Heavy or uncontrollable bleeding the KJV translates the underlying Hebrew and Greek terms as “issue of blood” (Lev 12:7; Matt 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 (Lev 12:7), with menstruation (Lev 15:19), or continued bleeding (Lev 15:25; Matt 9:20) rendered a woman unclean.

Those ritually unclean were separated from God (represented by the tabernacle, Lev 15:31) and from the congregation of Israel (Num 5:2). The woman suffering from a hemorrhage (Matt 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 expectation, the woman did not give her uncleanness to Jesus. Rather, Jesus’ healing power made the woman clean.