Meaning
Defilement is the condition of being made impure, polluted, corrupted, or unfit for a particular purpose.
It can refer to physical or ceremonial impurity, as well as moral, sexual, or religious corruption.
Biblical Usage
In Scripture, defilement refers to the condition of being made impure, polluted, or unclean.
The Bible uses the term in physical, ceremonial, moral, sexual, religious, and spiritual contexts.
Persons, animals, objects, the land, the sanctuary, and other things may be described as defiled.
Scripture also speaks of people being defiled by their actions, sin, idolatry, or association with uncleanness.
Key References
- Genesis 34:2
- Exodus 31:14
- Leviticus 11:43-45
- Leviticus 15:31
- Leviticus 18:24-30
- Numbers 5:1-4
- Numbers 19:13-20
- Numbers 35:33-34
- Psalm 106:38
- Isaiah 59:3
- Jeremiah 2:7
- Ezekiel 36:17-18
- Haggai 2:13-14
- Matthew 15:18-20
- Mark 7:20-23
- Hebrews 12:15
Related Terms
- Unclean
- Impurity
- Cleansing
- Purification
- Sin
- Holy
- Sanctuary