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Leviticus 22:4

What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

Leviticus 22:4 · King James Version

Meaning

This verse from the book of Leviticus addresses the strict purity regulations for the priests of Israel, who are descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. The verse instructs that if a man of the seed of Aaron is afflicted with leprosy or a running issue, he is not permitted to partake of the holy things until he is cleansed. Additionally, those who come into contact with anything unclean, such as touching a dead body or a man who has a bodily discharge, are also considered impure and are required to undergo ritual cleansing before participating in sacred activities. These regulations were put in place to maintain the holiness of the priests and the sanctity of the offerings they presented to the Lord. The essence of this verse reinforces the importance of purity and reverence in the religious practices of the ancient Israelites.

Theological Overview

In this verse, we see a clear delineation of purity laws for those who are descendants of Aaron, the first High Priest in Israel. The text specifies that anyone from the lineage of Aaron who is a leper or has a running issue is not permitted to eat of the holy things until they are clean. This highlights the importance of ritual purity and holiness within the religious practices of the Israelites. Additionally, the verse also addresses the issue of touching anything unclean by the dead or a man whose seed goes from him, emphasizing the need for individuals to maintain a state of cleanliness in order to partake in sacred rites and rituals. The theological interpretation of this verse underscores the significance of purity and consecration in approaching the divine and participating in religious ceremonies.

Leviticus 22:4 in other translations

American Standard Version

What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

World English Bible

“‘Whoever of the seed of Aaron is a leper or has an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goes from him;

Douay-Rheims

The man of the seed of Aaron, that is a leper, or that suffereth a running of the seed, shall not eat of those things that are sanctified to me, until he be healed. He that toucheth any thing unclean by occasion of the dead: and he whose seed goeth from him as in generation:

Geneva Bible (1599)

Whosoeuer also of the seede of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue, he shall not eate of the holy things vntill he be cleane: and who so toucheth any that is vncleane, by reason of the dead, or a man whose issue of seede runneth from him,