Leviticus 22:4

Verse

If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen,

American Standard Version (1901)

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;

Bible in Basic English

No man of the seed of Aaron who is a leper, or who has a flow from his body, may take of the holy food till he is clean. And any man touching anything which is unclean because of the dead, or any man whose seed goes from him;

Douay-Rheims 1899

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,

Free Bible Version

If one of Aaron's descendants has a skin disease or a discharge, he is not allowed to eat the holy offerings until he is clean. Anyone who touches anything made unclean by a dead body or by a man who has had a release of semen,

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,

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

One Unity Resource Bible

“‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron [Light-bringer] 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 offspring goes from him;

Translation for Translators

“If any descendant of Aaron has a contagious skin disease or a discharge from his sexual organs, he is not allowed to eat any of the sacred offerings until he is cured. He will also be unfit for his work if he touches anything which has become unacceptable to me because it has touched a corpse, or if he touches anyone who as an emission of semen,

Unlocked Literal Bible

None of the descendants of Aaron who has an infectious skin disease, or an infection flowing from his body, may eat any of the sacrifices made to Yahweh until he is clean. Whoever touches anything unclean through contact with the dead, or by contact with a man who has a flow of semen,

Noah Webster Bible

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

World English Bible

“‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,

Young's Literal Translation

'Any man of the seed of Aaron, and is leprous or hath an issue — of the holy things he doth not eat till that he is clean; and he who is coming against any uncleanness of a person, or a man whose seed of copulation goeth out from him,

Context

Restrictions against the Unclean

³Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. ⁴If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen,⁵or whoever touches a crawling creature or a person that makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be—

Sermons

Our Daily Homily - Leviticus

F.B. Meyer

Summary

Leviticus 22:4 emphasizes the importance of maintaining ceremonial purity when approaching the Lord. It highlights the need for the priests to be consecrated and free from defilement in order to properly serve God. This verse underscores the reverence and respect that should be shown in worship and service to the Lord. By following these regulations, the priests demonstrate their dedication to God and their commitment to upholding His holiness in all aspects of their lives.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Is a leper, or hath a running issue - See the case of the leper treated at large in the notes on Leviticus 13 (note) and Leviticus 14 (note); and for other uncleannesses, see the notes on Leviticus 15 (note).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

wash his flesh with water--Any Israelite who had contracted a defilement of such a nature as debarred him from the enjoyment of his wonted privileges, and had been legally cleansed from the disqualifying impurity, was bound to indicate his state of recovery by the immersion of his whole person in water. Although all ceremonial impurity formed a ground of exclusion, there were degrees of impurity which entailed a longer or shorter period of excommunication, and for the removal of which different rites required to be observed according to the trivial or the malignant nature of the case. A person who came inadvertently into contact with an unclean animal was rendered unclean for a specified period; and then, at the expiry of that term, he washed, in token of his recovered purity. But a leper was unclean so long as he remained subject to that disease, and on his convalescence, he also washed, not to cleanse himself, for the water was ineffectual for that purpose, but to signify that he was clean. Not a single case is recorded of a leper being restored to communion by the use of water; it served only as an outward and visible sign that such a restoration was to be made. The Book of Leviticus abounds with examples which show that in all the ceremonial washings, as uncleanness meant loss of privileges, so baptism with water indicated a restoration to those privileges. There was no exemption; for as the unclean Israelite was exiled from the congregation, so the unclean priest was disqualified from executing his sacred functions in the sanctuary; and in the case of both, the same observance was required--a formal intimation of their being readmitted to forfeited privileges was intimated by the appointed rite of baptism. If any one neglected or refused to perform the washing, he disobeyed a positive precept, and he remained in his uncleanness; he forbore to avail himself of this privilege, and was therefore said to be "cut off" from the presence of the Lord.