impurity

n., pl., -ties.

1. The quality or condition of being impure, especially:
   1. Contamination or pollution.
   2. Lack of consistency or homogeneity; adulteration.
   3. A state of immorality; sin.
2. Something that renders something else impure; an inferior component or additive.

noun

1. Impure condition: defilement, dirtiness, foulness, pollution, uncleanness, unwholesomeness. See clean/dirty.
2. One that contaminates: adulterant, adulterator, contaminant, contamination, contaminator, poison, pollutant. See clean/dirty.

n

Definition: adulteration
Antonyms: purity

n

Definition: contamination
Antonyms: cleanliness, purity

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The biblical concept of purity and impurity is to be sharply distinguished in one important respect from that prevalent in the paganism of antiquity. In the latter, the impure is conceived as hostile and dangerous to both man and the gods. In the Bible, on the other hand, there is no suggestion that the impure can inflict harm upon man, much less upon God. Nevertheless, impurity is regarded as incompatible with holiness. The person who has become defiled must be purified before entering the sphere of the holy even as the latter must periodically be cleansed of its impurities.

Certain creatures, objects and physical conditions are deemed impure and sources of defilement. The latter two categories become pure by means of a prescribed ritual of purification. Though the state of impurity is regarded as a kind of contagious infection, the ritual of purification is not a means of healing since it takes place only after the source and condition of impurity have disappeared.

Purity is an aspect of holiness just as impurity is an aspect of sin with which it is often equated. Since it is Israel's task and destiny to be a holy people (Ex 19:6; Lev 19:2; Num 15:40), it must rigorously exclude from its midst every form of impurity. Otherwise, God will turn away and doom Israel to exile and destruction (Lev 15:31; Ezek 39:24). Idolatrous cults and practices are deemed impure, and render Israel unclean (Ps 106:38; Is 30:22; Ezek 24:13; 36:25; 37:23). The presence of idolatry in foreign lands likewise makes them impure (Amos 7:17). Evil and idolatrous practices by Israel render its own land unclean (Ezek 36:17). The Temple in ruins and unrestored spreads impurity throughout Jerusalem (Hag 2:13-14).

Pagan worship defiles the Temple and the altar. So, Hezekiah, in his program of religious reform instructed the Levites and priests to purify the Temple of the idolatry introduced by Ahaz (II Chr 29:15-16). The sacrificial ritual of the Day of Atonement removed the pollution of the sanctuary caused by the sins and impurities of Israel during the past year (Lev 16:19, 33).

An extension of the concept of ritual impurity is to be seen in the Prophets, Psalms and Wisdom Literature where the emphasis is placed on moral purity. In this literature, "cleanness of hand" means moral integrity (II Sam 22:21, 25). When Isaiah proclaimed (Is 1:16) "� wash yourselves, make yourselves clean", he equated uncleanness with evil and injustice. The Psalmist (18:20; 73:13) gave the same sense to the phrase "cleanness of hands". The latter is one of the moral prerequisites, in addition to a "pure heart", for him who would "ascend the mountain of the Lord and stand in his holy place" (Ps 24:3-4; 51:7ff).

Ritual impurity derives from certain physical states and objects, conceived as exuding impurity on contact. Among the former, is a person from whose body there is a discharge (probably, a gonorrheal flux). Such person defiles anyone with whom he or she comes in contact as well as any seat, bed or saddle (Lev 15:2-12). The same holds true for a menstruating woman (Lev 15:19). Sexual intercourse produces uncleanness in both the man and the woman (Lev 15:16-18). Another source is a persistent discharge of blood from a woman (Lev 15:25-30). Childbirth produces impurity for seven days following the birth of a male child and for 14 days if the child is female. In addition, for a further period of 33 days after the birth of a male and 66 days following the birth of a female, the woman is prohibited from touching holy things or entering the sanctuary (Lev 12:1-5). The most severe grade of impurity, that of a leper or of one who has had contact with a corpse, requires that the person so defiled be sent beyond the camp (Lev 13:46; 14:2-3; Num 5:2-4). If after an initial period of seclusion of seven days, the signs of leprosy (skin diseases not Hanson's Disease) have not spread, the person is secluded for an additional seven days and a final determination is made by the priest. If he is pronounced leprous, he is to dwell outside the camp. Analogous indications are given (Lev 13:47-58) by which the priest is to determine the cleanness or uncleanness of a wool or linen cloth or leather on the wall of a home in which a mold has appeared. Contact with the dead renders one unclean for a period of seven days (Num 19:11; Ezek 44:26). Uncovered vessels in a dwelling in which a corpse lay become unclean (Num 19:15). For each of the impurities mentioned above, a specific ritual of purification is prescribed; the more severe the impurity the more elaborate the ritual. Purification requires a waiting period of varying duration.

Purification requires the use of water (bathing), fire or the sprinkling of blood by the priest on the altar and on the cover of the ark (Lev 16:15). Again, the means used for purification depends on the severity of the impurity to be cleansed. Contact with someone or something with a primary degree of impurity, inflicts secondary impurity, for which bathing suffices, while a more severe form of impurity requires both bathing and washing one's clothes. A more elaborate ritual of purification is prescribed for the leper (Lev 14:2-20). The ritual for one who has been defiled by contact with a corpse is described in Numbers chapter 19. See RED HEIFER. Severe grades of impurity require the bringing of a sacrifice (Lev 12:6; 14:10). The purification of the leper requires the smearing of the blood of the sacrifice on the lobe of the ear, on the thumb of the right hand and on the right toe of the foot. Finally, the priest is to smear oil on these places on the body of the leper after having sprinkled some of the oil "seven times before the Lord" (Lev 14:14-18).

The Jewish bath for ritual cleansing (miqweh) was in use from the time of the Hasmoneans in the 1st century AD. They became particularly popular during the 1st century AD, with numerous stepped and plastered installations beneath houses in Jerusalem and in the close proximity of the Temple Mount. Large scale washing for purification also took place during the Jewish festivals in the Siloam Pool, where a stepped pool has recently been uncovered, and within the Bethesda Pool.

The concepts of ritual purity and impurity underwent a radical transformation in the NT parallel to those found in the Prophets and Wisdom Literature. The latter, however, did not repudiate the notion of ritual purity and impurity as did Jesus. "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man" (Mark 7:15, 23). "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,� all these evil things come from within and defile man" (Mark 7:21, 23; cf James 4:8). Paul (Rom 14:14-21) declared "that there is nothing unclean of itself". Yet, as a tactic, he advised to refrain from eating food (presumably impure) in the presence of a potential Jewish convert. It may offend and prove "a stumbling block" to his conversion to faith in Jesus.

Leprosy (Hanson's Disease) apparently made its first appearance in the Near East in the Hellenistic period, having been brought back from India by Alexander the Great's soldiers. The earliest evidence of leprosy in Palestine dates from the 1st century and was uncovered from a priestly tomb in Aceldama near Jerusalem. Jesus cleansed lepers by a touch of his hand or by a mere word, then ordered the cleansed leper to "� go your way and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them" (Matt 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-15; 17:11-14).

Jesus is described (John 15:3), as cleansing his disciples (of moral evil) by his word or by washing their feet (John 13:10). Paul wrote (Heb 10:22) "� our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water". These passages obviously reflect the bathing for the purpose of ritual purification found frequently in Hebrew Scripture. The notion that the blood of Jesus "cleanses us from all sin" is found in I John 1:7.

In one of his denunciations of the Pharisees, Jesus declared: "�.first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also" (Matt 23:26; Luke 11:39). Yet, like the Pharisees, he implicitly acknowledged that the bones of the dead render one impure � "Pharisees � are like white-washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" (Matt 23:27).

In one significant respect, the NT departed from the OT concept of impurity when it attributed sickness, leprosy and insanity to "unclean spirits" that take possession of a man's body (matt 10:8; 12:43; mark 1:23-26; 3:11).

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IN BRIEF: The state of being tainted.

We make what we can of our condition with the means available. We must accept the mixture as we find it — the impurity of it, the tragedy of it, the hope of it. — Saul Bellow, Canadian-born U.S. novelist.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - urenhed, forurening

Nederlands (Dutch)
onzuiverheid, verontreiniging

Français (French)
n. - impureté

Deutsch (German)
n. - Unreinheit, Verschmutzung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ακαθαρσία, ρύπος, νόθευμα, ξένη ύλη/σώμα

Italiano (Italian)
impudicizia, impurità

Português (Portuguese)
n. - impureza (f)

Русский (Russian)
грязь, непристойность, примесь

Español (Spanish)
n. - impureza

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - orenhet, besmittelse (bildl.), förorening

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
杂质, 不纯, 不洁

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 雜質, 不純, 不潔

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 불순, 외설, 불순물

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 不潔, 汚れ, 不純, 不純物

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نجاسه, تلوث‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮זוהמה, אי טהרה, הפקר‬

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