Leviticus 14

Laws touching the purification or cleaning of the Leper, v. 1, etc. of the Ceremonies to be observed therein, 3. and the sacrifices, with the condition of the rich, 10. and of the poor, 21. of the Leprosy of the houses, and the marks, whereby they were to be known, 33. of the manner of cleansing them, 49. the conclusion of both this and the former Chapter, 51.

1. After that the LORD spoke unto Moseh, saying:

2. This shall be the Law of the Leper (or leprous person) in the day of his cleansing: [i.e. then when the Priest shall publish and declare him clean] that he shall be brought to the Priest. [to wit, somewhat nearer to him, that he should not need to go far forth out of the Camp.]

3. And the Priest shall go forth without the Camp: when the Priest shall observe, that loe, the plague of the Leprosy of the Leper, is healed, (or recovered) [This viewing, and the Declaration ensuing, was to be performed by the Priest, according to the Laws prescribed in the former Chapter.]

4. Then the Priest shall command to take for him that is to be cleansed, two living clean birds: [The Hebrew word doth signify a bird in general, Deuteronomy 4:17. Psalms 8:9.and in particular a small bird, and among them more especially, a sparrow, as it is taken by many, Psalms 84:4. and 102. 8.] together with Cedar wood and Scarlet, [Understand some kind of stuff, of wool, or the like, twice dipped in Scarlet colour. See Gen. 38. on verse 28. and Exodus 25:4.] and hyssop. [see Exodus 12:22.]

5. The Priest shall likewise command, to slay the one bird, in an carthen Vessel, [Into which the blood of the slain bird was to drop or run out, and to be mixed with the water] over living water. [Understand such as come forth out of a springing fountain, or running river; being called living water, because of its stirring in the flowing or running, resembling life thereby; compare Genesis 26:19. and the Annot thereupon.]

6. That living bird he shall take, and the Cedar-wood and the Scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip the same, and the living bird into the blood of bird that was slain over the living water.

7. And he shall sprinkle over him that is to be cleansed from his Leprosy, seven times: after that he shall declare him clean and let the living bird fly into the open field. [Heb. send forth, or, dismiss, or, let loose over the face of the field.]

8. He now that is to be cleansed, shall wash his clothes, and shave off all of his hair, and wash himself in the water, so he shall be clean, after that he shall come into the Camp; but shall remain without his Tent seven days [Compare above chapter 13. on verse 46. and Numb. 12. on verse 24. and 31. on verse 19.]

9. And it shall come to pass on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head, and his beard, and the brows of his eyes; ye all his hair he shall shave off, and shall wash his clothes, and bath his flesh with water, so he shall be clean.

10. And on the eight day he shall take two perfect Lambs, [Whereof the one was to be offered for a guilt-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering. See below verse 12. and 19.] and a perfect sheep of a year old, [Heb. a daughter of a year] together with their tenths [viz. of an Epha, i.e. three Gomers: see Exod. 16. on verse 36.] of a meal-flower, for a meat offering, mixed with oil, and one log of oil.] a small measure used for liquid wares, holding four quadrants, one whereof was the measure of one hen-egg shell and a half, so that a Log, contained as much as six ordinary egg-shells, being the fourth part of a Cab, which held four Logs, or twenty four egg-shells.]

11. Now the Priest shall take that one Lamb, and offer the same for a guilt-offering, with the Log of oil: and shall wave the same for a wave-offering [see above chapter 7. on verse 30.] before the face of the LORD.

12. And the priest shall take that one lamb, and offer the same for a guilt-offering, wich the log of oil; and shall wave the same for a wave-offering [see above chapter 7 and verse 30.] before the face of the LORD.

13. After that, he shall slay that Lamb in the place, where they slay the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, in the holy place. [Heb. place of holiness, which was in the Court by the Altar of the burnt-offering: see Exodus 29:11. and above 4. 4. and chapter 6. on ver. 16. and 26.] for the guilt-offering, like to the sin-offering is, for the Priest; it is a Holiness of Holinesses. [See above chapter 2. on verse 3.]

14. And the Priest shall take of the blood of the guilt-offering, which the Priest shall do upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

15. The Priest shall likewise take out of the Log of oil: and shall pour it upon the Priests left hand. [thus also below verse 26. i.e. upon his own hand; and consequently not on his that is cleansed.]

16. Then the Priest shall dip in his right finger, (taking) [This word is put in here, according to the sense of the Hebrew idiom, whereof see Gen. 12. on verse 15.] of this oil, that is in his left hand, and shall with his finger sprinkle seven times before the face of the LORD.

17. And of the residue of the same oil, that shall be in his hand, the Priest shall do upon the tip of the right car of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, above upon the blood of the guilt-offering. [i.e. upon the place , where that was put before; see above verse 14. and below verse 28.]

18. That which shall yet have remained over of the oil, that was in the hand of she Priest, he shall do upon the head of him that is to cleansed: so the Priest shall make expiation over him, before the face of the LORD.

19. Priest shall likewise prepare the sin-offering, and make expiation for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness: and after that he shall slay the burnt-offering. [See above on verse 10.]

20. And the Priest shall offer [Heb. make ascend] that burnt-offering, and that meat-offering: upon the Altar: thus shall the Priest make the expiation for him, and he shall be clean.

21. But if he be poor, and his hand do not compass (that), [i.e. if through poverty he be not able to do so much, see above chapter 5. on verse 7. and below chapter 22. verse 30, 31, 32, & c.] then he shall take one Lamb for (a) guilt-offering to be waved, for to make expiation for him; besides a tenth of a meal-flower mixed with oil for (a) meat-offering, and a Log of oil.

22. Together with two Turtle-doves, or two young Pigeons, [Heb. sons of a Dove; so below verse 30.] which his hand shall reach unto; whereof one shall be for a sin-offering, and one for a burnt-offering.

23. And he shall bring the same to the Priest, on the eight day of his cleansing, [Or, for his cleansing] at the door of the Tent of the Congregation, before the face of the LORD.

24. And the Priest shall take the Lamb of the guilt-offering, and the Log of oil; and the Priest shall wave the same for a wave-offering, before the face of LORD.

25. After that shall he slay the Lamb of the guilt-offering; and the Priest shall take of the blood of the guilt-offering, and do upon the right ear tip of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

26. Also the Priest shall pour of that oil, upon the Priests [i.e. his own; see above on verse 15.] left hand.

27. After that shall the Priest with his right finger sprinkle of that oil, which is upon his left hand, seven times before the face of the LORD.

28. And the Priest shall of that oil which is upon his hand, do upon the tip of the right ear of him, that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the guilt-offering.

29. And the residue of the oil, that is in the Priests hand, he shall do upon the head of him, that is to be cleansed, to make Expiation for him, before the face of the LORD.

30. After that, he shall prepare the one of the Turtle-doves, or of the young Pigeons, of that his hands shall have compassed.

31. Of that which his hand shall have compassed, the one shall be for a sin-offering, and the other shall be for a burnt-offering, above the meat-offering: thus the Priest shall make Expiation for him that is to be cleansed, before the face of the LORD.

32. This is the Law (of him) in whom the plague of the Leprosy shall be, whose hand in his cleansing, shall not have compassed (that). [viz. which was required for the cleansing of Leprosy at first, above verse 10.]

33. Moreover the LORD spoke unto Moseh, and unto Aaron, saying:

34. When ye shall be come into the land of Canaan, which I shall give you for a possession, [Heb. am giving; i.e. shall give assuredly. Compare above chapter 9. the Annotations on verse 4.] and I shall have given the plague of Leprosy in a house of the land of your possession.

35. Then he, whose that house is, shall come, and make it known to the Priest, saying; it seemeth unto me, as if there were a plague in the house. [i.e. by what I am able to discern and conjecture, the house doth seem thus conditioned unto me, as if it were tainted with that infection]

36. And the Priest shall command, that they [viz. all the inhabitants and retainers of the house] shall void that house, [to wit, taking forth likewise and removing the household-stuff of it. The Hebrew word doth properly signify to remove something out of ones sight] before the Priest come, for to view the plague, left all that is in the house become unclean: and after that, the Priest shall come for to view that house.

37. When he shall view that plague, that loe, that plague at the walls of that house, are greenish, or ruddy, hollow places, and their aspect is lower (or, deeper) than the wall;

38. The Priest shall go forth out of that house, at the door of the same house: and he shall cause that house to be shut up seven days.

39. After that the Priest shall return on the seventh day; if he shall observe, that, loe, the plague on the walls of that house is spread abroad.

40. Thus the Priest shall command, that they break out the stones, wherein that plague is, and throw the same without the City, in an unclean place.

41. And he shall cause that house to be scraped within round about, and the dust [i.e. scraped clay, morter, rubbish, & c.] which they have scraped off, they shall throw forth without the City, in an unclean place.

42. After that they shall take other stones, and bring (them) in the place of these stones, and they shall take other clay, (or, morter) and strike that house.

43. But if that plague return and bud forth in that house, after that they have broken out the stones: and after the scraping of the house, and after that it shall be plaistred:

44. Then the Priest shall come: when now he shall observe, that, loe, that plague is spread forth on that house; it is a gnawing Leprosy, [Compare above chapter 13. verse 51.] in that house, it is unclean.

45. Therefore they shall quite break down that house, its stones, and its wood, together with all the clay (or, morter) of the same house: and they shall carry it forth the City to an unclean place.

46. And who so goeth into that house at any day, whiles it shall be shut up, shall be unclean until the Evening.

47. He also that lieth to sleep, [Or, sleepeth: see Gen. 19. on verse 4.] shall wash his clothes: likewise he that eateth in that house, shall wash his clothes.

48. But when the Priest shall be gone in again [Heb. going in, gone in; i.e. again, or, reiteratedly gone in] and shall observe, that loe, the same plague is not spread abroad on that house, after that the house shall be plaistered: then the Priest shall declare that house clean, because that plague is recovered.

49. After that, for to purify (or, un-sin) that house, [i.e. to purify the same, and to fit it again for an orderly and clean use. Compare above chapter 8. 15. and the Annot. thereupon. Item, below verse 52, and 53.] he shall take two (small) birds; together with Cedarwood, and Scarlet, [see above on verse 4.] and hyssop.

50. And he shall slay the one bird in an earthen Vessel, over living water. [See above verse 5.]

51. Then shall he take that Cedar-wood, and that hyssop, and the Scarlet, and the living bird, and shall dip the same into the blood of the slain bird, and into the living water: and he shall sprinkle that house seven times.

52. So he shall un-sin (or, expiate) that house with the blood of the bird, and with that living water; and with that living bird, and with that Cedar-wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet.

53. The living bird now he shall let fly without the City into the open field [Heb. over the face of the field, and so above verse 7.] thus shall he Expiation over the house, [i.e. purify or un-sin the house, verse 49. See the Annot. there; and this phrase, Exodus 29:37. Leviticus 16:16. and 33. Ezekiel 45:20.] and it shall be clean.

54. This is the Law for every plague of Leprosy, and for scall. (or, scabbiness)

55. And for Leprosy of garments, and of houses.

56. As likewise for swelling, and for (the) sore, and for blisters.

57. for to teach [To wit, the Priest, and by him the people also] in what day ought is clean, and in what day ought is unclean. This is the Law of the Leprosy.