Leviticus 14

Leviticus 14. consists of two distinct sections, the cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:1-32) and the leprosy of a house (Leviticus 14:33-53). Probably Leviticus 13 was the original document on leprosy, or Leviticus 14:1-32 would have preceded Leviticus 13:47 ff., while Leviticus 13:47 ff. and Leviticus 14:33 ff. would naturally have come together (as their subject-matter is placed in Leviticus 14:55). On the other hand, the law of ceremonial cleansing may be as old as Leviticus 13. Leviticus 13 deals with the tests whether leprosy is present or not (Leviticus 13:34 deals only with the object of a mistaken suspicion); Leviticus 14 deals only with what has to be done after leprosy has gone. Leviticus 14 shows into what a distant period the whole law must be pushed back. The articles to be dipped, the Jetting loose of the bird (cf. the goat for Azazel, Leviticus 16, and the red heifer, Numbers 19*), the shaving of the hair, all suggest ideas which had very possibly an original connexion with what would now be called magic—getting rid of the spirit or demon of disease.

With P, the remains of magical have not begun to yield to the beginnings of medical treatment. The interval of seven days (Leviticus 14:9) and the partial repetition of the ceremony may be the addition of later lawyers.

The threefold sacrifice (guilt, with meal, sin, and burnt) recalls the general sacrificial law; but why guilt? There is no suggestion of the extra ⅕ ?th, as in Leviticus 5 f. and there are ritual differences, e.g. oil is used, and the whole offering is waved. The double sprinkling of the extremities (with blood and oil) reminds us of the consecration of priests (Leviticus 8), but ethnic parallels show that an older rite is here taken over; it is called a guilt offering, because, as additional to the sin and burnt offerings, it could be called nothing else. The whole rite had to be brought under the familiar categories. Even “atonement” (Leviticus 14:19), though there is of course no actual “sin,” is necessary, because rites like these alone can secure power to join again in the “communio sacrorum.” A modification for poverty is prescribed, as in Leviticus 5:11, Leviticus 12:8. If true leprosy alone had been intended, apart from eczema or skin-disease, the rite could hardly ever have been needed. But we cannot consider such a rite as this invented, or “in the air.” This chapter, as Leviticus 12, may have originally referred to local sanctuaries; but there would be even less difficulty about the journey to Jerusalem than in Leviticus 12.

Leviticus 14:1-20

Leviticus 14:1-20. Normal Law of Cleansing after the disease has disappeared.—The patient brings to the priest two birds, and he is sprinkled with the blood of one of them, killed in an earthenware (and therefore cheap) bowl, for mixing the blood, over running (and therefore pure) water, along with cedar wood (perhaps because of its supposed healing properties), scarlet wool, and hyssop (cf. Numbers 19:6). The other bird carries away the pollution. He then removes his hair and washes himself and his clothes (cf. Deuteronomy 21:12, Numbers 6:18).

In the second part of the rite, next day, the semi-magical elements (except perhaps in Leviticus 14:14; Leviticus 14:17) are not found. The guilt offering, a he-lamb, along with meal and oil, is presented, and with the blood and the oil the extremities of the offerer are touched; then follow the sin offering and the burnt offering, with the meal offering. In Numbers 15:4, only ⅟ ?10 of an ephah is mentioned as a meal offering. ⅟ ?10 of an ephah is equivalent to some 20 pints, and a lôg (of oil) to one pint. The reference to the left hand (Leviticus 14:15) and “upon the blood” (Leviticus 14:17) show how carefully the ritual is thought out, in order that the whole may be done neatly.

Leviticus 14:21-32

Leviticus 14:21-32. Modification of the Offering for Poverty.—Less flour is required, and doves instead of animals are allowed for sin and burnt offerings (cf. Leviticus 5:7). The first part of the rite and the “guilt offering” are unmodified.

Leviticus 14:33-53

Leviticus 14:33-53. Ceremonies for a “Leprous” House.—Doubtless the result of the working of analogy; a secondary section, like Leviticus 13:47 ff. When Yahweh puts the plague of leprosy” upon a house (cf. Amos 3:6), the house is to be emptied, for ritual purposes, and if suspicion is aroused by the priest’s inspection, the house is sealed up for a week. If on a further inspection the infection is still there, the mortar is to be scraped off, and the stones of the infected place removed. The house is then repaired, but if the “plague” appear again, the house is torn down and its materials carted away.

Palestinian houses, as is shown by the debris on excavated sites, were built of stones loosely put together with mortar (not always properly tempered; cf. Ezekiel 13:10). It was not, therefore, difficult to dig through and remove (cf. Ezekiel 12:5, Matthew 6:19) part of the wall; though when a house was destroyed, the debris was generally left on the spot, to serve for a fresh building. Entering the house involves uncleanness, and when the house is pronounced clean, the older rite is prescribed for the ratification of its habitability (birds, cedar, running water, etc.), and by it is made the atonement which for a human being is made by the three kinds of offerings.