Leviticus 15:12
New International Version
“’A clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article is to be rinsed with water.

New Living Translation
Any clay pot the man touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil he touches must be rinsed with water.

English Standard Version
And an earthenware vessel that the one with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

Berean Standard Bible
Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.

King James Bible
And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

New King James Version
The vessel of earth that he who has the discharge touches shall be broken, and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

New American Standard Bible
However, an earthenware vessel which the man with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.

NASB 1995
‘However, an earthenware vessel which the person with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.

NASB 1977
‘However, an earthenware vessel which the person with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.

Legacy Standard Bible
However, an earthenware vessel which the person with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.

Amplified Bible
An earthenware container that the one with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden container shall be rinsed in water.

Christian Standard Bible
Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, while any wooden utensil is to be rinsed with water.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, while any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.”

American Standard Version
And the earthen vessel, which he that hath the issue toucheth, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

Contemporary English Version
Any clay pot that he touches must be destroyed, and any wooden bowl that he touches must be washed.

English Revised Version
And the earthen vessel, which he that hath the issue toucheth, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When a man who has a discharge touches pottery, it must be broken, and any wooden bucket he touches must be rinsed.

Good News Translation
Any clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden bowl that he touches must be washed.

International Standard Version
The earthen vessel that the person with the discharge touches is to be broken in pieces, and every wooden vessel is to be rinsed with water."

Majority Standard Bible
Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.

NET Bible
A clay vessel which the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed in water.

New Heart English Bible
"'The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the vessel of earth that he toucheth who hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

World English Bible
“‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the earthen vessel which he who has the discharging comes against is broken; and every wooden vessel is rinsed with water.

Young's Literal Translation
'And the earthen vessel which he who hath the issue cometh against is broken; and every wooden vessel is rinsed with water.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the vessel of earthen which he flowing shall touch upon it, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be washed in water.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If he touch a vessel of earth, it shall be broken: but if a vessel of wood, if shall be washed with water.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If he has touched an earthen vessel, it shall be broken. But if it is a wooden vessel, it shall be washed with water.

New American Bible
Earthenware touched by the man with the discharge shall be broken; and every wooden article shall be rinsed with water.

New Revised Standard Version
Any earthen vessel that the one with the discharge touches shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the earthen vessel which he touched who has the discharge shall be broken; and every vessel of wood or of brass shall be washed in water.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a vessel of a potter that touches him who has a discharge will be broken and every garment of wood or of brass shall be washed in water.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the earthen vessel, which he that hath the issue toucheth, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the earthen vessel which he that has the issue shall happen to touch, shall be broken; and a wooden vessel shall be washed with water, and shall be clean.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Uncleanness of Men
11If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 12Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.

Cross References
Numbers 19:15
and any open container without a lid fastened on it is unclean.

Numbers 19:11-13
Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. / He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. / Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.

Numbers 19:21-22
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening. / Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”

Deuteronomy 23:10-11
If any man among you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he must leave the camp and stay outside. / When evening approaches, he must wash with water, and when the sun sets he may return to the camp.

2 Kings 5:10-14
Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” / But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. / Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ...

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

Ezekiel 36:25
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.

Haggai 2:11-13
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling. / If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests. / So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.

Matthew 23:25-26
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. / Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

Mark 7:3-4
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. / And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.

Mark 7:8
You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.”

Luke 11:39-41
Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. / You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well? / But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

John 2:6
Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons.

Acts 10:14-15
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Acts 11:9
But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’


Treasury of Scripture

And the vessel of earth, that he touches which has the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

vessel

Leviticus 6:28
But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.

Leviticus 11:32,33
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed…

Proverbs 1:21,23
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, …

shall be broken

Psalm 2:9
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

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Article Broken Clay Discharge Earth Earthen Earthenware Flux However Issue Pot Rinsed Touched Touches Toucheth Unclean Vessel Water Wood Wooden
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Leviticus 15
1. The uncleanness of men in their issues
13. The cleansing of them
19. The uncleanness of women in their issues
28. Their cleansing














And any clay pot
The Hebrew word for "clay pot" is "חֶרֶשׂ" (cheres), which refers to earthenware or pottery. In ancient Israel, clay pots were common household items, used for storing food and liquids. The fragility of clay pots symbolizes the vulnerability of human life and the ease with which impurity can affect it. This imagery reminds us of the need for purity and holiness in our daily lives, as we are vessels meant to carry God's presence.

that the man with the discharge touches
The phrase "man with the discharge" refers to a person experiencing a bodily discharge, which, according to Levitical law, rendered them ceremonially unclean. The Hebrew term for "discharge" is "זָב" (zav), indicating a flow or issue from the body. This condition symbolizes the pervasive nature of sin and impurity, which can spread and contaminate if not addressed. It serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual cleanliness and the need for Christ's redemptive work to cleanse us from sin.

must be broken
The requirement for the clay pot to be broken signifies the complete removal of impurity. In the ancient Near East, breaking a pot was a definitive act, ensuring that the impurity could not be transferred or reused. This act of destruction underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and impurity, emphasizing the need for decisive action in removing sin from our lives. It points to the ultimate breaking of Christ's body on the cross, which was necessary for our purification.

and any wooden utensil
Wooden utensils, unlike clay pots, were more durable and could be cleansed rather than destroyed. The Hebrew word for "wooden" is "עֵץ" (etz), which also means "tree." This dual meaning can remind us of the cross, the tree upon which Christ was crucified, providing a means for our cleansing. The distinction between clay and wood highlights the varying degrees of impurity and the different methods required for purification.

must be rinsed with water
Water is a powerful symbol of purification and life throughout Scripture. The act of rinsing with water signifies the removal of impurity and the restoration of cleanliness. In the New Testament, water baptism represents the washing away of sin and the believer's new life in Christ. This cleansing process points to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, who continually purifies and renews us, enabling us to live holy lives before God.

(12) And the vessel of earth . . . shall be broken.--For the reason why vessels of a porous clay must be destroyed when contaminated by defilement, see Leviticus 6:28; Leviticus 11:33. This, however, is the only instance where an earthen vessel touched on the outside was defiled, thus again showing the intense loathing with which the guilt of this kind of infirmity was regarded.

Every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.--As these kinds of vessels were both more expensive and more difficult to restore, the Law, which so frequently takes into consideration the circumstances of the people, mercifully spares the more costly utensils. These are to undergo the same baptism as human beings. The administrators of the law during the second Temple took the expression "wood" in a more generic sense, as denoting more enduring material than clay; hence they included vessels made of copper, brass, silver, &c. With regard to the manner in which the vessels thus polluted are to be immersed, they ordained that if the utensil is dipped with its mouth downward, or if the vessel, at the time of its immersion, contains any liquor except water, the baptism is illegal. They, moreover, ordained that all new vessels which are purchased, or otherwise acquired, must likewise be immersed, for fear lest the maker, or some of those who have handled them prior to the purchase, might have been in a state of defilement. Hence the orthodox Jews to this day literally baptize cups, plates, knives, forks, or any new utensil which they buy. It is to this law that Christ refers when He says, "And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing [literally, the baptism] of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables," or, as the Margin has it more correctly, "beds," or couches (Mark 7:4).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Any clay
חֶ֛רֶשׂ (ḥe·reś)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2789: Earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd

pot
וּכְלִי־ (ū·ḵə·lî-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the man with the discharge
הַזָּ֖ב (haz·zāḇ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2100: To flow freely, to have a, flux, to waste away, to overflow

touches
יִגַּע־ (yig·ga‘-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

must be broken,
יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר (yiš·šā·ḇêr)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

and any
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

wooden
עֵ֔ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

utensil
כְּלִי־ (kə·lî-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

must be rinsed
יִשָּׁטֵ֖ף (yiš·šā·ṭêp̄)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7857: To gush, to inundate, cleanse, to gallop, conquer

with water.
בַּמָּֽיִם׃ (bam·mā·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen


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OT Law: Leviticus 15:12 The earthen vessel which he who has (Le Lv Lev.)
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