Intentional FaithMar 13

When Decisions Are Made Without God

The Bible in a Year

“And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.” — Joshua 9:14

One of the most sobering lessons in the Old Testament is how easily God’s people can make serious mistakes when they act without seeking the Lord’s guidance. Joshua 9 records the story of the Gibeonites, a group of people who feared the advancing Israelites and devised a clever deception. They dressed in worn clothing, carried moldy bread, and claimed to have traveled from a distant land. Their entire appearance was designed to convince Israel that they were harmless foreigners seeking peace. Joshua and the leaders of Israel examined the evidence, listened to their explanation, and made a treaty with them. Yet the Scripture reveals the root of the failure in a single sentence: “They asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.”

The tragedy of this story is not merely that the Gibeonites were deceptive. Deception has always existed in the world. The deeper issue is that Israel relied on human observation instead of divine guidance. The leaders examined the provisions—the “victuals”—and allowed visible evidence to shape their decision. Everything seemed convincing. The worn sandals looked authentic. The bread appeared stale. The story sounded reasonable. Yet appearances can be misleading. The Israelites trusted what they could see instead of seeking what God could reveal.

This pattern still appears in modern life. Many decisions are made based solely on outward evidence or persuasive voices. Clever speech, emotional arguments, and convincing presentations can easily sway people. Scripture repeatedly warns believers about this danger. Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” The key phrase is “seems right.” Human judgment, while valuable, is never sufficient by itself. Without the guidance of God, our conclusions can lead us down the wrong path.

Joshua’s mistake also involved disobedience. God had already provided clear instruction for Israel’s leaders. In Numbers 27:21, Joshua was told that decisions of national importance should be brought before the Lord through divine counsel. Yet in this situation he did not pause to seek God’s direction. The decision was made quickly, based on circumstances rather than prayer. That failure created long-term consequences for Israel because the covenant with the Gibeonites could not easily be undone.

This story speaks directly to the spiritual discipline of seeking God before acting. When believers move too quickly, relying solely on human reasoning, they often discover later that they have overlooked something important. Matthew Henry observed in his commentary on this passage, “Those who would be kept from deception must make the word of God their rule.” Henry’s point is insightful: the safest path for decision-making is to measure every situation against the wisdom found in Scripture.

The deception in Joshua 9 also reminds us that truth and error can appear very similar on the surface. False teachings, misleading philosophies, and persuasive ideologies often present themselves with convincing language and selective evidence. Jesus Himself warned His followers about this reality when He said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Discernment requires more than careful observation; it requires spiritual wisdom rooted in God’s Word.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong; it is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” That statement captures the heart of Joshua’s dilemma. The Gibeonites’ story was not obviously absurd. It was plausible enough to pass a casual inspection. The leaders of Israel were not careless men; they simply trusted their own evaluation rather than seeking divine insight.

When I reflect on this passage during our journey through the Bible, it becomes a reminder that prayer is not merely a religious habit. It is an essential safeguard for wise living. Decisions about work, relationships, ministry, and priorities should all be brought before the Lord. James later teaches the same principle in the New Testament: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach” (James 1:5). God delights in guiding those who sincerely seek His counsel.

This lesson also connects closely with the theme of discipleship and sacrifice found in the teachings of Jesus. Following Christ requires humility—the willingness to admit that our understanding is limited and that God’s wisdom is greater. In Luke 9:23 Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves and take up their cross daily. One aspect of that self-denial is surrendering the assumption that we always know what is best.

The story of Joshua and the Gibeonites shows how easily good people can make flawed decisions when they neglect to seek the Lord. Yet it also serves as an invitation. God has given His people the Scriptures, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the privilege of prayer. These gifts exist so that we can navigate life with wisdom rather than confusion.

As we continue our journey through the Bible this year, passages like Joshua 9 remind us that spiritual maturity involves more than knowledge of Scripture. It involves learning to pause, pray, and seek God’s counsel before moving forward. Decisions made in prayerful dependence on the Lord often lead to peace and clarity, while decisions made in haste frequently bring regret.

The lesson is simple but vital: before trusting appearances, seek the voice of God.

For further study on the Gibeonite deception and its implications, see:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Gibeonites.html

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Intentional FaithFeb 15

Between the Cherubim

Learning to Speak and Listen
The Bible in a Year

“When Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims; and he spake unto him.” — Numbers 7:89

As we journey through Scripture together this year, we come to a quiet but powerful scene at the close of Numbers 7. The tabernacle has just been dedicated. For twelve days, the leaders of Israel brought offerings—carefully measured gifts of silver, gold, grain, and animals. There was structure, ceremony, and obedience. And then, when the public celebration concluded, Moses did something deeply personal: he went into the tabernacle to speak with God.

That detail arrests me. After the noise of dedication came the stillness of communion. Moses “was gone into the tabernacle… to speak with Him.” The Hebrew verb suggests intentional movement. He did not drift into prayer; he went. This is supplication—deliberate conversation with God. Moses sensed his need. Leadership without prayer would become hollow. Service without communion would become mechanical.

The lesson is simple and searching. Man needs to speak with God. If prayer is absent, spiritual vitality will wither. James writes, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8). That is not poetic exaggeration; it is covenant principle. If God seems distant, the text gently implies that we have stepped back. As Matthew Henry observed, “Those that would have communion with God must carefully keep up their attendance on Him.” The life of prayer is not optional for the believer; it is oxygen.

Yet Numbers 7:89 reveals something more than supplication. It reveals reciprocation. “Then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him.” When Moses entered to speak, he discovered that God was already prepared to respond. This is the rhythm of relationship. Prayer is not monologue; it is dialogue. We do not pray into emptiness. We pray to the living God.

The principle woven throughout Scripture is that God delights to answer seeking hearts. Jeremiah 29:13 echoes it: “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” In the New Testament, Jesus assures us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find” (Matthew 7:7). The God of the tabernacle is not silent toward His people. He speaks—through His Word, through conviction, through guidance shaped by truth.

But where did God speak from? The verse is specific: “from off the mercy seat… from between the two cherubims.” This is the location. It matters deeply. Exodus 25:22 records God’s promise: “There I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat.” The mercy seat, or kapporet in Hebrew, was the covering of the ark of the covenant. It was the place where sacrificial blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. It was the meeting place of justice and mercy.

The imagery points forward unmistakably to Christ. Paul declares in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” The mercy seat foreshadowed Calvary. God communes with man on the basis of atonement. We do not stroll casually into His presence; we come through blood—fulfilled in the cross. The Greek term for propitiation in Romans 3:25, hilastērion, carries the same idea as mercy seat. Christ is our meeting place.

This truth steadies my heart. Prayer is not grounded in my worthiness but in Christ’s mediation. I speak with God not because I have performed flawlessly, but because Jesus has reconciled me. That reality changes the tone of prayer from anxiety to gratitude.

As we reflect on this passage within our year-long study of Scripture, we should ask practical questions. Have we moved intentionally toward God, or do we wait passively for spiritual warmth? Do we cultivate space for quiet communion after seasons of activity? The dedication of the tabernacle was public and elaborate, yet the communion was personal and simple. Moses went in alone.

In our age of constant noise, that lesson is timely. We can fill our lives with religious activity and still neglect the quiet place. The tabernacle reminds us that worship culminates in relationship. A.W. Tozer once wrote, “The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.” That counsel remains wise.

And there is comfort here as well. If we speak, He responds. The verse does not describe thunder or spectacle; it describes voice. God spoke. He communicated. The covenant God remains relational. Through Scripture illuminated by the Holy Spirit, He continues to address His people.

So today, as part of our journey through the Bible in a Year, let us practice what we study. Go into your “tabernacle”—that quiet corner, that early morning chair, that evening pause. Speak honestly. Confess freely. Intercede faithfully. And then listen. Open the Word and expect the God who once spoke between cherubim to address your heart through Christ.

For further study on the significance of the mercy seat and its fulfillment in Jesus, consider this helpful article from Ligonier Ministries: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/mercy-seat

The God who met Moses still meets His people—through the Mediator, by grace, in truth.

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Intentional FaithFeb 11

Most Holy and Not for Sale

The Bible in a Year

“No devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.”
— Leviticus 27:28

As we continue our journey through the Scriptures, the closing chapters of Leviticus bring us into sacred territory that often feels distant from modern life, yet speaks with surprising clarity to the question of commitment. Leviticus 27 returns us to a theme that surfaced in yesterday’s reflection—perpetual service. Here, devotion to the Lord is not presented as a temporary enthusiasm or a flexible pledge, but as something weighty, binding, and enduring. What is devoted to God becomes, in the language of the text, most holy. The Hebrew term qōdesh qodāšîm intensifies the idea: this is not casual holiness, but something set apart beyond recall.

In ancient Israel, to devote something to the Lord was to place it irrevocably into His possession. The verse makes this unmistakably clear by naming two prohibitions. First, the devoted thing could not be sold. Second, it could not be redeemed. These instructions were not arbitrary religious rules; they were meant to shape a people who understood that faithfulness to God could not be renegotiated when circumstances changed. Commitment was not determined by convenience, market value, or shifting desires. Once a vow was made, it was final and forever.

The command not to sell what had been devoted to the Lord addresses a temptation as old as humanity itself. If an Israelite had devoted an animal and later discovered its value had increased, the law forbade capitalizing on that opportunity. The world’s changing offers could not undo a promise made to God. This principle carries directly into our own lives. The pressures may look different now, but the temptation remains the same. We pledge our time, energy, or service to the Lord, and then a more attractive offer presents itself—more money, more recognition, less inconvenience. Leviticus speaks with pastoral firmness into that moment: do not sell out. Commitment to God is not meant to be adjusted upward or downward according to what the world offers next.

This instruction exposes how easily faithfulness can become transactional if we are not careful. We begin well, intending to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, but over time we start calculating cost and benefit. Jesus later addressed this same issue when He said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). The issue is not effort alone, but direction of the heart. Commitment that depends on circumstances will not last. Commitment anchored in devotion to God endures because it is rooted in relationship, not reward.

The second prohibition—do not redeem it—goes even deeper. Redemption here does not refer to salvation, but to reclaiming something once given away. If a man devoted something to the Lord, he was not permitted to change his mind later and retrieve it for personal use. The text confronts the impulse to recant, to revise our promises when obedience becomes costly. Scripture consistently honors those who keep their word, even when it hurts. “He who swears to his own hurt and does not change” is described as one who may dwell in God’s presence (Psalm 15:4). Faithfulness, in biblical terms, is integrity lived over time.

This teaching challenges a modern culture that prizes flexibility over fidelity. We are accustomed to adjusting commitments, revising schedules, and redefining obligations. Yet God’s covenantal framework calls His people to be trustworthy, consistent, and dependable. Once something is placed into the Lord’s hands—our resources, our service, our calling—it is no longer ours to reclaim. The study’s warning is sobering but necessary: recanters are of little use for God. That statement is not meant to shame, but to awaken us to the seriousness of devotion. God does not need our half-hearted promises; He desires faithful hearts.

The New Testament echoes this same principle in the language of discipleship. Paul writes, “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Faithfulness is not measured by how much we give, but by whether we remain true to what we have already given. When we place money in the offering, commit to a ministry, or pledge our time to God’s work, Scripture urges us to leave it there—unretrieved, unrevised, and unconditioned. This kind of faithfulness resists the quiet voice that whispers, “You can always take it back later.”

The enemy, as the study wisely notes, has no shortage of offers. They are rarely blatant; more often they are subtle and reasonable. A little delay. A better opportunity. A temporary compromise. Leviticus reminds us that devotion to God is not something to be weighed against competing interests. What is devoted is most holy. It belongs to Him. And when we live with that understanding, our service becomes steadier, our witness clearer, and our faith more resilient.

As we walk through the Bible together this year, Leviticus 27 calls us to examine not how much we promise, but how firmly we stand by what we have already promised. Commitment to the Lord is not proven in moments of enthusiasm, but in seasons of temptation. Faithfulness, lived quietly and consistently, becomes an act of worship that honors God and strengthens His people.

For further reflection on biblical faithfulness and keeping one’s vows before God, see this resource:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/faithfulness-christian-life

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Intentional FaithFeb 6

Marked and Made Clean

The Bible in a Year

“And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.”
Leviticus 13:45

As we move steadily through Scripture together, passages like Leviticus 13 can feel distant from everyday faith. The laws concerning leprosy strike modern readers as severe, even uncomfortable, yet they are preserved in Scripture not merely as ancient medical regulations but as theological instruction. Leprosy functions throughout the Bible as a visible, embodied picture of sin’s effect on the human soul. What sin does inwardly, leprosy revealed outwardly. In this way, God teaches His people to take sin seriously—not to shame the sinner, but to reveal the depth of the problem and the necessity of divine cleansing.

Leviticus 13:45 outlines four requirements placed upon the leper, each of which illustrates a dimension of sin’s destructive reach. The torn clothing is the first sign. “His clothes shall be rent.” In Israel’s world, torn garments were associated with loss, grief, and devastation. Sin always extracts a cost. It promises gain but demands payment. Jesus echoes this truth when He asks, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). The prodigal son’s story illustrates this vividly as he wastes his inheritance pursuing freedom, only to discover emptiness and regret. Sin is never free; it consumes time, integrity, relationships, and ultimately the soul if left unaddressed.

The second sign is the uncovered head. “His head bare.” In Scripture, the bared head is a sign of mourning. Sin does not deliver joy, though it advertises pleasure. It creates sorrow that often lingers long after the initial act has passed. The enemy’s lie has always been that obedience diminishes life while rebellion enhances it. Scripture consistently reveals the opposite. David, reflecting on his own moral collapse, confessed, “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long” (Psalm 32:3). Joy erodes where sin is concealed, and sorrow settles in its place. True gladness flows from restored fellowship with God, not from escape from His will.

The covered lip points to shame. “He shall put a covering upon his upper lip.” The prophet Micah associates this gesture with humiliation and disgrace. Sin promises honor—status, recognition, control—but delivers exposure. Shame thrives where truth is resisted. It isolates the sinner internally long before it isolates them externally. The deepest shame Scripture warns of is not social embarrassment but standing before God unrepentant. Yet even here, God’s law is not cruel; it is diagnostic. By naming shame honestly, God prepares the way for redemption. As John Calvin wrote, “The knowledge of sin is the beginning of salvation.” Awareness is not the end; it is the doorway to grace.

The final requirement is the public cry: “Unclean, unclean.” Sin defiles. Leprosy is repeatedly called uncleanness in Scripture, and cleansing language dominates the biblical vocabulary of forgiveness. Sin soils what God designed to be holy. It distorts desire, dulls conscience, and disrupts communion with God and others. Yet Scripture does not leave the sinner in this condition. The same Bible that names uncleanness also proclaims cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Forgiveness is not merely legal pardon; it is restoration to wholeness.

Reading Leviticus in light of the Gospels, the meaning sharpens further. Jesus does not avoid lepers; He touches them. In doing so, He reverses the expected flow of defilement. Instead of becoming unclean, He makes the unclean clean. The law revealed the disease; Christ provides the cure. What the leper could not remove, Jesus restores by grace. This continuity across Scripture reminds us that God’s redemptive purpose has always been consistent. From Leviticus to the cross, God confronts sin honestly while providing a way home.

As we continue our year-long journey through the Bible, this passage invites sober reflection and deep gratitude. Sin is not minimized, excused, or rebranded; it is named for what it is. Yet neither is the sinner abandoned. God’s holiness and mercy move together. The laws of Leviticus teach us to recognize the seriousness of sin so that we might rejoice more fully in the gift of cleansing. Scripture does not aim to crush the heart but to free it. Cleansing is possible. Restoration is promised. Fellowship is offered.

For a helpful exploration of how Old Testament purity laws point to Christ, see this article from The Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-the-bible-talks-so-much-about-clean-and-unclean/

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Leviticus 16

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

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Leviticus 15

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.

3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.

4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

12 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.

13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:

15 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.

16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.

17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.

19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.

21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.

24 And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.

25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.

27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.

31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.

32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;

33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.

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Leviticus 14

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:

3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;

4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.

11 And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:

12 And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:

13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:

14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:

15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:

16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD:

17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:

18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.

19 And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:

20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;

22 And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.

24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:

25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:

26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:

27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD:

28 And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:

29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD.

30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;

31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.

32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

33 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;

35 And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:

36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:

37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;

38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:

39 And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house;

40 Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city:

41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:

42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house.

43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered;

44 Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.

45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.

46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.

47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.

49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:

51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:

52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.

54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,

55 And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,

56 And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:

57 To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

Just JoshinFeb 3

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Leviticus 13

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,

2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:

5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:

6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:

8 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.

9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;

10 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;

11 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.

12 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;

13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.

14 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.

15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.

16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;

17 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.

18 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,

19 And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;

20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:

22 And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.

23 But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24 Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;

25 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

26 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:

27 And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

28 And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.

29 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;

30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.

31 And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:

32 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;

33 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:

34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

35 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;

36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.

37 But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;

39 Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.

40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.

41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.

42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.

43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;

44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.

45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;

48 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;

49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:

50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:

51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.

52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:

55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.

56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:

57 And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.

58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.

59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

Show threadJust JoshinFeb 3

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Leviticus 12

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Show threadJust JoshinFeb 3

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Leviticus 11

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;

15 Every raven after his kind;

16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,

19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;

22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.

23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.

25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.

31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

32 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.

33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.

34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.

35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.

36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.

37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.

38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.

40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.

42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:

47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.