What is the meaning of Leviticus 13:47? If any fabric God’s instruction opens by acknowledging that even ordinary household items fall under His watchful care. • Leviticus 13:47 widens the purity laws beyond people to possessions, mirroring earlier verses that include houses (Leviticus 14:34). • The Lord teaches that every corner of life—clothing, tools, dwellings—must align with holiness (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31). • This scope underscores personal responsibility: what surrounds us can influence us (Proverbs 4:23). is contaminated The phrase signals that something once clean can become defiled. • Leviticus 13:44–46 already detailed personal uncleanness; now the same principle governs property. • Contamination pictures sin’s spread: left unchecked, it penetrates everything (Galatians 5:9, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”). • God calls His people to identify and address impurity immediately (Psalm 139:23–24). with mildew— Mildew represents hidden, creeping decay. • Scripture elsewhere connects mildew with covenant warnings (Deuteronomy 28:22; 1 Kings 8:37). • Though seemingly small, mildew weakens fabric just as tolerated sin erodes character (James 1:15). • The dash invites us to pause and feel the seriousness of subtle corruption. any wool or linen garment God specifies the materials most common in Israelite life. • Both wool and linen were used in priestly garments (Exodus 28:39–42), reinforcing that holiness extends from the sanctuary to the laundry basket. • Mixing fabrics for everyday wear was restricted (Deuteronomy 22:11), yet here each acceptable material can still become unclean, proving no object is exempt from inspection. • Careful examination (detailed in Leviticus 13:48–59) shows God values restoration when possible, destruction only when necessary—paralleling Jude 23, “snatch others from the fire…hating even the garment stained by the flesh”. summary Leviticus 13:47 teaches that God’s holiness reaches into daily life, warning that even commonplace items can harbor corruption. He calls His people to vigilant inspection, swift intervention, and wholehearted purity in everything they touch. |
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