilements, depended upon the Seat or Place of the Divine Majeſty; (as the Author of Sepher Coſri ſpeaks, Pars III. ſect. 49.) whoſe Preſence there made their Country be called the Holy Land, and was the ground of all theſe Injunctions about Cleanlineſs. To which, he thinks, they have no Obligations at this day, now that they live in an unclean Land, (i. e. among us Gentiles) and want the Preſence of the Divine Majeſty among them.
Ver. 16. Verſe 16 And if any mans ſeed of copulation.] Though the holy Writers ſpeak very plainly of ſome things, that we think it not ſo modeſt to name in that manner; yet it is obſervable on the other hand, that in things of the ſame nature, they uſe Circumlocutions to expreſs them, which we ſtick not to ſpeak of in blunter words. As when they ſay, The water of the feet, meaning Urin; and call going to Stool, Ʋncovering of the feet: which ſhows that it is nothing but the vaſt difference of Times, and Places, which makes that Language ſeem uncivil to us, that was not ſo to them; and on the contrary, made them very cautious in their Expreſſions, where we think it unneceſſary.
Go out from him.] Involuntarily; in his ſleep, or otherwiſe: which the Hebrews call keri, i. e. accidental.
Then he ſhall waſh all his fleſh with water, and be unclean until the even.] This was one of the ſmalleſt Legal Pollutions, from which they were ſoon cleanſed without any Sacrifice. And which ſome of them think did not oblige them to waſh, unleſs they intended to go to the Sanctuary. But though that Opinion be true, yet this Rite had ſuch a reſpect to the Sanctuary, that now they have none, they do not think themſelves bound to uſe it on ſuch occaſions.
Ver. 17. Verſe 17 And every garment, and every skin, &c.] Theſe things were made ſo unclean by ſuch Accidents, that they might not be uſed the next day; nor till they were waſhed.
Ver. 18. Verſe 18 The woman alſo with whom man ſhall lie, with ſeed of copulation.] It is no wonder the holy Writers ſpeak ſo plainly of theſe Matters; being Men of great ſimplicity, free from all wantonneſs, commonly far advanced in years; among whom Marriage, and a numerous Iſſue, were accounted the greateſt Bleſſings; and therefore coveted by all, and renounced by none.
They ſhall both bathe themſelves in water, &c.] There is no ſort of Pollution in the act of Marriage, which is of God's own Inſtitution, but what this Law made: and the Law made it, as Theodoret thinks, that the trouble of ſuch conſtant Purification after it, might preſerve them from the immoderate uſe of it. So thoſe words of his ſignifie, foreign, Quaeſt. XX. in Levit.
Ver. 19. Verſe 19 And if a woman have an iſſue, and her iſſue in her fleſh be blood.] In the Hebrew the words run much clearer; And a woman when ſhe ſhall have an iſſue of blood, and her iſſue be in her fleſh. The latter part of which are added, to diſtinguiſh this from bleeding at the Noſe, or from the Haemorroids, (which did not pollute any body) For the word Fleſh here ſignifies, as it doth v. 2.
She ſhall be put apart ſeven days.] From her Husband, and from the Sanctuary: to which theſe ſorts of Uncleanneſs have a peculiar reſpect, as I before noted. And Maimonides here, not unfitly, obſerves, That whereas the Zabij accounted a Man polluted if he did but ſpeak with a menſtruous Woman, or if the Wind, which came from the quarter where ſhe was, blew upon him; God only required her not to meddle with Holy Things, nor to approach to the Sanctuary. Otherwiſe, ſhe might eat all manner of common Meat, and perform all Domeſtick Offices for her Husband, as formerly; only not lie with him while ſhe remained in this condition. So he explains this More Nevoch. P. III. cap. 47.
And whoſoever toucheth her, ſhall be unclean until the even.] If they were grown Perſons, as Menochius well obſerves; for Infants were excepted from this Pollution, by their Age, and the Neceſſities of Nature. The ſame is obſerved by Maimonides, in the Chapter fore-named; That the more frequent any of theſe Uncleanneſſes were, the greater and longer Purifications were required. As touching of a dead Body, eſpecially of Friends and Neighbours, being the moſt uſual, it could not be cleanſed but by the Aſhes of the red Heifer, (which were not eaſily had) and not till ſeven days were paſſed. In like manner Fluxes, and menſtruous Pollutions, becauſe they oftner hapned, and were more grievous, than touching the unclean, thoſe therefore that laboured under them, had need of ſeven days Purification; but they that touched them, of one day only, before they became clean.
Ver. 20. Verſe 20 And every thing that ſhe lieth upon in her ſeparation, ſhall be unclean, &c.] The very ſame ſort of Uncleanneſs was contracted in this Caſe, as in the foregoing v. 4, &c. For if we believe ſome Authors, it might not only be properly called her ſickneſs; but ſuch an one as had ſome infection in it (at leaſt ſomething offenſive) in thoſe hot Countries. See Pliny Lib. VII. 5. and L. XXVIII. 2.
Ver. 21. Verſe 21 And whoſoever toucheth her bed, &c.] This and the two following Verſes, contain the very ſame Prohibitions in this Caſe, which were given in the other. See v. 5, 6, &c.
Ver. 24. Verſe 24 If a man lie with her at all.] i. e. Unwittingly, not knowing in what condition ſhe was: for if he did it knowingly, both of them were liable to be cut off, XX. 18.
He ſhall be unclean ſeven days.] As having contracted one of the greateſt ſorts of Uncleanneſs, v. 19. For though this Flux was natural, and beneficial, and therefore could have no ſort of Uncleanneſs in it, but what was made by this Law; yet there was a great reaſon for the keeping Men from the Company of Women in this condition, if Leproſies and ſuch like Diſeaſes were thereby propagated, as Theodoret ſays ſome think; foreign, &c. Eſpecially ſince they were ſo libidinous a People (as he deſcribes them, in words of a very bad ſignification) that it was highly neceſſary to lay ſuch reſtraints upon them; and to make even involuntary Pollutions very penal, that they might learn foreign, that all wilful Uncleanneſſes were far more deteſtable.
Ver. 25. Verſe 25 And if a woman have an iſſue of blood many days, out of the time of her ſeparation, &c.] As before he ſpoke of the natural Courſe of the Blood, ſo here of a Diſeaſe: which Procopius Gazaeus calls malum immedicabile, an incurable Evil. So it ſometimes proved, as appears by the ſtory of the Woman in the Goſpel; whoſe caſe this was, IX Matth. 20.
All the days of the iſſue of her uncleanneſs ſhall be as the days of her ſeparation.] She was to be in the ſame condition with the Woman mentioned v. 19. who was put apart ſeven days; i. e. as long as her Uncleanneſs laſted. Which made the caſe of thoſe that laboured under this Infirmity very lamentable, becauſe it continued in ſome many years.
Ver. 26. Verſe 26 Every bed whereon ſhe lieth all the days of her iſſue, ſhall be unto her as the bed of her ſeparation, &c.] Like the Bed and the Seat of her mentioned v. 20.
Ver. 27. Verſe 27 And whoſoever toucheth theſe things ſhall be unclean, &c.] As in the caſe fore-mentioned v. 21.
Ver. 28. Verſe 28 But if ſhe be cleanſed of her iſſue.] Cured of her Diſeaſe.
Then ſhall ſhe number to her ſelf ſeven days.] For a trial whether it was a perfect Cure or no.
After that.] If there were no return of the Flux.
She ſhall be clean.] So as to be reſtored to common Converſation: but not to the Sanctuary, till the following Oblations were made.
Ver. 29. Verſe 29 And on the eighth day, ſhe ſhall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, &c.] The ſame Sacrifices which were preſcribed in the caſe of a Man, who was cured of an Iſſue, v. 14. And this relates only to the extraordinary Flux, out of or beyond the uſual Courſe of Nature, (v. 25.) for it would have been too burdenſom unto ſome Perſons, if they had been bound to offer thus once a Month.
Ver. 30. Verſe 30 And the Priest ſhall make an atonement for her before the LORD, &c.] See v. 15.
Ver. 31. Verſe 31 Thus ſhall ye ſeparate the Children of Iſrael from their uncleanneſs.] Take care that they ſeparate themſelves; by inſtructing them, when they are under any of the fore-named Impurities, to obſerve the Directions now given. Thus the LXX. and the Vulgar Latin underſtand theſe words.
That they die not in their uncleanneſs.] Leſt I puniſh them with death, if they approach unto my Sanctuary, having any of the fore-mentioned Uncleanneſſes upon them.
When they defile my Tabernacle that is among them.] This ſhows what is meant by Separation and Putting apart, in the foregoing Verſes: which was principally from the Tabernacle, where God dwelt. Out of reſpect to which, and to preſerve their due regard to it (that is, to God himſelf) all theſe Cautions were given, as I obſerved before v. 15. of this Chapter. And ſee Chapt. XII. v. 4. what I noted out of Maimonides, who diſcourſes excellently on this Subject, in his More Nevoch. P. III. cap. 47. where he obſerves, That there could not well be a more notable means contrived to maintain an holy fear and reverence of the Divine Majeſty upon their Minds, than to forbid every Perſon, that was any way polluted, to come unto his Sanctuary. For there were ſo many ſorts of Pollutions, made by the Law, that it was very hard to avoid falling under ſome of them: and conſequently a buſineſs of great care, circumſpection, and labour, to approach, as they ought, into the Divine Preſence. For if a Man eſcaped defilement by a dead body, yet he could not eaſily avoid being defiled by ſome of the eight creeping things, which he might chance to tread upon; or might fall on his Meat, or his Drink: And if he eſcaped theſe, yet he might be defiled involuntarily by the means mentioned here v. 16. or by touching a menſtruous Woman, or one that had a Flux of Blood; or at leaſt by touching their Bed, their Seats, or ſomething belonging to them, &c. All which kept a Man from the Sanctuary; which he could not enter therefore when he pleaſed, but was to ſtay a certain time before he could be admitted to worſhip God there; and not then neither till he had waſhed himſelf. By all which actions, reverence, affection and devotion was preſerved to the Sanctuary; and Men were excited to great humility, which in this was principally regarded.
Ver. 32. Verſe 32 This is the law of him that hath an iſſue, &c.] In this and the next Verſe, he recapitulates the Matter of this Chapter; as he did, in the latter end of the foregoing, ſum up the Contents of that.
Ver. 33. Verſe 33 And of him that hath an iſſue, of the man and of the woman.] Even of the Perſon that hath an iſſue, whether it be Man or Woman, &c.