Dictionary of Bible Themes – 7340 clean and unclean
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7340 clean and unclean

7340 clean and unclean

The distinction between things which were ritually acceptable and unacceptable to God. Animals were classified as either clean or unclean, denoting their suitability or unsuitability for sacrifice and food. The motives and intentions of the heart were also sometimes judged to be clean or unclean, as uncleanness was often linked with sin.

The OT distinction between clean and unclean

The command to distinguish between clean and unclean Lev 15:31 See also Lev 10:8-11; Lev 20:22-26; Eze 22:26; Eze 44:23

The distinction between clean and unclean animals Ge 7:2 See also Ge 7:8-9; Ge 8:20; Lev 11:1-47 pp Dt 14:3-20; Lev 27:11-13

The NT attitude to clean and unclean animals Mk 7:14-23 pp Mt 15:10-20; Ac 10:11-15; Ac 11:5-9

Places and inanimate objects could be clean or unclean Lev 10:14 See also Lev 4:12; Lev 6:11; Lev 11:32-38; Lev 14:33-57; 2Ch 13:11

Causes of uncleanness

Physical contact with anything unclean Lev 5:2-3 See also Lev 7:19; Hos 9:3-4; Hag 2:10-14

Contact with corpses Nu 19:11 See also Lev 21:1-4,10-12; Nu 6:5-8

Infectious skin diseases Lev 13:1-46 See also Lev 14:1-32; Mt 8:2-4 pp Mk 1:40-44 pp Lk 5:12-14

Certain bodily functions Lev 12:2 See also Lev 12:5; Lev 15:1-33

Consequences of uncleanness

Exclusion from worship Lev 22:3-5 See also Lev 12:4; Nu 9:6-12; 1Sa 20:24-26; 2Ch 23:19; 2Ch 30:17

Isolation from God’s people Nu 5:2 See also Lev 7:20-21; Dt 23:10-11

Cleansing from uncleanness

Lev 16:29-30 See also Lev 12:6-8; Lev 16:15-16; Lev 22:4-7; Nu 6:9-12; Nu 19:1-22; Nu 31:21-24; Heb 9:13

Inner, spiritual cleanness and uncleanness

Job 33:9; Ps 51:7 See also Ge 20:5; Ps 24:3-4; Pr 20:9; Isa 1:15-16; Isa 64:6; La 1:8; Eze 36:25; Mt 15:10-20 pp Mk 7:14-23; Mt 23:25-28; Ac 10:28

See also

4404food
5008conscience
5297disease
6103abomination
7342cleanliness
7348defilement
7416purification
7424ritual law
7426ritual washing
7454sprinkling
7478washing
9030dead bodies

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