Leviticus 11:36

Lev 11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, [wherein there is] plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.

Ver. 36. Nevertheless a fountain.] Because it would cleanse itself, and work out the uncleanness. So will faith.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev 11:36-37. Nevertheless, a fountain or pit shall be clean — Of this no reason can be given, but the will of the Lawgiver, and his merciful condescension to men’s necessities, water being scarce in those countries; and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices give place to the law of mercy. Seed — Partly because this was necessary provision for man, and partly because such seed would not be used for man’s food till it had received many alterations in the earth, whereby such pollution was taken away.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:36 A cistern was a hole dug into the ground or rock, often lined with plaster, that retained rain and surface water.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

So much of the water as toucheth it.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 36. A fountain or pit, c.] This must either refer to running water, the stream of which soon carries off all impurities, or to large reservoirs where the water soon purifies itself the water in either which touched the unclean thing, being considered as impure, the rest of the water being clean.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(36) Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water.—Better, But wells and cisterns being gatherings together of water. But if the unclean carcase, or any portion of it, happens to fall or to be thrown into wells or cisterns, they are to be treated as large collections of water, such as pools, ponds, and lakes, and hence are exempt from contracting pollution. The constant change of water which takes place in these reservoirs counteracts the effects of the polluting carcase. When it is borne in mind how few are the wells and cisterns in the East, and how scarce water is, the merciful provision of this law will be apparent. According to the canon which obtained during the second Temple, this immunity was only applicable to receptacles of water actually in the ground, but not to collections of water in vessels.

But that which toucheth.—Better, but he who toucheth. But though the water into which the carcase has fallen is mercifully exempted, he who comes in contact with the carcase in the water and removes it from the water is unclean, because the carcase itself remains a source of defilement.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36. The continuous renewal of water in a well renders the uncleanness inappreciable, but he who takes out the carcase is rendered unclean by touching it. The case of the pit or cistern is not clear. It might be so large that the effect of a small swarming thing could be neglected, or the water might be replenished by rain.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Nevertheless, a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water,.... Or, "a fountain or pit, a collection of waters", the copulative being wanting, as some observe, Aben Ezra takes notice of; or it may be by way of apposition, and so may explain what fountain or pit is meant, even such an one where there is a large continence of water, into which, if any carcass of a creeping thing fell, or any part of it, yet it

shall be clean: and fit for use, either because of the abundance of water in it, which could not be affected with the fall of such a creature into it as where there is but a small quantity; or rather this exception was made, because pools of water were of considerable value in these countries, and frequently in use for bathings, &c. and therefore for the good of men, and that they might not suffer so great a loss by such an accident, they are declared notwithstanding to be clean and free for use: hence you may learn, says Jarchi, that he that dips in them is pure from his uncleanness; that a man might lawfully make use of them for a bath on account of any uncleanness, notwithstanding the carcass of a creeping thing had fallen into it; as a mouse, or rat, or any such creature:

but that which toucheth their carcass shall be unclean; not the waters which touch the carcass, as Aben Ezra interprets it, for then the whole would be defiled, and unfit for use; but either the man that touched the carcass, laid hold upon it to pluck it out of the fountain or pit, or that which he made use of to get it out, or both these, were unclean in a ceremonial sense: the Targum of Jonathan is, "but he that toucheth their carcasses in the midst of these waters shall be unclean.''

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Clean. They would be so difficult to purify, and water is so necessary.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Wherein there is plenty of water; of which no solid reason can be given, whilst such unclean things remain in them, but only the will of the Lawgiver, and his merciful condescension to men’s necessities, water being scarce in those countries; and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices to be offered to God, give place to the moral law of mercy towards men.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

36. A fountain… shall be clean — Living water, the means of purity, must be incapable of defilement, or pollution may become universal.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of this no reason can be given, but the will of the law-giver and his merciful condescension to men's necessities, water being scarce in those countries; and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices, give place to the law of mercy.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues telling Moses and Aaron which animals the people are to consider unclean.

A spring or cistern ... remains clean

Water that the people are permitted to drink from a spring or cistern is spoken of as if it were physically clean. (See: Metaphor)

carcass

The dead body of an animal that God has declared to be unfit for the people to touch or eat is spoken of as if it were physically unclean. (See: Metaphor)

unclean

A person who is unacceptable for God's purposes because he has touched the carcass of one of these animals is spoken of as if he were physically unclean. (See: Metaphor)

seeds for planting

"seeds that you intend to plant"

those seeds will still be clean ... they will be unclean

Seeds that God has declared to be acceptable for the people to plant are spoken of as if they are physically clean, and those which are unacceptable are spoken of as if they were unclean. (See: Metaphor)

But if water is put on the seeds

This can be translated in active form. AT: "But if you put water on the seeds" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

fountain

cistern

water

creature

clean

seed

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

עין ובור מקוה מים‎אך מ NEVERTHELESS A FOUNTAIN OR A PIT WHERE THERE IS A GATHERING OF WATERS which are attached to the ground are not receptive of uncleanness (not being included in וכל משקה וגו׳ בכל כלי mentioned in v. 34, since it states here יהיה טהור, it shall remain clean). But you may also give it the meaning: יהיה טהור, he shall be clean i.e. he who immerses himself in them to free himself from his uncleanness.

ונגע בנבלתם יטמא BUT THAT WHICH TOUCHES THEIR CARRION SHALL BE UNCLEAN — even if one is in the fountain or pit and comes in contact with their uncleanness (their carcasses) he shall be unclean. This is specifically stated in order that you should not argue à fortiori as follows: since it cleanses the unclean from their uncleanness, it follows à fortiori that it will save the clean from becoming unclean, — it stales therefore, “but whoever touches their carrion shall be unclean” (Sifra, Shemini, Section 9 5; Nedarim 75b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

NEVERTHELESS A FOUNTAIN OR A CISTERN WHEREIN IS A GATHERING OF WATER SHALL BE CLEAN. Scripture is stating that the waters in the immersion-pool whilst attached to the ground are not susceptible to impurity if any [source of] impurity should fall therein. BUT THAT WHICH TOUCHETH THEIR CARCASS SHALL BE UNCLEAN. The meaning thereof is as follows: “but waters which touch the carcass [of any of the creeping things] shall become impure, [meaning that waters which are separated [from a gathering of water] are rendered impure if they touch their carcass. [The phrase, and [waters] which touch their carcass shall be unclean, must be referring to detached waters], for when the waters are still attached to the pool, they cannot [be said to] ‘touch’ their carcass, but rather [Scripture should have said], their carcass ‘fell’ into it.” Scripture speaks of water in the singular [saying, v’nogeia — “and that which toucheth”], just as it says elsewhere, the water of sprinkling was not sprinkled upon him. (was not sprinkled) in referring to water, although the Hebrew word ‘mayim’ is in the plural form. Or it may be that Scripture is saying, “and whatsoever touches their carcass shall be impure,” and the intent is to include water and [the other] drinks mentioned. In general, this verse comes to teach that water is susceptible to impurity when it is detached [from a pool], but not when it is attached thereto, a principle that has not been mentioned heretofore.Now in the Torath Kohanim we find that [the Rabbis gave this interpretation]: 9:6. “Rabbi Yosei the Galilean said: But that which toucheth their carcass shall be unclean. By touching they [i.e., the eight dead creeping things] convey impurity, but not by carrying them.” This too is feasible, that [the verse] is referring back to all the laws mentioned [in Verses 24-5] previously, and saying that creeping things convey impurity only by touch. Our Rabbis have further interpretations of the redundant expressions in this [whole] verse, all of them laws given to Moses on Sinai.Now Scripture mentioned the purity of the immersion-pool and waters attached to the ground in speaking of [the impurity conveyed by] creeping things, but the same law applies to [that conveyed by] carrion [of animals forbidden as food, and of those permitted animals not slaughtered properly or which died by themselves]. It waited, however, to mention [the law concerning the purity of pools till now], until it had completed the enumeration of all objects that convey impurity. Or it may be that it is because creeping things frequently die in fountains or in cisterns. I have already mentioned my opinion [that this verse mentions the impurity of vessels conveyed by creeping things and their purification by immersion, and from it we learn the law of people and vessels in connection with the other forms of impurity mentioned above].

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.