Leviticus 13

Leviticus 13:1-17

The ceremonial uncleanness of leprosy. (1.) Rules by which the priest must judge whether a man had the leprosy or no. 1. If it was a fuelling, a scab, or a bright spot, ver. 1—17. 2. If it was a bile, ver. 18—23. 3. If it was an inflammation, ver. 24—28. 4. If it was in the head or barrel, ver. 29—37. 5. If it was a bright spot, ver. 38, 39. 6. If it was in a bald head, ver. 40—44. (2.) Direction is given how the leprosy must be disposed of, ver. 45, 46. (3.) Concerning the leprosy in garments, ver. 47—59.

1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, 2. When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy, ’then he

shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests. 3. And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh; and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague is right be deeper than the skin of his flesh; it is a plague of leprosy; and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. 4. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague, seven days. 5. And the priest shall look on him the seventh day; and behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more. 6. And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day; and behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin; the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a leprosy. 7. When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest. 8. And if the priest see, that behold the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprosy. 9. When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest. 10. And the priest shall see him; and behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising; 11. It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up; for he is unclean. 12. And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of his that hath the plague, from his head even to his foot, wherefore the priest looketh; 13. Then the priest shall consider: and behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague; it is all turned white; he is clean. 14. But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. 15. And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean; for the raw flesh is unclean; it is a leprosy. 16. Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest: 17. And the priest shall see him; and behold, if the plague be turned into white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague; he is clean.

We have here the treatment of the plague of leprosy. This seems to have been rather an uncleanness, than a disease; and, if a disease, not of the same kind with what at present paffes under this name, but inflicted by the hand of God as a punishment, and therefore coming more properly under the inspection of the priest than the physician. In it he was to use the greatest circumspection and deliberation. Raft confers, or halfy conclusions, all become God’s mindless. God lays down his rule of judgment. By the word of God must every man’s spiritual estate be determined. Not every spot or fire was a leprosy; if it were no more than skin-deep, nor had spread after being shut up, the person is clean. Infirmities attend the bed of God’s people; but every spot is not reproducive. But if, after being shut up, it were deep, and spread, then he was pronounced unclean. Scandalous furs are a just cause of exclusion from the church of God; and when, instead of mending after reproof, the evil spread, then there is little hope. No time need be spent in waiting, where raw flesh appeared in the fore. Pride and fell-rights-of-forts are evident marks of a confirmed state of spiritual leprosy. But if he were white all over, he was pronounced clean. There who see and feel their universal depravity and corruption, will come to Christ to be made whole. After inspection, though clean, he must wash his clothes. We need not only have our furs once pardoned thro’ the blood of the Lamb, but must every day come to the same fountain, to wash away the spots which daily appear upon us.

18. ¶ The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof was a bile, and is healed. 19. And in the place of the bile there be a white rising, or a bright spot white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest; 20. And if when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the bile. 21. But if the priest look on it, and behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days. 22. And if it spread

much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a plague. 23. But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning bile; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 24. ¶ Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; 25. Then the priest shall look upon it; and behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning; wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the plague of leprosy. 26. But if the priest look on it, and behold, there be no white hair on the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days. 27. And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day; and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the plague of leprosy. 28. And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is an inflammation of the burning. 29. ¶ If a man or woman hath a plague upon the head or the beard; 30. Then the priest shall see the plague; and behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin, and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard. 31. And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall, seven days. 32. And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague; and behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin; 33. He shall be shaven, but the scall shall be not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more. 34. And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall; and behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 35. But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleaning; 36. Then the priest shall look on him; and behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean; 37. But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

Leviticus 13:10-20

When God hath restored us again from sickness, or journeying to visit his tabernacle, it becomes us to appear with our grateful acknowledgments for the mercies. The super was before pronounced clean; now he is introduced as such to the door of the congregation, with his three lambs, a meat-offering, and log (about a half-pint) of oil. The trespass-offering is first killed, and the blood applied to the ear, thumb, and toe of the person; signifying now his being wholly clean, and typifying the application of the blood of atonement by Jesus, the great high-priest, to the conscience by faith: then the oil is put upon it, in token of his healing. The oil of Divine Grace ever accompanies the sprinkling of atoning blood. Hereupon his sin-offering is accepted for atonement; and his burnt-offering is a sweet favour of thanksgiving, and now he is free among the people. Nuts, They whoever is pardoned, and whose leprosy is cleansed, however before they may have been separated from the faithful, will now be received with joy into the bosom of the church, and every true Israelite.

Chap. 9.7. Hov. His hand reach not. Hov. For a waring.

21. And * if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass-offering, to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil, for a meat-offering, and a log of oil: 22. And two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin-offering, and the other a burnt-offering. 23. And he shall bring them on the eighth day, for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD. 24. And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a water-offering before the LORD. 25. And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass-offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass-offering, and put it 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. 26. And the priest shall pour the oil into the palm of his own left hand. 27. And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger, some of the oil that is in his left hand, seven times before the LORD. 28. And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand, 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 trespass-offering; 29. And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand, he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD. 30. And he shall offer the one of the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get: 31. Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, with the meat-offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD. 32. This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

Leviticus 13:18-37

What bodies of corruption do we bear about with us? How abominable to be proud of that which may be shortly so loathsome? Other appearances of leprosy are mentioned in an old ulcer, or burn, or icad-head, with directions for the priest’s judgment. Note. (1.) Old furs breaking out afire, are a bad symptom of the uncured leprosy of sin. (2.) A forward spirit, like the burs in the flesh, continuing unfounded, is a plain proof of the unfoundness of the heart.

38. ¶ If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots; 39. Then the priest shall look: and behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean. 40. And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet it is he clean. 41. And he that hath his hair fallen off, from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead-bald; yet it is he clean. 42. And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish fore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head or his bald forehead. 43. Then the priest shall look upon it; and behold, if the rising of the fore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; 44. He is a leprosy man, he is unclean; the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean, his plague is in his head. 45. And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry: Unclean, unclean. 46. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him, he shall be defiled; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone, without the camp shall his habitation be.

Leviticus 13:21-32

A gracious provision for the poor. God ever testifies an especial care for them, and provides, that however destitute they may be of things temporal, they shall not lack the spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

33. ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 34. When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession: 35. And he that oweeth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house: 36. Then the priest shall

command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague: that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37. And he shall look on the plague, and behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house, with hollow stakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall: 38. Then the priest shall go out of the house, to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 39. And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house: 40. Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city. 41. And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off, without the city, into an unclean place. 42. And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house. 43. And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered: 44. Then the priest shall come, and look: and behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean. 45. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house: and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. 46. Moreover, he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up, shall be unclean until the even. 47. And he that lieth in the house, shall wash his clothes: and he that eateth in the house, shall wash his clothes. 48. And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49. And he shall take to cleanse the house: two birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyffop. 50. And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel, over running water. 51. And he shall take the cedar-wood and the hyffop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar-wood, and with the hyffop, and with the scarlet. 53. But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.

Leviticus 13:33-53

Leprosy of the house, like that of the cloaths, appears to be a judgment from God. On information, the priest must examine; if the infested stones taken out stopped its spreading, it was cleansed and spared: if inveterate, it was pulled down, and made a dunghill. Nuts, (1.) Matters of families should look well to their houses, and seek to stop the first appearances of sin. (2.) We should remove those from us, whose conversation is dangerous and infectious. (3.) If error or corruption have soared generally upon a church or state, their ruin is near. (4.) Because corruption hath got such hold of our body, perfect deliverance from it can only be obtained by destruction of the fleshly tabernacle in the grave.

54. This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy and scall. 55. And for the leprosy of a garment, and of an house, 56. And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: 57. To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

Leviticus 13:39-46

A bald head, or freckled face, must not be mis-taken for leprosy. Not every fading is the proof of a bad heart.

But Ibid. The enclosing of being flesh. Robert Chas. 1890. Ibid. A burning of fire.

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 blood of the trespass-offering. 18. And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand, he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD. 19. And the priest shall offer the sin-offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness, and afterward he shall kill the burnt-offering. 20. And the priest shall offer the burnt-offering, and the meat-offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

Leviticus 13:54-57

The particular notice taken of this plague of leprosy, should teach us, if ceremonial densement was so odious, how much more abominable the filthiness of flesh and spirit is in the eyes of a Holy God, and how much need we have to cleanse ourselves from these, that we may be vessels fit and meet for the matter’s use.

Before Chap. 1. Hov. In coming a shall give in. Nov. For post. Hov. In coming a shall give in. See sec. 4.