Big Idea: God wants to promote life, virtue, and an awareness of his holiness among his people.

Understanding the Text

Leviticus 15 completes the section in Leviticus on uncleanness (Lev. 11–15). The preceding chapters have treated unclean animals (Lev. 11), uncleanness due to childbirth (Lev. 12), and uncleanness due to “leprosy” (Lev. 13–14). The present chapter (Lev. 15) treats uncleanness due to sexual emissions. All this prepares the way for Leviticus 16 on the Day of Atonement, a chapter that will provide a remedy for the problem of the holy God dwelling in the midst of Israel’s uncleanness.

Leviticus 15 follows a chiastic structure:1

A Introduction (vv. 1–2a)

B Abnormal male discharges (vv. 2b–15)

C Normal male discharges (vv. 16–17)

D Marital intercourse (v. 18)

C? Normal f…