Leviticus 20:18
““‘If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness; he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people.”
What does Leviticus 20:18 mean?
In ancient Israel, menstruation was considered a state of ritual impurity, and this law prohibited sexual relations during that time. The passage uses the word "fountain" as a poetic way to refer to the source of menstrual blood, reflecting the cultural understanding of the time. The consequence of "being cut off from among their people" likely meant separation from community life and religious participation, which was a serious social consequence in a culture where belonging to the community was essential to survival and spiritual life. Rather than a celebration of purity rules, this verse reflects how ancient societies understood bodily functions and created boundaries around them, even if those boundaries seem foreign to us today. For modern readers, this reminds us that the Bible contains laws shaped by ancient cultural contexts. Many Christians and Jews understand this particular regulation as belonging to a specific time and place, not as binding instruction for today. What can matter more is recognizing that biblical laws often revealed what people believed about respect, boundaries, and community order, while trusting that God's deeper concern is always for our wholeness and dignity.