Explanation: Leviticus 15 deals with the uncleanness of men and women due to a discharge from their flesh. Although the terms used (such as "flow," and so on) are general, the chapter seems to refer in its entirety to disorders of the sexual organs. This is the opinion of many commentators. And this is clearly the case from verse 16 till the end of the chapter. This is the basis for my selection of the two paintings above. The first shows facial distortions arising from the effects of congenital syphilis, an STD which apparently was unknown in Old Testament times, but having sometimes devastating effects, as does gonorrhea, which may have been the disease referred to in the first fifteen verses of this chapter. The second painting shows a more common affliction in Biblical times -- a woman with an issue of blood of the chronic type mentioned below in verses 25-30.
     The chapter opens with the laws which pertain to men with an unclean issue or discharge from their flesh. His bed and the things he sits upon are unclean. Anyone who touches his bed, or sits on anything he sat upon, or touches his flesh must wash his clothes, bathe, and be unclean until the evening. If he spits on anyone the same rules apply. These rules also apply to anyone who touches a saddle upon which he sits or anyone who carries the saddle or any other thing the unclean man has sat or lain upon. If someone touches the unclean man and does not rinse his hands in water he must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. If the unclean man touches an earthenware vessel it must be broken; if he touches a wooden vessel it must be rinsed in water. (1-12). When a man is cleansed of his issue, he must set aside seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe in running water; afterward he will be clean. On the eighth day he will take two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest who will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering and make an atonement for him (13-15). Nocturnal emissions also make a man unclean, requiring a full bath in water; and he is unclean until the evening. Garments or skins which are involved must be washed with water and are unclean until the evening. If a woman is involved sexually with him, she also is must bathe and be unclean until the evening (16-18).
     Women with an issue of blood must be quarantined for seven days. Anyone who touches a woman with an issue of blood is unclean until the evening. Everything she lies or sits upon is unclean; and anyone who touches any of those things must wash his clothes, bathe, and be unclean until the evening. Anyone who lies with her and is touched by her menses will be unclean for seven days (19-24). If a woman's issue of blood runs beyond the time of her quarantine she will be unclean as long as the issue lasts. Her bed and the things she sits upon will be unclean. Anyone who touches these things will be unclean and must wash his clothes, bathe, and be unclean until the evening. If the issue stops, she will be clean after seven days. On the eighth day she shall give the priest two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering (25-30). These laws are given to separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness so that they do not defile the Tabernacle and die in their uncleanness (31). These laws are for various kinds of bodily issues or discharges from men and women (32-33).
     [ Sermons: William Still. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: The First Image illustrates the ravages of physical deformity in a man known to Rembrandt. Some think it is from congenital syphilis. This is often accompanied by bodily discharges, which, under Biblical law would need to be cleansed by methods such as those mentioned in Leviticus 15. The Second Image depicts a woman with a chronic, bloody discharge. Leviticus 15 gives rules for quarantining and cleansing such discharges. ]

     ³² This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed [emission of 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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