Leviticus 15:24

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Leviticus 15:24 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Leviticus 15:24 — American Standard Version

Context — Leviticus 15

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
24And 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.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And if any man lie with her at all, etc.] Not presumptuously but ignorantly, as Aben Ezra observes; for he was guilty of cutting off, that lay with her wilfully, (<032018>Leviticus 20:18); and her flowers be upon her; or, “her separation” f535, her monthly courses not being ceased: he shall be unclean seven days; and be excluded from all conversation civil and religious: and all the bed whereon she lieth shall be unclean; that and every thing upon it; and this uncleanness also lasted seven days, as Aben Ezra notes, and defiled others, though it is not written.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“This must refer to an unexpected occurrence. Intercourse during the acknowledged period was a heavy crime, and was to be punished by “cutting off” Leviticus 18:19; Leviticus 20:18; Ezekiel 18:6. return to 'Top of Page'”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Seven days - If he did this ignorantly; but if the man and woman did this knowingly, being accused and convicted, they were punished with death, Lev 20:18, for as there was a turpitude in the action, so it was very prejudicial to the children then begotten, who were commonly weak, or leprous; which was also an injury to the commonwealth of Israel, and redounded to the dishonour of God and of the true religion, that the professors thereof gave such public evidence of their intemperance. Leviticus 15:28”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“15:24 Sexual intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period will later be forbidden and given a harsh penalty (18:19). This verse probably describes a case in which the woman’s menstrual flow went unnoticed when the sexual activity began or in which the woman’s period began during intercourse. The regulations required the man who came into contact with her blood to share the woman’s seven-day quarantine.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Lev 15:33, Lev 20:18; Eze 18:6, Eze 22:10; Th1 5:22; Heb 13:4; Pe1 2:11 Leviticus 15:25”
Read attributed excerpt →
Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“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 Lev 20:18 and Num 5:13 (cf. Gen 26:10; Gen 34:2; Gen 35:22; Sa1 2:22). It cannot be adduced as an objection to this explanation, which is the only admissible one, that according to 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 Lev 20:18 refers partly to conjugal intercourse during the hemorrhage of a woman after child-birth, as the…”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Sources and verification