Bible Dictionaries
Hemorrhage

Holman Bible Dictionary

Heavy or uncontrollable bleeding. The KJV translates the underlying Hebrew and Greek terms as “issue of blood” (Leviticus 12:7; Matthew 9:20 ) or “fountain of blood” (Mark 5:29 ). Modern translations render these terms as hemorrhage, flow, or discharge of blood. Mosaic law said any discharge of blood, whether associated with the birthing process (Leviticus 12:7 ), with menstruation (Leviticus 15:19 ), or continued bleeding (Leviticus 15:25; Matthew 9:20 ), rendered a woman unclean. Those ritually unclean were separated from God (represented by the tabernacle, Leviticus 15:31 ) and from the congregation of Israel (Numbers 5:2 ). The woman suffering from a hemorrhage (Matthew 9:20; Mark 5:29; Luke 8:43-44 ) was thus a religious and social outcast who only dared approach Jesus from behind. Contrary to expectations, the woman did not give her uncleanness to Jesus. Rather Jesus' healing power made the woman clean.