God’s law ensured the Israelites remained mindful of their unique calling before Him.
Moses, who lived around 1526-1406 BC and led the Israelites out of Egypt, received many laws at Mount Sinai, including a series of dietary regulations on what was clean and unclean. In the midst of these instructions comes the statement, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38). This part of the law focuses on how contact with unclean things could render something else unclean, highlighting the people’s need to diligently guard their daily activities and diets. The emphasis here is that once moisture is involved, contaminants spread more easily, making the seed no longer suitable for sacred use in Israel’s community.
This attention to cleanliness served to remind the Israelites that their lives as God’s chosen people were to be marked by holiness (Leviticus 20:26). The verse, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38), shows how everyday tasks such as sowing seed were covered by God’s watchful instructions. Furthermore, it hints at the larger spiritual principle that God cares not only about ceremonial rituals but also about the inner purity of His people. Later, Jesus emphasized that it is not what enters a person that defiles them, but what proceeds out of their heart (Matthew 15:18).
In the New Testament, believers discover that Christ cleanses hearts and sets them apart for service, thus fulfilling the standard of holiness God requires (Hebrews 10:10). Nevertheless, the underlying principle of vigilance against spiritual contamination remains relevant. When God said through Moses, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38), He was illustrating the seriousness of uncleanness and the need to maintain a life set apart from impurity in all areas, big or small.
Set to dark mode
Leviticus 11:38 meaning
Moses, who lived around 1526-1406 BC and led the Israelites out of Egypt, received many laws at Mount Sinai, including a series of dietary regulations on what was clean and unclean. In the midst of these instructions comes the statement, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38). This part of the law focuses on how contact with unclean things could render something else unclean, highlighting the people’s need to diligently guard their daily activities and diets. The emphasis here is that once moisture is involved, contaminants spread more easily, making the seed no longer suitable for sacred use in Israel’s community.
This attention to cleanliness served to remind the Israelites that their lives as God’s chosen people were to be marked by holiness (Leviticus 20:26). The verse, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38), shows how everyday tasks such as sowing seed were covered by God’s watchful instructions. Furthermore, it hints at the larger spiritual principle that God cares not only about ceremonial rituals but also about the inner purity of His people. Later, Jesus emphasized that it is not what enters a person that defiles them, but what proceeds out of their heart (Matthew 15:18).
In the New Testament, believers discover that Christ cleanses hearts and sets them apart for service, thus fulfilling the standard of holiness God requires (Hebrews 10:10). Nevertheless, the underlying principle of vigilance against spiritual contamination remains relevant. When God said through Moses, “But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you” (v.38), He was illustrating the seriousness of uncleanness and the need to maintain a life set apart from impurity in all areas, big or small.