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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) And if a woman have an issue.—Having legislated for cases in connection with man—as 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 Leviticus 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 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.

Benson Commentary

Leviticus 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.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:1-33 Laws concerning ceremonial uncleanness. - We need not be curious in explaining these laws; but have reason to be thankful that we need fear no defilement, except that of sin, nor need ceremonial and burdensome purifications. These laws remind us that God sees all things, even those which escape the notice of men. The great gospel duties of faith and repentance are here signified, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for our justification, and his grace for our sanctification.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every garment - Compare Jde 1:23.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Le 15:19-33. Uncleanness of Women.

19. if a woman have an issue—Though this, like the leprosy, might be a natural affection, it was anciently considered contagious and entailed a ceremonial defilement which typified a moral impurity. This ceremonial defilement had to be removed by an appointed method of ceremonial expiation, and the neglect of it subjected any one to the guilt of defiling the tabernacle, and to death as the penalty of profane temerity.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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 Leviticus 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.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire 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, Leviticus 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, Leviticus 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.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

As regards women (19–30)

19–24. Normal periodical issues. The uncleanness of these issues is similar to that in the preceding case (cp. Leviticus 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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 19-24. - The fourth case of an issue - that of ordinary menstruation (cf. Leviticus 12:2; Leviticus 20:18). Leviticus 15:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

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 (Leviticus 15:19), everything upon which she lay or sat (Leviticus 15:20), every one who touched her bed or whatever she sat upon (Leviticus 15:21, Leviticus 15:22), also any one who touched the blood upon her bed or seat (Leviticus 15:23, where הוּא and בּו are to be referred to דּם); and they remained unclean till the evening, when they had to wash their clothes and bathe themselves.