Leviticus 5:3 Study Bible: "'Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.

◄ Leviticus 5:3 ►

Or if he touches human uncleanness--anything by which one becomes unclean--even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.

Study Bible

Or if he touches human uncleanness
The phrase "touches human uncleanness" refers to the physical contact with anything considered impure according to the Levitical law. The Hebrew word for "touches" is "נָגַע" (naga), which implies a direct or indirect contact that results in ceremonial impurity. In the ancient Israelite context, "human uncleanness" could include a variety of conditions such as bodily discharges or contact with a corpse. This reflects the broader biblical theme of holiness and the separation from impurity, emphasizing the need for the Israelites to maintain a state of ritual purity to approach God.

anything that makes him unclean
The term "anything" underscores the comprehensive nature of the laws regarding purity. The Hebrew word "כָּל" (kol) means "all" or "every," indicating that no form of impurity is too minor to be considered. This highlights the meticulous nature of the Levitical laws and the importance of being vigilant about one's state of purity. The phrase "makes him unclean" uses the Hebrew "טָמֵא" (tame), which means to be ceremonially impure. This impurity is not necessarily moral but ritual, affecting one's ability to participate in communal worship and requiring specific rites for purification.

without being aware of it
This phrase addresses the unintentional nature of the impurity. The Hebrew "וְנֶעְלַם" (vene'lam) suggests something hidden or concealed, indicating that the individual was unaware of the impurity at the time of contact. This aspect of the law shows God's understanding of human limitations and the provision for unintentional sins. It underscores the importance of awareness and self-examination in maintaining holiness, as well as the grace extended for sins committed in ignorance.

but later he realizes it
The realization of impurity is a critical moment in the process of atonement. The Hebrew "וְהוּא יָדַע" (vehu yada) implies coming to knowledge or understanding. This realization is a call to action, prompting the individual to seek purification. It reflects the biblical principle that awareness of sin requires a response, often involving confession and restitution. This process is a precursor to the New Testament concept of repentance, where acknowledgment of sin leads to seeking forgiveness.

he is guilty
The declaration "he is guilty" uses the Hebrew "אָשֵׁם" (asham), which means to bear guilt or be liable. This guilt is not merely a feeling but a legal status requiring rectification through prescribed offerings. In the Levitical system, guilt necessitated a sin offering to restore the individual's standing before God. This underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and impurity, as well as the provision He makes for reconciliation. It points forward to the ultimate atonement provided by Christ, who fulfills the law's requirements and offers cleansing from all sin.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God on Mount Sinai and communicated them to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The recipients of the Levitical laws, who were called to live in holiness and obedience to God.

3. Tabernacle
The central place of worship for the Israelites, where the laws of cleanliness and sacrifices were particularly relevant.

4. Priests
The mediators between God and the Israelites, responsible for teaching the laws and performing the sacrifices.

5. Human Uncleanness
Refers to various conditions or actions that rendered a person ceremonially unclean according to the Levitical law.

Teaching Points

Understanding Uncleanness
The concept of uncleanness in Leviticus is not just about physical dirt but represents a spiritual state that separates individuals from God. Recognizing our own "uncleanness" is the first step toward seeking God's forgiveness and purification.

Awareness and Responsibility
The verse highlights the importance of awareness in our spiritual walk. Once we become aware of our sin or uncleanness, we are responsible for addressing it. This calls for a sensitive conscience and a willingness to repent.

The Role of Confession
Confession is a crucial step in the process of purification. Just as the Israelites had to acknowledge their uncleanness, we too must confess our sins to receive God's forgiveness.

Holiness in Daily Life
The laws of cleanliness remind us that holiness should permeate every aspect of our lives. We are called to live in a way that reflects God's purity and righteousness.

Christ's Fulfillment of the Law
Jesus Christ fulfills the law's requirements for purity and offers us a way to be truly clean before God. Our faith in Him allows us to live in the freedom of His grace while striving for holiness.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the concept of uncleanness in Leviticus 5:3 relate to our understanding of sin today?

2. In what ways can we become more aware of our own spiritual uncleanness, and how should we respond when we recognize it?

3. How do the purification rituals in Leviticus point to the work of Christ in the New Testament?

4. What practical steps can we take to maintain holiness in our daily lives, according to the principles found in Leviticus?

5. How does the teaching of Jesus in Mark 7:14-23 expand our understanding of what it means to be clean or unclean before God?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Leviticus 11-15
These chapters provide detailed laws on cleanliness and uncleanness, offering a broader context for understanding the specific reference in Leviticus 5:3.

Numbers 19
Discusses the purification process for those who become unclean, highlighting the importance of ritual purity.

Isaiah 6:5
Isaiah's recognition of his own uncleanness before God, illustrating the spiritual significance of purity.

Mark 7:14-23
Jesus' teaching on what truly defiles a person, connecting the concept of uncleanness to the heart rather than external actions alone.

1 John 1:9
The promise of forgiveness and cleansing from sin, emphasizing the New Testament fulfillment of the purification laws.

Sermons

Cases of Concealment of Knowledge and Ceremonial Uncleanness	R.A. Redford	Leviticus 5:1-13
Guilt Removed	S.R. Aldridge	Leviticus 5:1-13
The Trespass Offering	J.A. Macdonald	Leviticus 5:1-13
Shunning the Impure	W. Clarkson	Leviticus 5:2, 3

People

Ephah, Moses

Places

Teman

Topics

Anything, Becomes, Clear, Defiled, Guilty, Hid, Hidden, Human, Knoweth, Learns, Responsible, Sort, Though, Touch, Touches, Touching, Unaware, Unclean, Uncleanness, Unconsciously, Whatever, Whatsoever, Whereby, Wherewith, Withal

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Leviticus 5:1-13

7444 sin offering

Leviticus 5:2-3

5194 touch
7340 clean and unclean

Leviticus 5:2-4

5803 carelessness

Library

An Unalterable Law
EVERYWHERE under the old figurative dispensation, blood was sure to greet your eyes. It was the one most prominent thing under the Jewish economy, scarcely a ceremony was observed without it. You could not enter into any part of the tabernacle, but you saw traces of the blood-sprinkling. Sometimes there were bowls of blood cast at the foot of the altar. The place looked so like a shambles, that to visit it must have been far from attractive to the natural taste, and to delight in it, a man had need …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 60: 1914

List of Abbreviations Used in Reference to Rabbinic Writings Quoted in this Work.
THE Mishnah is always quoted according to Tractate, Chapter (Pereq) and Paragraph (Mishnah), the Chapter being marked in Roman, the paragraph in ordinary Numerals. Thus Ber. ii. 4 means the Mishnic Tractate Berakhoth, second Chapter, fourth Paragraph. The Jerusalem Talmud is distinguished by the abbreviation Jer. before the name of the Tractate. Thus, Jer. Ber. is the Jer. Gemara, or Talmud, of the Tractate Berakhoth. The edition, from which quotations are made, is that commonly used, Krotoschin, …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Sanctification.
VI. Objections answered. I will consider those passages of scripture which are by some supposed to contradict the doctrine we have been considering. 1 Kings viii. 46: "If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near," etc. On this passage, I remark:-- 1. That this sentiment in nearly the same language, is repeated in 2 Chron. vi. 26, and in Eccl. …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Entire Sanctification
By Dr. Adam Clarke The word "sanctify" has two meanings. 1. It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service. 2. It signifies to make holy or pure. Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do in us! and yet all that he has done for us is in reference to what he is to do in us. He was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; ascended to heaven, and there …
Adam Clarke—Entire Sanctification

Christ a Complete Saviour:
OR, THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST, AND WHO ARE PRIVILEGED IN IT. BY JOHN BUNYAN Advertisement by the Editor. However strange it may appear, it is a solemn fact, that the heart of man, unless prepared by a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, rejects Christ as a complete Saviour. The pride of human nature will not suffer it to fall, as helpless and utterly undone, into the arms of Divine mercy. Man prefers a partial Saviour; one who had done so much, that, with the sinner's aid, the work might be …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Earliest Christian Preaching
1. THUS far we have confined ourselves to the words of Jesus. The divine necessity of His death, indicated in the Old Testament and forming the basis of all His teaching regarding it, is the primary truth; the nature of that necessity begins to be revealed as the death is set in relation to the ransoming of many, and to the institution of a new covenant -- that is, a new religion, having as its fundamental blessing the forgiveness of sins. I do not think this view of our Lord's mind as to His own …
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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