Apart from foods, childbirth, skin diseases, mold and mildew, were there other ways to become unclean under Mosaic law? Would we call this simple quarantine today? Let’s look at Leviticus 15.
Could a man’s bodily discharge be a cause for concern regarding infection?
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any man has a discharge from his body, he is unclean. This is uncleanness of his discharge: Whether his body secretes the discharge or retains it, he is unclean. All the days that his body secretes or retains anything because of his discharge, he is unclean. Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean.” (Leviticus 15:1-4 HCSB)
What precautions were people to make regarding touching a discharge?
Any person who touches his bed is to wash his garments and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever sits on any object on which the one with the discharge has sat is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever touches the body of someone with a discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever has a discharge and spits on someone who is clean, then he is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:5-8 ISV)
What about anything that the man with the discharge touches?
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. (Leviticus 15:9-12 KJV)
What was to happen when the man with the discharge was healed?
Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water and will become clean. Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before Yahweh to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; and the priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before Yahweh because of his discharge. (Leviticus 15:13-15 LSB)
What was a man to do about any seminal emissions?
Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. As for any garment or any leather on which there is a seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. If a man sleeps with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:16-18 NASB)
How should a woman handle quarantine during her monthly period?
When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening. (Leviticus 15:19-23 NIV)
How should a woman handle quarantine for her menstrual flow if anything unusual happens?
And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:24-27 NKJV)
What should take place once the woman’s bleeding stops?
When the woman’s bleeding stops, she must count off seven days. Then she will be ceremonially clean. On the eighth day she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons and present them to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. The 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. (Leviticus 15:28-30 NLT)
There are many possible reasons for bodily discharges, but are two of the more common reasons seminal emissions and a woman’s monthly?
Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it; and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean. (Leviticus 15:31-33 WEB)
What kind of discharge can make us spiritually unclean?
The food you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean. (Matthew 15:11 CEB)
Apart from foods, childbirth, skin diseases, mold and mildew, were there other ways to become unclean under Mosaic law? Would we call this simple quarantine today? Are we spiritually clean? You decide!
