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Leviticus
Chapter Fourteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 14
This
chapter treats of the purification of lepers
and the rules to be observed
therein; and first what the priest was to do for his cleansing when brought to
him
by making use of two birds
with cedar wood
scarlet and hyssop
as
directed
Leviticus 14:1;
what he was to do for himself
shaving off all his hair
and washing his flesh
and clothes in water
Leviticus 14:8; the
offerings to be offered up for him
two he lambs and one ewe lamb
and a meat
offering
with a particular account of the use of the blood of the trespass
offering
and of oil put upon the tip of his right ear
the thumb of his right
hand
and the great toe of his right foot
Leviticus 14:10;
but if poor
only one lamb was required
a meat offering of one tenth deal
and
two turtle doves or two young pigeons
and blood and oil used as before
Leviticus 14:21;
next follow an account of leprosy in an house
and the signs of it
and the
rules to judge of it
Leviticus 14:33;
and the manner of cleansing from it
Leviticus 14:49;
and the chapter is closed with a recapitulation of the several laws concerning
the various sorts of leprosy in this and the preceding chapter
Leviticus 14:54.
Leviticus 14:1. Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... In order to deliver
the same to Aaron
who
and the priests his successors
were chiefly to be
concerned in the execution of the law given:
saying;
as
follows.
Leviticus 14:2.
2 “This shall be the law of
the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest.
YLT 2`This is a law of the leper
in the day of
his cleansing
that he hath been brought in unto the priest
This shall be the law of the leper
in the day of his cleansing
.... Or the
rules
rites
ceremonies
and sacrifices to be observed therein. Jarchi says
from hence we learn that they were not to purify a leper in the night:
he shall be brought unto the priest: not into the camp
or
city
or house
where the priest was
for till he was cleansed he could not be
admitted into either; besides
the priest is afterwards said to go forth out of
the camp to him; but he was to be brought pretty near the camp or city
where
the priest went to meet him. As the leper was an emblem of a polluted sinner
the priest was a type of Christ
to whom leprous sinners must be brought for
cleansing; they cannot come of themselves to him
that is
believe in him
except it be given unto them; or they are drawn with the powerful and
efficacious grace of God
by which souls are brought to Christ
and enabled to
believe in him; not that they are brought against their wills
but being drawn
with the cords of love
and through the power of divine grace
sweetly
operating upon their hearts
they move towards him with all readiness and
willingness
and cast themselves at his feet
saying
as the leper that came to
Christ
"Lord
if thou wilt
thou canst make me clean"
Matthew 8:2 Mark 1:40; and it
is grace to allow them to come near him
and amazing goodness in him to receive
and cleanse them.
Leviticus 14:3.
3 And the priest shall go
out of the camp
and the priest shall examine him; and indeed
if
the leprosy is healed in the leper
YLT 3and the priest hath gone out unto the outside
of the camp
and the priest hath seen
and lo
the plague of leprosy hath
ceased from the leper
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp
.... A little
without the camp
as Ben Gersom notes. There have been several goings forth of
Christ our High Priest; first in the council and covenant of grace and peace
when he became the surety of his people; then in time by the assumption of
human nature
when he came forth from his Father
and came into the world to
save them; next
when he went forth out of the city of Jerusalem to suffer for
them; and also
when
at the time of conversion
he goes forth in quest of
them
and looks them up
and finds them
and brings them home
which may answer
to the type here; and all shows the great readiness of Christ to receive
sinners:
and the priest shall look
and
behold
if the plague of
leprosy be healed in the leper; that all the signs of uncleanness are
removed
the swelling
the scab
or bright spot
and the white hair in them
and
instead of that
black hair is grown up. The typical priest did not heal
nor could he
the healing was of God; he only looked to see by signs if the
plague was healed; but our antitypical priest looks with an eye of pity and
compassion on leprous sinners
and they are enabled to look to him by faith
and virtue goes out of him to the healing of their diseases; as he looks upon
them in their blood
and says to them
Live
so he looks upon them in their
leprosy
and touches them
and says
"I will
be thou clean"
Matthew 8:3
and
they are immediately healed; he is the sun of righteousness
which arises upon
them with healing in his wings.
Leviticus 14:4.
4 then the priest shall
command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean
birds
cedar wood
scarlet
and hyssop.
YLT 4and the priest hath commanded
and he hath
taken for him who is to be cleansed
two clean living birds
and cedar wood
and scarlet
and hyssop.
Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be
cleansed
.... The command is by the priest
the taking is by any man
as
Ben Gersom observes; anyone whom he shall command
the leper himself
or his
friends. Aben Ezra interprets it
the priest shall take of his own; but he
adds
there are some that explain it
the leper shall give them to him
namely
what follows:
two birds alive
and clean; any sort of birds
to
whom this description agrees; for not any particular sort are pointed out
as
"sparrows"F23שתי צפרים "duos passeres"
V. L.
as some render the
word
or any other; because either they must be clean or unclean; if unclean
then not to be used; if clean
then this descriptive character is used in vain.
These were to be alive
taken alive with the hand
and not shot dead; and this
also excepts such as were torn
as Jarchi
or any ways maimed and unsound
and
not likely to live; and they were to be "clean"
such as were so
according to a law given in a preceding chapter; they were to be none of those
unclean birds there mentioned; and
according to the MisnahF24Negaim
c. 14. sect. 5.
they were to be alike in sight and height
and in price and
value
and to be taken together; and
by the same tradition
they were to be
two birds of liberty
that is
not such as were kept tame in cages
but such as
fly abroad in the fields
These birds may be considered as a type of Christ
who compares himself to a hen
Matthew 23:37; and
"birds" may denote his swiftness and readiness to help his people
his tenderness and compassion towards them in distress
and his weakness and
frailty in human nature
and his meanness and despicableness in the eyes of
men; and these being "alive"
the character well agrees with him
who
is the living God
the living. Redeemer
the Mediator that has life in himself
and for his people; and as man
now lives
and will live for evermore
and is
the author and giver of life
natural
spiritual
and eternal. And the birds
being clean
may denote the purity and holiness of Christ
and so his fitness
to be a sacrifice
and his suitableness as food for his people: and the number
two may signify either his two natures
divine and human
in both which he
lives
and is pure and holy; or his two estates of humiliation and exaltation;
or his death by the slain bird
and his resurrection by the living bard
of
which more hereafter:
and the cedar wood
and scarlet
and hyssop; a stick of
cedar
as Jarchi; it was proper it should be of such a size
as to be known to
be cedar wood
but was not to be too heavy for the priest to sprinkle with it
as Ben Gersom; and the same writer observes
it ought to have a leaf on the top
of it
that it might appear to be cedar: according to the MisnahF25Negaim
c. 14. sect. 6.
it was to be a cubit long
and the fourth part of a bed's
foot thick: "scarlet" was either wool dyed of that colour
or
crimson
so Jarchi; or a scarlet thread or line with which the hyssop was bound
and fastened to the cedar wood; and
according to the above traditionF26Ibid.
the "hyssop" was to be neither counterfeit nor wild
nor Greek
nor
Roman
nor any that had any epithet to it
but common simple hyssop; and
as
Gersom says
there was not to be less than an handful of it. The signification
of these is variously conjectured; according to Abarbinel
they have respect to
the nature of the leprosy
and as opposite to it; that as the two live birds
signified restoration to his former state
when he had been like one dead
so
the cedar wood
being incorruptible and durable
showed that the putrefaction
of humours was cured; the scarlet
that the blood was purged
and hence the
true colour of the face returned again
and a ruddy and florid countenance as
before; and the hyssop being of a savoury smell
that the disagreeable scent
and stench were gone: but others think there is a moral meaning in them
that
the cedar being the highest of trees
and the scarlet colour coming from a
worm
and the hyssop the lowest of plants
see 1 Kings 4:33; the
"cedar wood" may denote the pride and haughtiness of spirit the
leprosy is the punishment of
as in Miriam
Gehazi
Uzziah
and the family of
Joab: and the worm that gives the scarlet colour
and the hyssop
may signify
that humility that becomes a leper that is cleansed
so Jarchi: but they will
bear a more evangelical sense
and may have respect either to Christ; the cedar
wood may be an emblem of the incorruption of Christ
and of the durable
efficacy of his death; the scarlet
of his bloody sufferings
his flaming love
to his people
expressed thereby
and the nature of those sins and sinners
being of a scarlet die
for whom he suffered; and the hyssop
of the purgative
nature of his blood
which cleanses from all sin: or else to the graces of his
Spirit; faith may be signified by the cedar wood
which is in some strong
and
in all precious and durable; love by scarlet
of a flaming colour
as strong
love is like coals of fire
that give a most vehement flame; and hope by
hyssop
which is but a lowly
yet lively grace; or faith may be set forth by
them all
by the cedar wood for its continuance
by scarlet for its working by
love
and by hyssop for its purifying use
as it deals with the blood of
Christ.
Leviticus 14:5.
5 And the priest shall
command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running
water.
YLT 5`And the priest hath commanded
and he hath
slaughtered the one bird upon an earthen vessel
over running water;
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed
.... That is
shall command another priest to kill one of them
or an Israelite
as Aben
Ezra; and who also observes
that some say the leper
or the butcher
as the
Targum of Jonathan; the killing of this bird
not being a sacrifice
might be
done without the camp
as it was
and not at the altar
near to which
sacrifices were slain
and where they were offered: and this was to be done
in an earthen vessel over running water: this vessel
according to the Jewish traditionsF1Negaim
c. 14. sect. 1.
was to
be a new one
and a fourth part of a log of running water was to be put into
it
and then the bird was to be killed over it
and its blood squeezed into it
and then a hole was dug
and it was buried before the leprous person; and so it
should be rendered
"over an earthen vessel"
as it is in the
Tigurine version
and by NoldiusF2Ebr. Concord. part. p. 64. No.
318. ; for how could it be killed in it
especially when water was in it? the
killing of this bird may have respect to the sufferings
death
and bloodshed
of Christ
which were necessary for the purging and cleansing of leprous
sinners
and which were endured in his human nature
comparable to an earthen
vessel
as an human body sometimes is; see 2 Corinthians 4:7;
for he was crucified through weakness
and was put to death in the flesh
2 Corinthians 13:4;
and the running or living water mixed with blood may denote both the
sanctification and justification of Christ's people by the water and blood
which sprung from his pierced side
and the continual virtue thereof to take
away sin
and free from it; or the active and passive obedience of Christ
which both together are the matter of a sinner's justification before God.
Leviticus 14:6.
6 As for the living bird
he
shall take it
the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop
and dip them and
the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the
running water.
YLT 6[as to] the living bird
he taketh it
and
the cedar wood
and the scarlet
and the hyssop
and hath dipped them and the
living bird in the blood of the slaughtered bird
over the running water
As for the living bird
he shall take it
.... And
dispose of it as after directed; for there was an use for that:
and the cedar wood
and the scarlet
and the hyssop; which were
all bound up in one bundle
but whether the living bird was joined to them is a
question; according to Jarchi they were separate
the bird by itself
and the
cedar wood
&c. by themselves; they were neither bound together nor dipped
together; and Ben Gersom is very distinct and expressive; we learn from hence
says he
that three were bound up in one bundle
but the living bird was not
comprehended in that bundle; but according to the MisnahF3Ebr.
Concord. part. 64. No. 318. & Bartenora in ib. they were all joined
together
for there it is said
he (the priest) takes the cedar wood
scarlet
and hyssop
and rolls them up with the rest of the scarlet thread
and joins to
them the extreme parts of the wings and of the tail of the second bird and dips
them; and this seems best to agree with the text
as follows:
and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that
was killed over the running water; that is
into the blood
of it as mixed with the running water in the earthen vessel
which together
made a sufficient quantity for all these to be dipped into it; whether
separately
first the living bird
and then the cedar wood
and scarlet
and
hyssop
or all together: the bird that was kept alive was a type of Christ
who
as a divine Person always alive
and ever will; he is the living God
and
impassable: the dipping of this living bird in the blood of the slain one
denotes the union of the two natures in Christ
divine and human
and which
union remained at the death of Christ; and also shows that the virtue of
Christ's blood arises from his being the living God: the dipping of the cedar
wood
scarlet
and hyssop
into the same blood
signifies the exercise of the
several graces of the Spirit upon Christ
as crucified and slain
and their
dealing with his blood for pardon and cleansing
as faith and hope do
and from
whence love receives fresh ardour and rigour.
Leviticus 14:7.
7 And he shall sprinkle it
seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy
and shall pronounce
him clean
and shall let the living bird loose in the open field.
YLT 7and he hath sprinkled on him who is to be
cleansed from the leprosy seven times
and hath pronounced him clean
and hath
sent out the living bird on the face of the field.
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the
leprosy seven times
.... With the hyssop fastened to the cedar stick
with the
scarlet wool or thread bound about it
dipped into the blood and water in the
earthen vessel; to which the psalmist alludes
Psalm 51:7; the
Egyptians had a great notion of "hyssop"
as of a purifying nature
and therefore used to eat it with bread
to take off the strength of thatF4Chaeremon
apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia
l. 4. sect. 6. : upon what part of the leper this
sprinkling was made is not said; the Targum of Jonathan says
upon the house of
his face
that is
upon the vail that was over his face: but in the MisnahF5Ut
supra. (Misn. Negaim
c. 11. sect. 4.) it is said to be on the back of his
hand; and so Gersom
though some say it was on his forehead; and sprinkling was
typical of Christ's blood of sprinkling
and of the application of it
and of
sharing in all the blessings of it; and this was done seven times
to denote
the thorough and perfect cleansing of him
and of every part
every faculty of
the soul
and every member of the body
and that from all sin
and the frequent
application of it: the last mentioned writer says
at every sprinkling there
was a dipping
and that the sense is
that he should sprinkle and dip seven
times
as Naaman the Syrian leper did in Jordan; but of the washing of the
leper mention is afterwards made:
and shall pronounce him clean; from his leprosy
and so
fit for civil and religious conversation
to come into the camp or city
and
into the tabernacle:
and shall let the living bird loose into the open field; as a token of
the freedom of the leper
and that he was at liberty to go where he pleased:
the Misnic doctors sayF6Ib. sect. 2.
when he came to let go the
living bird
he did not turn its face neither to the sea
nor to the city
nor
to the wilderness
as it is said
"but he shall let go the living bird out
of the city into the open field"
as in Leviticus 14:53;
the Targum of Jonathan here adds
if the man should be prepared to be smitten
with the leprosy again
the live bird may return to his house the same day
and
be fit to be eaten
but the slain bird he shall bury in the sight of the leper:
some say
if the bird returned ever so many times
it was to be let go again:
this may be a figure of the resurrection of Christ from the dead
and of his
justification upon it
as the head and representative of his people
and of
their free and full discharge from guilt
condemnation
and death
through him
and of his and their being received up into heaven
and whither their hearts
should be directed
in affection and thankfulness for their great deliverance
and salvation; see 1 Timothy 3:16.
Leviticus 14:8.
8 He who is to be cleansed
shall wash his clothes
shave off all his hair
and wash himself in water
that
he may be clean. After that he shall come into the camp
and shall stay outside
his tent seven days.
YLT 8`And he who is to be cleansed hath washed his
garments
and hath shaved all his hair
and hath bathed with water
and hath
been clean
and afterwards he doth come in unto the camp
and hath dwelt at the
outside of his tent seven days.
And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes
.... That
there may be no remains of the infection in them
and that they might not
convey an ill scent to others: so the conversation garments of the saints are
to be washed in the blood of the Lamb
Revelation 7:14
and shave off all his hair; what is here expressed
in general is more particularly declared in Leviticus 14:9; the
hair of his head
beard
and eyebrows; according to Gersom
this was done by
the priest
and so Maimonides saysF7Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat
c. 11.
sect. 3.
that none but a priest might shave him; and yet the text seems
plainly to ascribe this
as well as the washing of his clothes and himself
to
the leper that was to be cleansed; and the same writers say
that if two hairs
were left it was no shaving; and so says the MisnahF8Negaim
c. 14.
sect. 4. : the shaving of the leper's hairs signified the weakening of the
strength of sin; the mortification of the deeds of the body
through the
Spirit
and the laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness
and the
excrescences of the flesh; a parting with every thing that grows out of a man's
self
sin or self-righteousness; a laying a man bare and open
that nothing may
lie hid and covered
and escape cleansing:
and wash himself in water
that he may be clean: which was to
be done by dipping in a collection of water
and not in running water
as
Gersom observes
in a quantity of water sufficient to cover the whole body;
which
according to the TalmudF9T. Bab. Eruvin
fol. 14. 1
2.
was
forty seahs
and was a cubit square in breadth
and three cubits deep: this may
denote the washing of sinful men with the washing of regeneration
but more
especially with the blood of Christ
the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness
Zechariah 13:1
and after that he shall come into the camp; into the camp
of Israel
while in the wilderness
and in after times into the city
where he used
to dwell; and may sign try the admittance of such into the church of God again
who appear to be cleansed from sin
to have true repentance towards God for it
and faith in the blood of Christ:
and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days; that is
out
of his own tent or house
where his wife and family dwelt: this precaution was
taken
lest there should be any remains of his disorder lurking
in him that
might endanger his wife and family
especially his wife
with whom he was to
have no conjugal conversation as yet; so it is said in the MisnahF11Ut
supra
(Misn. Negaim
c. 11) sect. 2.
that he was to be separated from his
house seven days
and forbid the use of the marriage bed; and this prohibition.
Jarchi thinks is intended in this clause
and so MaimonidesF12Ut
supra
(Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat
c. 11.) sect. 1.
to which agrees the Targum of
Jonathan
"he shall sit without the tent of the house of his habitation
and shall not come near to the side of his wife seven days.'
Leviticus 14:9.
9 But on the seventh day he
shall shave all the hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows—all his
hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water
and he shall be clean.
YLT 9`And it hath been
on the seventh day -- he
shaveth all his hair
his head
and his beard
and his eyebrows
even all his
hair he doth shave
and he hath washed his garments
and hath bathed his flesh
with water
and hath been clean.
But it shall be on the seventh day
.... After he was first
brought to the priest
and cleansed by the two birds
taken and used for him as
directed
and he had been shaved and washed:
that he shall shave all his hair; a second time
whatsoever was grown in those seven days:
all off his head
and his beard
and his eyebrows; even all his
hair he shall shave off; not only the hair of the parts mentioned
but all other
the
hair of his feet also
as Aben Ezra notes
who observes
that some say
the
hair of his arms
and thighs
and breast; and so according to the MisnahF13Ut
supra
(Misn. Negaim
c. 11.) sect. 3.
this was a second shaving
for it is
said
"in the seventh day he shaves a second time
according to the first
shaving:"
he shall wash his clothes
also he shall wash his flesh in water
and he shall be clean; this was also repeated on the seventh
both the washing of his
clothes
and the dipping of him in water; after which he was accounted clean
and was neither defiled nor defiling
and might go into his own tent or house
and into the tabernacle
and offer his offerings
and partake of the privileges
of it
at least some of them
even the same day; according to the tradition he
may eat of the tithes
and after sunset he may eat of the heave offerings
and
when he has brought his atonement he may eat of the holy thingsF14Ibid.
.
Leviticus 14:10. 10 “And
on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish
one ewe lamb of
the first year without blemish
three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour
mixed with oil as a grain offering
and one log of oil.
YLT 10`And on the eighth day he taketh two lambs
perfect ones
and one ewe-lamb
daughter of a year
a perfect one
and three
tenth deals of flour [for] a present
mixed with oil
and one log of oil.
And on the eighth day
.... From the leper's
first appearance before the priest
and the day after the above things were
done
in Leviticus 14:9
he shall take two he lambs without blemish; the one for a
trespass offering
and the other for a burnt offering; and both typical of
Christ the Lamb of God
without spot and blemish:
and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish; for a sin
offering
a type of Christ also:
and three tenth deals of fine flour
for a meat offering
mingled with oil; that is
three tenth parts of an ephah
or three omers; one of
which was as much
or more than a man could eat in a day
see Exodus 16:36; there
were three of these to answer to and accompany the three lambs for sacrifice
just such a quantity was allotted to the lambs of the daily sacrifice
Exodus 29:40;
typical
likewise of Christ
who is the true bread
and whose flesh is meat
indeed:
and one log of oil; to be used as after directed: this measure
was about half a pint
and is an emblem of the grace and Spirit of God
received by the saints in measure
and is the same with the oil of gladness
poured on Christ without measure
Psalm 45:7.
Leviticus 14:11. 11 Then the priest who makes him
clean shall present the man who is to be made clean
and those things
before
the Lord
at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT 11`And the priest who is cleansing hath caused
the man who is to be cleansed to stand with them before Jehovah
at the opening
of the tent of meeting
And the priest that maketh him clean
.... By the
above rites and ceremonies
and the after sacrifices offered:
shall present the man that is to be made clean
and those things
before the Lord; the two he lambs
and the ewe lamb; and it seems also the meat
offerings
and the log of oil; but these Ben Gersom excepts
and when the
leper
with these
is said to be set or presented before the Lord
this must
not be understood of his being introduced
into the tabernacle
had of his
being placed in the court itself; for as yet
as Jarchi says
he was
"Mechoser Cippurim"
one that needed expiation
and therefore
till
that was done
could not be admitted; but he was set
at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation; at the eastern gate
which afterwards
when
the temple was built
was called the gate of Nicanor
and lay between the court
of the women and the court of the Israelites: thus everyone that has received
favours from the Lord
by restoration of health
or by deliverance from
dangers
or be it in whatsoever way it will
should present himself and his
sacrifice of praise unto him; and his case should be presented in a public
manner before the congregation of the saints by the minister of it
in token of
gratitude and thankfulness for mercies received.
Leviticus 14:12. 12 And
the priest shall take one male lamb and offer it as a trespass offering
and
the log of oil
and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.
YLT 12and the priest hath taken the one he-lamb
and hath brought it near for a guilt-offering
also the log of oil
and hath
waved them -- a wave offering before Jehovah.
And the priest shall take one he lamb
.... One of
the he lambs brought by the leper for his offering:
and offer him for a trespass offering; for though
the leprosy itself was a disorder or disease
and not sinful
yet the cause of
it was sin
a trespass against God
and therefore a trespass offering must be
offered: which was typical of Christ
whose soul was made a trespass offering
Isaiah 53:10; where
the same word is used as here:
and the log of oil; See Gill on Leviticus 14:10
and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord; heaving of
them up and down
moving of them to and fro towards the several parts of the
world
east
west
north
and south
even both the log of oil
and the he lamb
for the trespass offering
and that alive
as Jarchi observes
and so says
MaimonidesF15Hilchot Mechosre Capharah
c. 4. sect. 2. .
Leviticus 14:13. 13 Then
he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the
burnt offering
in a holy place; for as the sin offering is the
priest’s
so is the trespass offering. It is most holy.
YLT 13`And he hath slaughtered the lamb in the
place where he slaughtereth the sin-offering and the burnt-offering
in the
holy place; for like the sin-offering the guilt-offering is to the priest; it
[is] most holy.
And he shall slay the lamb
.... The priest
or the
butcher
as the Targum of Jonathan
the slaughterer
the priest appointed for
that service; at which time both the hands of the leper were laid upon it
as
says the MisnahF16Negaim
c. 14. sect. 8. ; for though the leper
might not go into the court as yet
the sacrifice was brought to the door of
the tabernacle for him to put his hands on it: so MaimonidesF17Ut
supra. (Hilchot Mechosre Capharah
c. 4. sect. 2.) relates; the trespass
offering of the leper is brought to the door
and he puts both his hands into
the court
and lays them on it
and they immediately slay it:
in the place where he shall kill the sin offering in the holy
place; in the court of the tabernacle
on the north side of the altar
as Jarchi observes
see Leviticus 1:11
for as the sin offering is the priest's
so is the
trespass offering; and to be eaten by him and his sons in the holy place
and by
none but them
see Leviticus 6:26
it is most holy; which is the reason why
none else might eat of it
typical of Christ the most Holy
whose flesh is only
eaten by true believers in him
made priests unto God by him.
Leviticus 14:14. 14 The
priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering
and the
priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be
cleansed
on the thumb of his right hand
and on the big toe of his right foot.
YLT 14`And the priest hath taken of the blood of
the guilt-offering
and the priest hath put on the tip of the right ear of him
who is to be cleansed
and on the thumb of his right hand
and on the great toe
of his right foot;
And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass
offering
.... According to the MisnahF18Ut supra. (Misn.
Negaim
c. 14. sect. 8)
two priests received the blood of it
one in a vessel
and the other in his hand; he that received it in a vessel went and sprinkled
it upon the wall (or top
as MaimonidesF19Ut supra. (Hilchot
Mechosre Capharah
c. 4. sect. 2.) ) of the altar; and he that received it in
his hand went to the leper
and the leper having dipped himself in the chamber
of the lepers
went and stood in the gate of Nicanor:
and the priest shall 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; as was done at the consecration of the high
priest; see Gill on Exodus 29:20
Leviticus 8:24
now
as the leper stood at the door of the tabernacle without the court
he was
obliged to put in his head
his right hand
and his right foot
in order to
have the blood put on them by the priest
who was in the court; and these were
put in either separately one after another
or together: the tradition runs
thusF20
he (the leper) thrust in his head
and (the priest) put
(the blood) upon the tip of his ear; his hand
and he put it upon the thumb of
his hand; his foot
and he put it upon the great toe of his foot: and the
application of the blood to these parts showed that the leper had now a right
to hear the word of God
to partake of all privileges
to touch anything
without defiling it
and to go into any house or company where he thought fit
he was now at full liberty; more evangelically these things may signify the
sanctification and cleansing of those parts
and of the whole man by the blood
of Christ; and particularly may signify
that as the ear is unclean
uncircumcised
and unsanctified in a leprous sinner and even there are hearing
sins in the best of men
the ear is sanctified
and hearing sins removed by the
blood of Christ; and as the right hand
being the instrument of action
may
denote the evil works of men
and even since the most righteous performances of
the best of men are attended with sin
the blood of Christ
which cleanses from
all sin
had need to be put upon them; and whereas the conversation of then
which the foot may be an emblem of
is sinful and vain
it is by the blood of
Christ that they are redeemed from it; and the influence of that blood
sprinkled on the conscience will oblige and constrain men to live and walk
soberly
righteously
and godly.
Leviticus 14:15. 15 And
the priest shall take some of the log of oil
and pour it into
the palm of his own left hand.
YLT 15and the priest hath taken of the log of oil
and hath poured on the left palm of the priest
And the priest shall take some of the log of oil
.... With his
right hand
as the Targum of Jonathan adds:
and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: but in the
original text it is
"pour it into the palm of the priest's left
hand": and it is a question
whether he or another priest is meant;
according to Aben Ezra
the oil was to be poured into the hand of the priest
that was cleansing the leper
and which
he thinks
is plain from what follows;
but Gersom thinks it is better to understand it of another priest
since it is
not said into his own hand
but into the hand of the priest; and the MisnahF21Ib.
sect. 10. so Maimon. Mechosre Capharah
ut supra
(c. 4. sect. 2.) &
Bartenora
in Misn. Negaim
ib. is clear for it
he (the priest) takes of the
log of oil and pours it into the palm of his fellow (priest)
but if he pours
it into his own palm it is sufficient.
Leviticus 14:16. 16 Then
the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left
hand
and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the
Lord.
YLT 16and the priest hath dipped his right finger
in the oil which [is] on his left palm
and hath sprinkled of the oil with his
finger seven times before Jehovah.
And the priest shall dip his right finger
.... The
finger of his right hand
the forefinger of it:
in the oil that is in his left hand; either that
is in his own left hand
or in the left hand of a fellow priest:
and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before
the Lord; that is
over against the house of the holy of holies
as Jarchi
where Jehovah dwelt; but standing at the same time at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation
which was eastward
and so he looked westward
to the holy of holies; so says the MisnahF23lbid.
on which one of
the commentatorsF24Bartenora in ib. observes
that he did not bring
the oil into the temple to sprinkle it before the vail: but he stood in the
court
and turned his face to the holy of holies
and so sprinkled upon the
floor of the court: and the Jewish doctors are very express for it
according
to the MisnahF25Ibid.
that for every sprinkling there was a
dipping; that as often as he sprinkled
so often he must dip his finger in the
oil
and not that he might dip his finger once
and of that sprinkle two or
three times; for the finger must be dipped seven times: this may denote the
thanksgiving of the leper for his cleansing
proceeding from the grace of God
and the Lord's gracious acceptance of it.
Leviticus 14:17. 17 And
of the rest of the oil in his hand
the priest shall put some on the tip
of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed
on the thumb of his right hand
and on the big toe of his right foot
on the blood of the trespass offering.
YLT 17`And of the residue of the oil which [is] on
his palm
the priest putteth on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be
cleansed
and on the thumb of his right hand
and on the great toe of his right
foot
on the blood of the guilt-offering;
And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand
.... That was
either in the hand of the priest that was cleansing
or in the hand of his
fellow priest; such of it as was left after some of it had been sprinkled seven
times before the Lord:
shall the priest put 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; signifying that these parts in the leprous sinner need to be
sanctified by the grace of the Spirit of God
comparable to oil
with which all
the Lord's people are anointed
and is that unction they receive from the Holy
One
their great High Priest; by this the ear is sanctified so as to hear the
word
so as to understand it and mix it with faith; and the thumb of the right
hand having oil put on that
may signify that the actions of good men are
influenced by the Spirit of God
who works in them both to will and to do
and
without whose grace they can do nothing in a spiritual manner; and the great
toe of the right foot
the instrument of walking
being anointed with the same
may denote that it is through the grace of God saints have their conversation
in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity
and as becomes the Gospel of
Christ: the oil was to be put:
upon the blood of the trespass offering; that is
upon
the place of the blood of it
as in Leviticus 14:28;
which is
as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it
the place in which he put
at first the blood of the trespass offering: for the Jewish writers observeF26Bartenora
in Misn. Zebachim
c. 4. sect. 3.
that the log of oil depended on the
trespass offering; for if the flood of the trespass offering was not first
sprinkled
the sprinkling of the oil was of no avail: this shows that the blood
of Christ
is the foundation of men's receiving the grace of the Spirit
and
that it is owing to that it is bestowed upon them; the application of his grace
follows redemption by the blood of Christ
who gave himself to redeem them from
all iniquity
and purify unto himself a peculiar people
zealous of good works;
and for whomsoever expiation is made by the blood of Christ
they are
sanctified by the Spirit of Christ.
Leviticus 14:18. 18 The
rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of
him who is to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement for him before
the Lord.
YLT 18and the remnant of the oil which [is] on the
palm of the priest
he putteth on the head of him who is to be cleansed
and
the priest hath made atonement for him before Jehovah.
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priests hand
.... Either in
the hand of the priest that makes the leper clean
or in the hand of a fellow
priest; what was left of that after some of it had been sprinkled seven times
before the Lord
and after other of it had been put upon the several parts of the
leper
as directed in Leviticus 14:17
he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed; for the
plague of leprosy was sometimes in the head
Leviticus 13:44;
and this may denote either the blessings of grace on the head of the righteous
or that a man's head should be sanctified; he should have pure principles as
well as pure practices; and that his head knowledge should be sanctified
knowledge; some have only the form of godliness
but deny the power of it:
and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord; by putting
the oil on the several parts
particularly on the head
which was done
as is
said in the MisnahF1Ut supra. (Misn. negaim
c. 14. sect. 8.)
to
make atonement; if he puts it
atonement is made
but if he does not put it
there is no atonement made; but one would think rather the atonement refers to
all the priest did
both in offering the trespass offering
and in putting both
the blood of that and the oil on the several parts that are mentioned: this
atonement was made for the sin or sins which were the cause or the man's leprosy:
what was done with the rest of the log of oil is not said; it was the portion
of the priests
and was for their use: Maimonides saysF2Ut supra
(Mechosre Capharah
c. 4.) sect. 3.
the rest of the log of oil is not eaten
but in the court by the males of the priests
as other the most holy things;
and that it is unlawful to eat thereof until the priest had sprinkled of it
seven times
and put it on the above parts; and if one eats he is to be beaten.
Leviticus 14:19. 19 “Then
the priest shall offer the sin offering
and make atonement for him who is to
be cleansed from his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering.
YLT 19`And the priest hath made the sin-offering
and hath made atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness
and
afterwards he doth slaughter the burnt-offering;
And the priest shall offer the sin offering
.... This was
the ewe lamb
according to the rite of every sin offering
as Aben Ezra says;
and was typical of Christ
as all such offerings were
who was made sin and a
sin offering for his people:
and make an atonement for him that was to be cleansed from his
uncleanness; for it seems the atonement was not perfected by the trespass
offering and all the preceding rites; but a sin offering was necessary both on
account of moral uncleanness
the cause of the leprosy
and of ceremonial
uncleanness by it:
and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; the other he
lamb; the burnt offering for the most part following the sin or trespass
offering as a gift by way of thankfulness
atonement being made for sin by the
other offerings; which also was typical of Christ
as all burnt offerings were.
Leviticus 14:20. 20 And
the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar.
So the priest shall make atonement for him
and he shall be clean.
YLT 20and the priest hath caused the burnt-offering
to ascend
also the present
on the altar
and the priest hath made atonement
for him
and he hath been clean.
And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat
offering upon the altar
.... The meat offering which belonged to that
and went along
with it
even one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil; but no mention
being made of any meat offering with the other offerings already offered
the
trespass offering and the sin offering; some say
as Aben Ezra observes
that
the whole meat offering
consisting of three tenth deals of fine flour
was
offered with the burnt offering
which must be a saving to the priest
if he
only burnt one handful of it
as in other cases
the rest falling to his part:
and the priest shall make an atonement for him; these
offerings still furthering of it
and sending to perfect it
and did complete
it:
and he shall be clean; in a typical and
ceremonial sense.
Leviticus 14:21. 21 “But if he is poor
and cannot afford it
then he shall take one male lamb as a trespass
offering to be waved
to make atonement for him
one-tenth of an ephah
of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering
a log of oil
YLT 21`And if he [is] poor
and his hand is not
reaching [these things]
then he hath taken one lamb -- a guilt-offering
for a
wave-offering
to make atonement for him
and one-tenth deal of flour mixed
with oil for a present
and a log of oil
And if he be poor
and cannot get so much
.... As three
lambs
and three tenth deals of fine flour:
then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be
waved
to make an atonement for him; one he lamb
and was
excused the other he lamb for a burnt offering
and the ewe lamb for a sin
offering; but a lamb he must bring
a type of Christ the Lamb of God
for
without his blood and sacrifice there is no atonement for rich poor
but for
both thereby:
and one tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: instead three
tenth deals; this abatement in the several kinds of offerings was a great
indulgence to the poor
and an instance of God's goodness to them
that they
might not be pressed above measure
and yet share the same benefits and
advantages as the rich:
and a log of oil; here was no abatement in this
nor was
there need of any; half a pint of oil
in a country which abounded with it
might be bought for a small price: however
the grace of the Spirit
signified
by oil
is to be had freely of Christ
and in as large a quantity by a poor man
as by a rich man
and is equally necessary to the one as to the other
who are
all one in Christ Jesus; see Galatians 3:28.
Leviticus 14:22. 22 and
two turtledoves or two young pigeons
such as he is able to afford: one shall
be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
YLT 22and two turtle-doves
or two young pigeons
which his hand reacheth to
and one hath been a sin-offering
and the one a
burnt-offering;
And two turtledoves
or two young pigeons
such as he is able to
get
.... As good as he can get for his money
or his money he is
possessed of will purchase; but if he was not able to purchase these of the
better sort
the best he could get would be acceptable; so indulgent
kind
and
merciful was God to the poor in this case; these were instead of the other two
lambs required of those that were able to bring them
and answered all the
purposes of them:
and the one shall be a sin offering
and the other a burnt
offering: one of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons should be for
the one
and the other for the other; so that the poor man had as many
offerings for his atonement and cleansing as the rich
and his expiation and
purgation were as complete as theirs.
Leviticus 14:23. 23 He
shall bring them to the priest on the eighth day for his cleansing
to the door
of the tabernacle of meeting
before the Lord.
YLT 23and he hath brought them in on the eighth day
for his cleansing unto the priest
unto the opening of the tent of meeting
before Jehovah.
And he shall bring them on the eighth day
for his cleansing
.... Which
supposes him to have gone through all the rites and ceremonies of cleansing
throughout the seven days
from his first appearance before the priest; such as
his being sprinkled with the cedar wood
hyssop
and scarlet
dipped in the
blood of the slain bird
mixed with running water; the shaving off of his hair
and washing his flesh and clothes in water; all which being done
on the eighth
day he was to bring his lamb for a trespass offering
and one tenth deal of
fine flour
for a meat offering
and two turtledoves or two young pigeons
one
for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering:
unto the priest
unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation before the Lord; where the rich man also and his offerings
were presented; See Gill on Leviticus 14:11;
and the same rites are enjoined for the cleansing of the poor leper as the rich
one
in Leviticus 14:23
of
which see the notes on Leviticus 14:12
signifying that they are not exempt from duty
or abridged of any privilege on
account of poverty; the persons and services of the people of God being equally
acceptable to him
whether rich or poor.
Leviticus 14:24. 24 And
the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering and the log of oil
and
the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.
YLT 24`And the priest hath taken the lamb of the
guilt-offering
and the log of oil
and the priest hath waved them -- a
wave-offering before Jehovah;
And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:12.
Leviticus 14:25. 25 Then
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 on the tip of the right
ear of him who is to be cleansed
on the thumb of his right hand
and on the
big toe of his right foot.
YLT 25and he hath slaughtered the lamb of the
guilt-offering
and the priest hath taken of the blood of the guilt-offering
and hath put on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed
and on
the thumb of his right hand
and on the great toe of his right foot;
And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:13.
and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass
offering
&c. See Gill on Leviticus 14:14.
Leviticus 14:26. 26 And
the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand.
YLT 26and the priest doth pour of the oil on the
left palm of the priest;
And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left
hand. See Gill on Leviticus 14:15.
Leviticus 14:27. 27 Then
the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is
in his left hand seven times before the Lord.
YLT 27and the priest hath sprinkled with his right
finger of the oil which [is] on his left palm
seven times before Jehovah.
And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of
the oil
.... See Gill on Leviticus 14:16.
Leviticus 14:28. 28 And
the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the
tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed
on the thumb of the right
hand
and on the big toe of his right foot
on the place of the blood of the
trespass offering.
YLT 28`And the priest hath put of the oil which
[is] on his palm
on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed
and
on the thumb of his right hand
and on the great toe of his right foot
on the
place of the blood of the guilt-offering;
And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:17.
Leviticus 14:29. 29 The
rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of
him who is to be cleansed
to make atonement for him before the Lord.
YLT 29and the remnant of the oil which [is] on the
palm of the priest he doth put on the head of him who is to be cleansed
to
make atonement for him
before Jehovah.
And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:18.
Leviticus 14:30. 30 And
he shall offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons
such as he can afford—
YLT 30`And he hath made the one of the
turtle-doves
or of the young pigeons (from that which his hand reacheth to
And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:22.
Leviticus 14:31. 31 such as he is able to
afford
the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt
offering
with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him
who is to be cleansed before the Lord.
YLT 31[even] that which his hand reacheth to)
the
one a sin-offering
and the one a burnt offering
besides the present
and the
priest hath made atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Jehovah.
Even such as he is
able to get
the one for a sin offering
.... See Gill on Leviticus 14:22.
Leviticus 14:32. 32 This
is the law for one who had a leprous sore
who cannot afford the
usual cleansing.”
YLT 32This [is] a law of him in whom [is] a plague
of leprosy
whose hand reacheth not to his cleansing.'
This is the law of him in whom is the plague
of leprosy
.... The former part of the chapter contains an account of the
laws
rites
and ceremonies of a leper who was able to bear the expenses them:
this latter part respects such laws
rites
and ceremonies
that belonged to
him:
whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his
cleansing; as the three lambs and three tenth deals of fine flour
and
therefore one lamb
and one tenth deal of fine flour
and two turtles or two
young pigeons
were admitted of in the room of them
in consideration of his
poverty. The Jewish canons respecting the cases of a poor and rich leper are
theseF3Misn. Negaim
c. 14. sect. 11
12. : if a poor leper offers
the sacrifice of a rich man
it is very well; but if a rich leper offers the
sacrifice of a poor one
it is not sufficient; if a poor leper offers his
sacrifice and he becomes rich
or if when rich
and he afterwards becomes poor
all goes after the sin offering; that is
as theyF4Maimon. &
Bartenora in ib. explain it
if a man when he offers his sin offering is poor
and so his offering is of a turtle or pigeon
though he should become rich he
must finish the offering of the poor
by bringing for a burnt offering one of
the fowls; and so if he was rich
and offered the sin offering out of the
lambs
though he should become poor
he must offer the burnt offering of the
same; but the trespass offering is generally pitched upon as the rule in which
the poor and the rich were equal: and MaimonidesF5Hilchot Mechosre
Capharah
c. 5. sect. 9. says
all goes after the trespass offering; as if at
the time of slaying the trespass offering he is rich
he must finish the
offering of a rich man
but if poor he must finish the offering of a poor man:
it may be observed that a great deal of notice is taken of a leper
and strict
inquiry made into the nature of leprosy
and the various signs of it given; and
a great deal to do about the cleansing and expiation of him; all which shows
what notice God takes of leprous sinners
and what a diligent scrutiny should
be made into the evil nature of sin
and what a provision God has made for the
cleansing and atonement of sinners by the blood and sacrifice of his Son; which
is here typified by all sorts of offerings
the sin offering
the trespass
offering
the burnt offering
and the meat offering.
Leviticus 14:33. 33 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses and Aaron
saying:
YLT 33And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
and unto
Aaron
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron
.... At the
same time as the above laws were delivered concerning the leper
and the
cleansing of him
or however immediately upon that; the affair of the leprosy
of houses being what belonged to the priest to examine into and cleanse from:
saying; as follows.
Leviticus 14:34. 34 “When
you have come into the land of Canaan
which I give you as a possession
and I
put the leprous plague[a] in a house
in the land of your possession
YLT 34`When ye come in unto the land of Canaan
which I am giving to you for a possession
and I have put a plague of leprosy
in a house [in] the land of your possession;
When ye be come into the land of Canaan
.... Which as
yet they were not come to
being in the wilderness
and so the following law
concerning the leprosy in houses could not yet take place
they now dwelling in
tents
and not in houses:
which I give to you for a possession; the Lord had
given it to Abraham
and his seed
long ago
to be their inheritance
and now
he was about to put them into the possession of it
which they were to hold as
their own under God
their sovereign Lord and King:
and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your
possession; by which it appears that this kind of leprosy was from the
immediate hand of God
and was supernatural and miraculous
as the Jewish
writers affirmF6Maimonides
Abarbinel
Abraham Seba
and others. ;
nor is there anything in common
or at least in our parts of the world
that is
answerable unto it; and from hence the same writersF7Misn. Negaim
c. 12. sect. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. conclude
that houses of
Gentiles are exempt from it
only the houses of the Israelites in the land of
Canaan had it; and they likewise except Jerusalem
and sayF8T. Bab.
Eruvin
fol. 82. 2. Misn. Negaim
c. 12. sect. 4. Gersom in loc.
that was not
defiled with the plague of leprosy
as it is written
"and I put the
plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession"; for
Jerusalem was not divided among the tribes; and they suppose
whenever it was
put into any house
it was on account of some sin or sins committed by the
owner; and so the Targum of Jonathan
and there be found a man that builds his
house with rapine and violence
then I will put the plague
&c. thought
they commonly ascribe it to evil speaking
which they gather from the case of
Miriam.
Leviticus 14:35. 35 and
he who owns the house comes and tells the priest
saying
‘It seems to me that there
is some plague in the house
’
YLT 35then hath he whose the house [is] come in and
declared to the priest
saying
As a plague hath appeared to me in the house;
And he that owneth the house shall come
and tell the priest
.... As soon
as he observes any sign of leprosy in it
or which gives him a suspicion of it:
saying
it seemeth unto me there is as it were a plague in
the house; he must not say expressly there is one
how certain soever he
may be of it
because the matter must be determined by a priest: so runs the
Jewish canonF9Misn. Negaim
c. 12. sect. 5. Jarchi in loc.
he
whose the house is comes and declares to the priest
saying
there appears to
me as a plague in the house; and though he is a wise man
and knows that there
is a plague certainly
he may not determine
and say
there appears to me a
plague in the house
but there appears to me as it were a plague in the house;
it looks like one
there is some reason to suspect it.
Leviticus 14:36. 36 then
the priest shall command that they empty the house
before the priest goes into
it to examine the plague
that all that is in the house may not be
made unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to examine the house.
YLT 36and the priest hath commanded
and they have
prepared the house before the priest cometh in to see the plague (that all
which [is] in the house be not unclean)
and afterwards doth the priest come in
to see the house;
Then the priest shall command that they empty the house
.... Clear it
of all persons and things; everybody was obliged to go out of it; and all the
furniture of it
all the household goods in it
were to be removed from it:
before the priest go into it to see the plague
that all
that is in the house be not made clean; as would be the case
should the priest view it
and pronounce it unclean before the removal of them;
agreeably to which is the Jewish traditionF11Misn. Nagaim
c. 12.
sect. 5.
before a priest comes to see the plague
not anything in the house
is defiled; but after he is come to see it
even bundles of sticks
and of
reeds
are defiled
which are not reckoned under the uncleanness to be removed:
so that this was a kindness to the owner of the house
that his loss might not
be so great as it otherwise would be
if he did not take care to get his goods
out previous to the inspection of the priest:
and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house; to examine
it
whether the signs of leprosy are in it.
Leviticus 14:37. 37 And
he shall examine the plague; and indeed if the plague is on the
walls of the house with ingrained streaks
greenish or reddish
which appear to
be deep in the wall
YLT 37and he hath seen the plague
and lo
the
plague [is] in the walls of the house
hollow strakes
very green or very red
and their appearance [is] lower than the wall
And he shall look on the plague
.... That which is taken
or suspected to be one
being pointed unto by the owner of the house:
and
behold
if the plague be in the walls of the
house; for there it chiefly was
if not solely; and from hence Gersom
infers that it must be a walled house
and that it must have four walls
neither more nor fewer; and with this agrees the MisnahF12Misn.
Nagaim
c. 12. sect. 1
2.
according to which it must be four square; the signs
of which were
when it appeared:
with hollow strakes
greenish or reddish
which in sight are
lower than the wall: these signs agree with the other signs before given of leprosy
in men and garments; the first
the hollow strakes
which are explained by being
lower in appearance than the wall
a sort of corrosion or eating into it
which
made cavities in it
answer to the plague being deeper than the skin of the
flesh in men; and the colours greenish or reddish
or exceeding green or red
as Gersom
are the same with those of the leprosy in clothes; and some such
like appearances are in saltpetre walls
or in walls eaten by saline and
nitrous particles; and also by sulphureous
oily
and arsenical ones
as
Scheuchzer observesF13Physica Sacra
vol. 3. p. 330
331.
and are
not only tending to ruin
but unhealthful
as if they had rather been eaten by
a canker or spreading ulcer; who also speaks of a fossil
called in the German
language "steingalla"
that is
the gall of stones
by which they are
easily eaten into
because of the vitriolic salt of the fire stone
which for
the most part goes along with that mineral
which is dissolved by the moist
air. Though this leprosy
in the walls of a house
seems not to have risen from
any natural causes
but was from the immediate hand of God; and there have been
strange diseases
which have produced uncommon effects on houses
and other
things: in the times of Narses is said to be a great plague
especially in the
province of Liguria
and on a sudden appeared certain marks and prints on
houses
doors
vessels
and clothes
which
if they attempted to wash off
appeared more and moreF14Warnefrid de Gest. Longobard. l. 2. apud
Scheuchzer. ib. .
Leviticus 14:38. 38 then
the priest shall go out of the house
to the door of the house
and shut up the
house seven days.
YLT 38and the priest hath gone out of the house
unto the opening of the house
and hath shut up the house seven days.
Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house
.... Thereby
signifying that it was not fit to be inhabited
and there standing to see it
shut up
as follows:
and shut up the house seven days: to observe what
alteration would be made in that time
and which would sooner be discovered in
a house uninhabited.
Leviticus 14:39. 39 And
the priest shall come again on the seventh day and look; and indeed if
the plague has spread on the walls of the house
YLT 39`And the priest hath turned back on the
seventh day
and hath seen
and lo
the plague hath spread in the walls of the
house
And the priest shall come again the seventh day
and shall look
.... On the
seventh day from his shutting of it up
he shall open it again
go into it
and
observe in what condition it is:
and
behold
if the plague be spread in the walls of the
house: the hollow strakes are become deeper
or the coloured spots are
become larger: spreading was always a sign of leprosy
both in the bodies of
men
and in garments.
Leviticus 14:40. 40 then
the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which is the
plague
and they shall cast them into an unclean place outside the city.
YLT 40and the priest hath commanded
and they have
drawn out the stones in which the plague [is]
and have cast them unto the outside
of the city
unto an unclean place;
Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in
which the plague is
.... In there appeared any cavities
or the
above colours
and these spreading: in order to put a stop thereunto
these
stones were to be drawn or pulled out
as the word signifies
in such manner as
not to endanger the fall of the house
and two stones at least were to be taken
out; for
as Gersom says
a house was not shut up unless the plague appeared on
two stones:
and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city; where dead
carcasses were laid
and dung
and filth of every sort; and being laid in such
a place
it would be known that they were unclean
as Aben Ezra observes
and
so would not be made use of for any purpose.
Leviticus 14:41. 41 And he shall cause the
house to be scraped inside
all around
and the dust that they scrape off they
shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city.
YLT 41and the house he doth cause to be scraped
within round about
and they have poured out the clay which they have scraped
off
at the outside of the city
at an unclean place;
And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about
.... All the
walls on each side
and at each end
and every stone in them; which
though
they had no appearance on them
yet should there be any infection in them
which as yet was not seen
it might be removed
and a spread prevented:
and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the
city
into an unclean place; the scrapings they were to put into some
vessel
and carry them thither and pour them out
or into a cart
and there
throw them
that they might lie with other rubbish
and not be made use of any
more.
Leviticus 14:42. 42 Then
they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those
stones
and he shall take other mortar and plaster the house.
YLT 42and they have taken other stones
and brought
[them] in unto the place of the stones
and other clay he taketh and hath
daubed the house.
And they shall take other stones
.... From elsewhere
such
as are sound and whole:
and put them in the place of these stones; such as will
exactly answer them
as to number and size
and so fill up the space vacant by
the removal of the other
and support the building:
and he shall take other mortar
and plaster the house; the master of
the house was to do this
or take care that it was done; but others by the
order of the priest
as they took away the tainted stones
put others in their
place.
Leviticus 14:43. 43 “Now
if the plague comes back and breaks out in the house
after he has taken away
the stones
after he has scraped the house
and after it is plastered
YLT 43`And if the plague return
and hath broken
out in the house
after he hath drawn out the stones
and after the scraping of
the house
and after the daubing;
And if the plague come again
and break out in the house
.... In the
above signs of it:
after that he hath taken away the stones; which were
infected
or ordered them to be taken away:
and after he hath scraped the house; so that there seemed to
be no remains of the plague:
and after it is plastered; to prevent if possible
any return of it
but in vain.
Leviticus 14:44. 44 then
the priest shall come and look; and indeed if the plague has spread in
the house
it is an active leprosy in the house. It is unclean.
YLT 44then hath the priest come in and seen
and
lo
the plague hath spread in the house; it [is] a fretting leprosy in the
house; it [is] unclean.
Then the priest shall come and look
.... On the seventh day
of the second week; though
according to MaimonidesF15Hilchot Tumaat
Tzarat
c. 15. sect. 1
2.
this was at the end of the third seven day
or on
the nineteenth day from his first inspection into it; the seventh day being
reckoned for the last of the first week
and the first of the second
and so
on:
and
behold
if the plague be spread in the house; after all the
above precaution is taken:
it is a fretting leprosy in the house; like that in
the garment; see Gill on Leviticus 13:51
it is unclean; and so not to be
inhabited.
Leviticus 14:45. 45 And
he shall break down the house
its stones
its timber
and all the plaster of
the house
and he shall carry them outside the city to an unclean place.
YLT 45`And he hath broken down the house
its
stones
and its wood
and all the clay of the house
and he hath brought [them]
forth unto the outside of the city
unto an unclean place.
And he shall break down the house
.... Order it to be
pulled down
and demolished entirely
that is
the priest shall give such
orders; but Gersom thinks this was to be done by the owner of the house
and
that he was to do it himself
and have no associate with him in it:
the stones of it
and the timber thereof
and all the mortar of
the house; and
according to the Jewish canons
a house was not defiled
with the plague of leprosy
unless it had in it stones
and timber
and dust
or earth; a house which had not stones
timber
and dust in it
and the plague
appeared in it
even if anyone after that brought in stones; timber
and dust
it was cleanF16Misn. Negaim
c. 12. sect. 2. :
and he shall carry them forth out of the city unto an
unclean place: such materials were not to be made use of to rebuild that house
or to be employed in the building of any other. This house may be an emblem of
a visible church of God on earth
which is often in Scripture compared to an
house
as that signifies both an edifice and a family
and is sometimes called
the house of the living God; and into which sometimes the leprosy of immorality
and profaneness gets and spreads
or of errors and heresies
which creep in
unawares
spread themselves gradually
and sometimes very fast
and eat as do a
canker
and are very troublesome and defiling; and which God permits to enter
in
that they which are approved might be made manifest: now when this is the
case
or there is any appearance of it
the priests
the ministers of the Lord
are to be told of it
who are to examine into it
and rebuke sharply
as the
case requires; and care is to be taken that the infection spread not; the
tainted stones
immoral or heretical persons
are to be removed from the
communion of the church
and others to be put in their room
as may present;
such as are dug out of the common quarry of nature
and separated from the rest
of the world
and are hewn and squared by the Spirit and grace of God
and are
become lively stones; such are to be added to the church for the support and
increase of it. Sharp reproofs are to be given to those who are incorrigible
which may be signified by the scraping of the house; and forgiveness
tenderness
and love
that covers a multitude of sins
are to be shown to those
who truly repent
of which plastering may be an emblem; but if
after all
the
above disorders in principle and practice spread
and they appear to be
incurable
then the house is pulled down
the church-state or candlestick is
removed out of its place. And this may be illustrated in two instances
first
in the Jewish church
which is sometimes called the house of Israel
and in
which great corruptions prevailed
especially in the times of Christ and his
apostles; and all means of reformation then being ineffectual
it was utterly
destroyed
their ecclesiastical state
and all the ordinances of it; the
temple
the house of God
was demolished
and not one stone left upon another
Matthew 24:2; and
next in the church of Rome
once a church of God
a temple of his
where
antichrist rose up and sat
and has by him been overspread with the leprosy of
immorality
false doctrine
superstitious and idolatrous worship; and at times
God has been emptying it
or removing his own people out of it
and will do so
again before the utter destruction of it
which is hastening on; when it will
be utterly demolished
as Babylon its emblem was
so that a stone of it shall
not be taken
either for foundations or for a corner
Jeremiah 51:26.
This also may be applied to the earthly houses of our tabernacles
in which the
leprosy of sin is so deeply rooted
that
until they are dissolved
it will
never be removed
notwithstanding all the means made use of for the
mortification of the deeds of the body.
Leviticus 14:46. 46 Moreover
he who goes into the house at all while it is shut up shall be unclean until
evening.
YLT 46`And he who is going in unto the house all
the days he hath shut it up
is unclean till the evening;
Moreover
he that goeth into the house all the while it is shut up
.... The
utmost of which were three weeks
as Jarchi observes; during the time a house
was shut up
no man might enter it: if he did
he
shall be unclean until the evening; might not have any
conversation with men until the evening was come
and he had washed himself;
nay
according to the MisnahF17Misn. Negaim
c. 12. sect. 8
9.
if
a clean person thrust in his head
or the greatest part of his body
into an
unclean house
he was defiled; and whoever entered into a leprous house
and
his clothes are on his shoulder
and his sandals (on his feet)
and his rings
on his hands
he and they are unclean immediately; and if he has his clothes
on
and his sandals on his feet
and his rings on his hands
he is immediately
defiled
and they are clean.
Leviticus 14:47. 47 And
he who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes
and he who eats in the
house shall wash his clothes.
YLT 47and he who is lying in the house doth wash
his garments; and he who is eating in the house doth wash his garments.
And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes
.... Which is
more than bare entrance into it
and might be supposed the more to be infected
by it
and therefore obliged to the washing of himself
and his garments:
and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes; if he stayed
no longer than while he ate half a piece of wheaten bread he was clean
but not
if he stayed so long as to eat a like quantity of barley bread
and sat down
and ate it with foodF18Misn. Negaim
c. 13. sect. 8
9. .
Leviticus 14:48. 48 “But
if the priest comes in and examines it
and indeed the plague has not
spread in the house after the house was plastered
then the priest shall
pronounce the house clean
because the plague is healed.
YLT 48`And if the priest certainly come in
and
hath seen
and lo
the plague hath not spread in the house after the daubing of
the house
then hath the priest pronounced the house clean
for the plague hath
been healed.
And if the priest shall come in
and look upon it
.... That is
on the seventh day of the second week of its being shut up:
and
behold
the plague hath not spread in the house
after the
house was plastered; See Gill on Leviticus 14:42
then the priest shall pronounce the house clean; fit to be
inhabited
and so no more to be shut up
but free for use as before:
because the plague is healed; the infection being
wholly removed by taking out the stones
scraping
and plastering the house
and so an entire stop put to the spread of it.
Leviticus 14:49. 49 And
he shall take
to cleanse the house
two birds
cedar wood
scarlet
and
hyssop.
YLT 49`And he hath taken for the cleansing of the
house two birds
and cedar wood
and scarlet
and hyssop;
And he shall take to cleanse the house
.... The
priest
or by his fellow priest
as Aben Ezra
though some interpret it of the
master of the house; in Leviticus 14:49
an
account is given of the manner of cleansing a leprous house
which is the same
with that of cleansing a leprous man
see notes on Leviticus 14:4-7
Two birds. The birds here indeed are not described as "alive and
clean"
Leviticus 14:4; but
both are plainly implied and the house is said to be cleansed with the blood of
the slain bird
as well as with the living bird; and it was the upper door post
of the house which was sprinkled seven times with it
but there were no
sacrifices offered; in this case
as in the cleansing of the leper
the
atonement for it was made by the other rites
which were sufficient to render
it habitable again
and free for use
either of the owner or any other person:
and cedar wood
and scarlet
and hyssop. See Gill on Leviticus 14:4.
Leviticus 14:50. 50 Then
he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water;
YLT 50and he hath slaughtered the one bird upon an
earthen vessel
over running water;
And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over
running water. See Gill on Leviticus 14:5.
Leviticus 14:51. 51 and he shall take the
cedar wood
the hyssop
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.
YLT 51and he hath taken the cedar wood
and the
hyssop
and the scarlet
and the living bird
and hath dipped them in the blood
of the slaughtered bird
and in the running water
and hath sprinkled upon the
house seven times.
And he shall take the cedar wood
and the hyssop
and the scarlet
and the living bird
.... See Gill on Leviticus 14:6.
and sprinkle the house seven times. See Gill on Leviticus 14:7.
Leviticus 14:52. 52 And
he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and the running water and
the living bird
with the cedar wood
the hyssop
and the scarlet.
YLT 52`And he hath cleansed 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 hyssop
and with the scarlet;
And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird
.... See Gill
on Leviticus 14:4.
Leviticus 14:53. 53 Then
he shall let the living bird loose outside the city in the open field
and make
atonement for the house
and it shall be clean.
YLT 53and he hath sent away the living bird unto
the outside of the city unto the face of the field
and hath made atonement for
the house
and it hath been clean.
But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open
fields
.... See Gill on Leviticus 14:7.
Leviticus 14:54. 54 “This
is the law for any leprous sore and scale
YLT 54`This [is] the law for every plague of the
leprosy and for scall
This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy
and
scall. The leprosy in general in the bodies of men
and of that in
particular which was on the head and beard
and went by the name of the scall
Leviticus 13:29. In
Leviticus 14:54 is
a recapitulation of the several laws and rules relating to leprosy of all
kinds
delivered in this and the preceding chapter.
Leviticus 14:55. 55 for
the leprosy of a garment and of a house
YLT 55and for leprosy of a garment
and of a house
And for the leprosy of a garment
.... Of which see Leviticus 13:47
and of an house; largely treated of in this chapter
Leviticus 14:34.
Leviticus 14:56. 56 for
a swelling and a scab and a bright spot
YLT 56and for a rising
and for a scab
and for a
bright spot
--
And for a rising
and for a scab
and for a bright spot. Which were
three sorts of leprosy in the skin of man's flesh; See Gill on Leviticus 13:2.
Leviticus 14:57. 57 to
teach when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the
law of leprosy.”
YLT 57to direct in the day of being unclean
and in
the day of being clean; this [is] the law of the leprosy.'
To teach when it is unclean
and when it is clean
.... A man
his garment
or his house; for it respects them all
as Aben Ezra observes;
which was the business of the priests to teach men
and they by the above laws
and rules were instructed how to judge of cases
and by which they were capable
of pronouncing persons or things clean or unclean:
this is the law of leprosy; respecting every sort of
it
and which is very remarkably enlarged upon.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)