Lev 13:1-46, 14:2-32, Mat 3:15, 8:4, Luk 5:14 | TSK | STEP | The laws and tokens whereby the priest is to be guided in discerning the leprosy.

Leviticus 13:1-46

1 The laws and tokens whereby the priest is to be guided in discerning the leprosy.

rising. or, swelling. a scab.

the plague of leprosy.{Tzaräâth,} the Leprosy, from the Greek [lepra,] from [lepis,] a scale; so called, because in this disease the body is covered with thin white scales, so as to give it the appearance of snow. The leprosy is a dreadful, contagious disorder, common in Egypt and Syria, and generally manifests itself at first in the manner described in the text. Its commencement is imperceptible; there appearing only a few reddish spots on the skin, which are not attended with pain or any other symptom, but cannot be removed. It increases imperceptibly, and continues for some years to be more and more manifest. The spots become larger, spread over the whole skin, and are sometimes rather raised, though generally flat. When it increases the upper part of the nose swells, the nostrils distend, the nose becomes soft, swellings appear on the under jaws, the eyebrows are elevated, the ears grow thick, the ends of the fingers, feet, and toes, swell, the nails grow scaly, the joints of the hands and feet separate, the palms of hands and soles of the feet are ulcerated, and in its last stage the patient becomes horrible, and falls to pieces.

14:3,35; Ex 4:6,7; Nu 12:10,12; 2Sa 3:29; 2Ki 5:1,27; 2Ch 26:19-21

Isa 1:6

he shall.

De 17:8,9; 24:8; Mal 2:7; Mt 8:4; Mr 1:44; Lu 5:14; 17:14

shall look.

2; 10:10; Eze 44:23; Hag 2:11; Mal 2:7; Ac 20:28; Ro 3:19,20; 7:7

Heb 13:7; Re 2:23

turned.

Eze 16:30; Ho 7:9

deeper.

Ge 13:3; 2Ti 2:16,17; 3:13

pronounce.

Mt 16:19; 18:17,18; Joh 20:23; Ro 3:19,20; 1Co 5:4-6; 2Th 3:14,15

1Ti 1:20

shut up.

Nu 12:15; De 13:14; Eze 44:10; 1Co 4:5; 1Ti 5:24

pronounce.

Isa 11:3,4; 42:3; Ro 14:1; Jude 1:22,23

a scab.

2; De 32:5; Jas 3:2

wash.

11:25,28,40; 14:8; 1Ki 8:38,45; Ps 19:12; Pr 20:9; Ec 7:20

Joh 13:8-10; 2Co 7:1; Heb 9:10; 10:22; 1Jo 1:7-9

27,35,36; Ps 38:3; Isa 1:5,6; Ro 6:12-14; 2Ti 2:16,17

3; Mt 15:7,8; Ac 8:21; Php 3:18,19; 2Pe 2:19

shall see him.

3,4; Nu 12:10-12; 2Ki 5:27; 2Ch 26:19,20

quick raw flesh. Heb. the quickening of living flesh.

14,15,24; Pr 12:1; Am 5:10; Joh 3:19,20; 7:7

cover all.

1Ki 8:38; Job 40:4; 42:6; Isa 64:6; Joh 16:8,9; Ro 7:14; 1Jo 1:8-10

if the leprosy.It may seem strange that the partial leper should be pronounced unclean, and the person totally covered with the disease clean. This was probably owing to a different species or stage of the disease; the partial being contagious, the total not. That there are two different species, or degrees, of the disease described here, is sufficiently evident: in one, the person was all covered with a white enamelled scurf; in the other, there was a quick raw flesh in the risings. On this account, the one was deemed unclean, or contagious, the other not; for contact with the quick raw flesh would be more likely to communicate the disease, than the touch of the hard dry scurf. The ichor proceeding from the former, when brought into contact with the flesh of another, would soon be taken into constitution by means of the absorbent vessels; but where the surface was perfectly dry; the absorbent vessels of another, coming in contact with the diseased man, could imbibe nothing, and there was consequently but little or no danger of infection. This is the learned Dr. Mead's view of the subject; who thus accounts for the circumstances mentioned in the text.

he is clean.

Isa 64:6; Joh 9:41

Ro 7:14-24; Ga 1:14-16; Php 3:6-8; 1Ti 1:13-15

a boil.

Ex 9:9; 15:26; 2Ki 20:7; Job 2:7; Ps 38:3-7; Isa 38:21

in sight.

3; Mt 12:45; Joh 5:14; 2Pe 2:20

shut him.

1Co 5:5

a plague. i,e., "The plague of leprosy."

Ge 38:26; 2Sa 12:13; 2Ch 19:2,3; Job 34:31,32; 40:4,5; Pr 28:13

Mt 26:75; 2Co 2:7; Ga 6:1; 1Pe 4:2,3

a hot burning. Heb. a burning of fire.

Isa 3:24This is supposed to state the case of such as had been hurt by fire; which would leave a scar, in which the leprosy might appear, and which was to be distinguished by the rules here given.

turned white.

4,18-20

then the priest.

4,5,23

it is the plague of leprosy. See on ver.

1Ki 8:38; 12:28; 2Ch 6:29; Ps 53:4; Isa 1:5; 5:20; 9:15; Mic 3:11

Mt 6:23; 13:14,15; Joh 16:2,3; Ac 22:3,4; 26:9,10; 2Co 4:3,4

2Th 2:11,12

scall.

34-37; 14:54

seven days.

4-6

yellow hair.

30; Mt 23:5; Lu 18:9-12; Ro 2:23

the seventh.

1Jo 4:1; Jude 1:22; Re 2:2

be not.

and he shall.

7,27; 2Ti 2:16,17; 3:13

if the bright.

Ec 7:20; Ro 7:22-25; Jas 3:2

a freckled spot.The word {bohak,} from the Syriac {behak,} to be white, or shining, here rendered "a freckled spot," is used by the Arabs to denote a kind of leprosy, of which Niebuhr says, "{Bohak} is neither contagious nor dangerous. A black boy at Mocha, who was affected with this eruption, had here and there upon his body white spots. We were told that the use of sulphur had relieved this boy for a time, but had not entirely removed the disease." He adds subsequently from Forskal's papers, "The Arabs call a sort of leprosy, in which some little spots shew themselves here and there on the body, {behaq;} and it is without doubt the same as is named {bohak,} (Le ch. 13). They believe it to be so far from contagious, that one may sleep with a person affected without danger." "On the 15th day of May, 1765, I myself first saw the {Bohak} leprosy in a Jew at Mocha. The spots in this disease are of an unequal size. They do not shine; are not perceptibly higher than the skin; and do not change the colour of the hair. Their colour is an obscure white, inclining to red. The rest of the skin of the patient was darker than that of the people of the country in general; but the spots were not so white as the skin of an European, when not sun-burnt. The spots in this leprosy do not appear on the hands, or near the navel, but on the neck and face, yet not on that part where the hair grows thick. They gradually spread, and continue sometimes only about two months, but in some cases one or two years, and then disappear by degrees, of themselves. This disorder is neither contagious nor hereditary, nor does it occasion any inconvenience." Hence a person infected with the {bohak} is declared clean.

hair is fallen off his head. Heb. head is pilled.

41; So 5:11; Ro 6:12,19; 8:10; Ga 4:13

utterly unclean.

Job 36:14; Mt 6:23; 2Pe 2:1,2; 2Jo 1:8-10

his plague.

Isa 1:5

his clothes.

Ge 37:29; 2Sa 13:19; Job 1:20; Jer 3:25; 36:24; Joe 2:13

and his head.

10:6; 21:10

put.

Eze 24:17,22; Mic 3:7

Unclean.

Job 42:6; Ps 51:3,5; Isa 6:5; 52:11; 64:6; La 4:15; Lu 5:8; 7:6,7

Lu 17:12

the days.

Pr 30:12

without.

Nu 5:2; 12:14,15; 2Ki 7:3; 15:5; 2Ch 26:21; La 1:1,8; 1Co 5:5,9-13

2Th 3:6,14; 1Ti 6:5; Heb 12:15,16; Re 21:27; 22:15

Leviticus 14:2-32

the law.

54-57; 13:59

in the day.

Nu 6:9

He shall.

Mt 8:2-4; Mr 1:40-44; Lu 5:12-14; 17:14

go forth.Lepers were obliged to live in a detached situation, separate from other people, and to keep themselves actually at a distance from them. They were distinguished by a peculiar dress; and if any person approached, they were bound to give him warning, by crying out, Unclean! unclean!

out of.

13:46

be healed.

Ex 15:26; 2Ki 5:3,7,8,14; Job 5:18; Mt 10:8; 11:5; Lu 4:27; 7:22

Lu 17:15,16-19; 1Co 6:9-11

two birds. or, sparrows.The word {tzippor,} from the Arabic {zaphara,} to fly, is used in the Scriptures to denote birds of every species, particularly small birds. But it is often used in a more restricted sense, as the Hebrew writers assert, to signify the sparrow. Aquinas says the same; and Jerome renders it here the sparrow. So the Greek [strouthia,] in Matthew and Luke, which signifies a sparrow, is rendered by the Syriac translator {tzipparin}, the same as the Hebrew {tzipporim}. Nor is it peculiar to the Hebrews to give the same name to the sparrow and to fowls of the largest size; for Nicander calls the hen [strouthos katoikados,] the domestic sparrow, and both Plautus and Ausonius call the ostrich, {passer marinus,} "the marine sparrow." It is evident, however, that the word in this passage signifies birds in general; for if the sparrow was a clean bird, there was no necessity for commanding a clean one to be taken, since every one of the species was ceremonially clean; but if it was unclean, then it could not be called clean.

1:14; 5:7; 12:8

cedar.

6,49-52; Nu 19:6

scarlet.

Heb 9:19

hyssop.

Ex 12:22; Nu 19:18; Ps 51:7

earthen vessel.

50; Nu 5:17; 2Co 4:7; 5:1; 13:4; Heb 2:14

the living bird.

Joh 14:19; Ro 4:25; 5:10; Php 2:9-11; Heb 1:3; Re 1:18

dip them.

51-53; Zec 13:1; Re 1:5

sprinkle.

Nu 19:18,19; Isa 52:15; Eze 36:25; Joh 19:34; Heb 9:13,19,21

Heb 10:22; 12:24; 1Pe 1:2; 1Jo 5:6

seven times.

51; 4:6,17; 8:11; 16:14,19; 2Ki 5:10,14; Ps 51:2,7; Eph 5:26,27

pronounce.

13:13,17

let.

16:22; Da 9:24; Mic 7:19; Heb 9:26

into the open field. Heb. upon the face of the field.

wash his.

11:25; 13:6; 15:5-8; Ex 19:10,14; Nu 8:7; Re 7:14

wash himself.

8:6; 1Pe 3:21; Re 1:5,6

and shall.

Nu 12:15

seven days.

8:33-35; 13:5

shave all.

Nu 6:9; 8:7

wash his flesh.Lictenstein states that "among the Koossas, (a nation of South Africa,) there are certain prevailing notions respecting moral [ceremonial] uncleanness. All children are unclean till they are admitted among grown-up persons (which happens with the males through the various ceremonies attending circumcision); all lying-in women are unclean for the first month; all men who have lost their wives, for a fortnight, and all widows for a month; a mother who has lost a child, for two days; all persons who have been present at a death, the men returning from a battle, etc. No one may have intercourse with such an unclean person, till he has washed himself, rubbed his body with fresh paint, and rinsed his mouth with milk. But he must not do this till after the lapse of a certain time, fixed by general consent for each particular case, and during this time he must wholly refrain from washing, painting, or drinking milk."

eighth day.

23; 9:1; 15:13,14

take.

Mt 8:4; Mr 1:44; Lu 5:14

he lambs.

1:10; Joh 1:29; 1Pe 1:19

ewe lamb.

4:32; Nu 6:14

of the first year. Heb. the daughter of her year. threetenth.

23:13; Ex 29:40; Nu 15:9; 28:20

a meat offering.

2:1; Nu 15:4-15; Joh 6:33,51

log of oil.

12,15,21,24

8:3; Ex 29:1-4; Nu 8:6-11,21; Eph 5:26,27; Jude 1:24

trespass.

5:2,3,6,7,18,19; 6:6,7; Isa 53:10

wave them.

8:27-29; Ex 29:24

in the place.

1:5,11; 4:4,24; Ex 29:11

as the sin.

7:7; 10:17

it is most holy.

2:3; 7:6; 21:22

8:23,24; Ex 29:20; Isa 1:5; Ro 6:13,19; 12:1; 1Co 6:20; 2Co 7:1

Php 1:20; 1Pe 1:14,15; 2:5,9,10; Re 1:5,6

Ps 45:7; Joh 3:34; 1Jo 2:20

4:6,17; Lu 17:18; 1Co 10:31

14; 8:30; Ex 29:20,21; Eze 36:27; Joh 1:16; Tit 3:3-6; 1Pe 1:2

the remnant.

8:12; Ex 29:7; 2Co 1:21,22

Eph 1:17,18

make an atonement.

4:26,31; 5:16

12; 5:1,6; 12:6-8; Ro 8:3; 2Co 5:21

10; Eph 5:2

poor.

1:14; 5:7; 12:8; 1Sa 2:8; Job 34:19; Pr 17:5; 22:2; Lu 6:20; 21:2-4

2Co 8:9,12; Jas 2:5,6

cannot. Heb. his hand reach not. one lamb.

to be waved. Heb. for a waving.

two turtle doves.{Tor,} the turtle or ring-dove, so called by an onomatopoeia from its cooing, as in Greek [trugon], Latin, {turtur} and English, turtle. It is a species of the dove or pigeon, here called {yonah,} and in the Syriac {yauno,} from the verb to oppress, afflict, because of its being particularly defenceless, and exposed to rapine and violence. The dove is a genus of birds too well known to need a particular description; and of which there are several species besides the turtle-dove; as the wood pigeon, tame pigeon, and others. The dove is universally allowed to be one of the most beautiful objects in nature. The brilliancy of her plumage, the splendour of her eye, the innocence of her look, the excellence of her dispositions, and the purity of her manners, have been the theme of admiration and praise in every age. To the snowy whiteness of her wings, and the rich golden hues that adorn her neck, the inspired Psalmist alludes in most elegant strains. (Ps 68:13.) The voice of the dove is particularly tender and plaintive, and bears a striking resemblance to the groan of a person in distress; to which the inspired bards frequently allude. (Isa 38:14; 59:11; Eze 7:16.) Her native dwelling is in the caves or hollows of the rock; allusions to which fact also occur in the Sacred Writings, (So 2:14; Jer 48:28.) Her manners are as engaging as her form is elegant, and her plumage rich and beautiful. She is the chosen emblem of simplicity, gentleness, chastity, and feminine timidity, and for this reason, as well as from their abounding in the East, they were probably chosen as offerings by Jehovah.

Ps 68:13; So 2:14; Isa 38:14; 59:11; Jer 48:28; Eze 7:16

10-13

14-20; Ps 40:6; Ec 5:1

18,20; Ex 30:15,16; Joh 17:19; 1Jo 2:1,2; 5:6

22; 12:8; 15:14,15; Lu 2:24; Ro 8:3

2,54-57; 13:59

whose hand.

10,21; Ps 72:12-14; 136:23; Mt 11:5; 1Co 1:27,28