Categories of Uncleanness

UNCLEANNESS

CATEGORIES OF UNCLEANNESS

Unclean Food:

1. Furred animals (mammals) without cloven hoof and not cud chewers (Lev. 11:3-8; Deut. 14:4-8)

2. Carnivorous and scavenger birds (Lev. 11:13-19; Deut. 14:12-18)

3. Creeping things (such as reptiles, insects and rodents) (Lev. 11:29-31, 41-43)

4. Winged insects without jumping legs (locusts were acceptable) (Lev. 11:29-31, 42)

5. Water creatures without fins and scales (Lev. 11:9-12; Deut. 14:9-10)

6. Blood (Lev. 3:17, 7:26-27, 17:10-14; Deut. 12:16, 23-25)

7. Fat (Lev. 3:13-17, 7:23-25)

8. Animals dead of themselves (Deut. 14:21)

9. Animals killed by beast of prey (Exod. 22:31)

10. Fruit of young trees in the Promised Land (Lev. 19:23-25)

Unclean because of death:

1. Dead man's body (Numb. 19:14-19, 31:19)

2. Dead animal (Lev. 11:24-28, 31-40, 17:15)

Unclean because of disease:

1. Skin infections and mildew (Lev. 13-14)

2. Male sexual discharge (Lev. 15:1-18; Numb. 5:2)

3. Female menstrual discharge (Lev. 15:19-30)

4. Childbirth (Lev. 12)

UNCLEANNESS – STEPS NEEDED FOR CLEANSING

1. Dead man's body

Disability: unclean for seven days (Numb. 19:1-2, 14, 16)

Purification: sprinkled with a mixture of water and ashes from a special sin offering on the third and seventh days (Numb. 19:12-19)

2. Dead animal

Disability: unclean until evening (Lev. 11:24-28, 31-40, 17:15)

Purification: washed with water (Lev. 11:25, 28, 32, 40)

3. Male discharge (natural)(Lev. 15:16-18)

Disability: unclean until evening

Purification: washed with water

4. Female menstrual discharge (Lev. 15:19-24)

Disability: unclean for seven days

Purification: washed with water

5. Male discharge (diseased) (Lev. 15:1-15)

Disability: unclean during the discharge and for seven days afterward

Purification: two pigeons or turtledoves were offered as a sin and a burnt offering

6. Female discharge (diseased) (Lev. 15:25-30)

Disability: unclean during the discharge and for seven days afterward

Purification: two pigeons or turtledoves were offered as a sin and a burnt offering

7. Skin infections

Disability: 1) They were to dwell outside of camp. 2) They were to wear torn clothes, cover beard, and cry "unclean, unclean" during the period of the disease. (Lev. 13:45-46)

Purification in two steps:

Step one – prior to entering camp (Lev. 14:1-8)

1. One bird is slain over running water.

2. A living bird, a piece of cedar wood, a piece of scarlet cloth, and a branch of hyssop are dipped in the blood in the water and are used to sprinkle (seven times) the one who is to be purified.

3. The one who is being purified washes his clothes, shaves off all his body hair, and bathes in water.

4. The one being purified is now able to enter the camp, but is unable to enter his tent for seven days.

Step two – prior to entering his tent (Lev. 14:8-32)

1. Waits seven days.

2. On the seventh day, he washes his clothes, shaves off all body hair, and bathes in water.

3. On the eighth day:

a. A male lamb was offered as a trespass (guilt) offering (blood from his offering was placed on the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toes of the right foot of the one to be purified by a priest).

b. Oil was sprinkled seven times on the one to be cleansed and oil was place in the same places as the blood of the trespass offering—the lobe of the right ear, thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot.

c. A ewe lamb, pigeon, or turtledove was offered as a sin offering.

d. A male lamb, a pigeon, or a turtledove was offered as a burnt offering.

e. A meal (grain) offering was made.