Menstruation(menses, issue of blood, hemorrhage)
Summary
Under the Mosaic law, menstruation rendered a woman ceremonially unclean for seven days, with extensive regulations governing contact with persons and objects during this period.
☩Levitical Regulations
A woman during her regular menstrual period was ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touched her or anything she sat or lay upon became unclean until evening and had to wash their clothes and bathe. If a man had relations with her during this time, her impurity transferred to him for seven days. After her seven days of impurity ended, she was considered clean without requiring any offering.
☩Prolonged Discharge
If a woman had a discharge of blood beyond her normal period or at irregular times, she remained unclean as long as the discharge continued, plus seven additional days after it stopped. She then had to bring two turtledoves or pigeons to the priest for a sin offering and burnt offering to make atonement. The woman healed by Jesus had suffered from such a hemorrhage for twelve years, spending all she had on physicians without relief, until her faith made her whole.
☩Figurative Usage
The prophets used menstrual impurity as a metaphor for moral and spiritual defilement. Isaiah compared idols to a menstruous cloth to be cast away, and Ezekiel likened Jerusalem's sin to menstrual uncleanness, symbolizing her separation from God.
Related Verses11 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Blood, Issue Of," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Issue of Blood," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).