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 in sight 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 but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again.
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 him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever 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.
18 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
19 And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be showed 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 boil.
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 boil; 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 in 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 have 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 he 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 cleansing;
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.
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 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 is he clean.
42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; 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 sore 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 leprous 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.
47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woolen garment, or a linen garment;
48 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woolen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the priest:
50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woolen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;
54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his color, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.
56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
57 And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woolen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 saying, H559
2 When a man H120 shall have in the skin H5785 of his flesh H1320 a rising, H7613 a scab, H5597 or bright spot, H934 and it be in the skin H5785 of his flesh H1320 like the plague H5061 of leprosy; H6883 then he shall be brought H935 unto Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 or unto one H259 of his sons H1121 the priests: H3548
3 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the plague H5061 in the skin H5785 of the flesh: H1320 and when the hair H8181 in the plague H5061 is turned H2015 white, H3836 and the plague H5061 in sight H4758 be deeper H6013 than the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 it is a plague H5061 of leprosy: H6883 and the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him, and pronounce him unclean. H2930
4 If the bright spot H934 be white H3836 in the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 and in sight H4758 be not deeper H6013 than the skin, H5785 and the hair H8181 thereof be not turned H2015 white; H3836 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the plague H5061 seven H7651 days: H3117
5 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and, behold, if the plague H5061 in his sight H5869 be at a stay, H5975 and the plague H5061 spread H6581 not in the skin; H5785 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days H3117 more: H8145
6 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him again H8145 the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and, behold, if the plague H5061 be somewhat dark, H3544 and the plague H5061 spread H6581 not in the skin, H5785 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 it is but a scab: H4556 and he shall wash H3526 his clothes, H899 and be clean. H2891
7 But if the scab H4556 spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 after H310 that he hath been seen H7200 of the priest H3548 for his cleansing, H2893 he shall be seen H7200 of the priest H3548 again: H8145
8 And if the priest H3548 see H7200 that, behold, the scab H4556 spreadeth H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a leprosy. H6883
9 When the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 is in a man, H120 then he shall be brought H935 unto the priest; H3548
10 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 him: and, behold, if the rising H7613 be white H3836 in the skin, H5785 and it have turned H2015 the hair H8181 white, H3836 and there be quick H4241 raw H2416 flesh H1320 in the rising; H7613
11 It is an old H3462 leprosy H6883 in the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean, H2930 and shall not shut H5462 him up: for he is unclean. H2931
12 And if a leprosy H6883 break out H6524 abroad H6524 in the skin, H5785 and the leprosy H6883 cover H3680 all the skin H5785 of him that hath the plague H5061 from his head H7218 even to his foot, H7272 wheresoever the priest H3548 looketh; H4758 H5869
13 Then the priest H3548 shall consider: H7200 and, behold, if the leprosy H6883 have covered H3680 all his flesh, H1320 he shall pronounce him clean H2891 that hath the plague: H5061 it is all turned H2015 white: H3836 he is clean. H2889
14 But when H3117 raw H2416 flesh H1320 appeareth H7200 in him, he shall be unclean. H2930
15 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 the raw H2416 flesh, H1320 and pronounce him to be unclean: H2930 for the raw H2416 flesh H1320 is unclean: H2931 it is a leprosy. H6883
16 Or if the raw H2416 flesh H1320 turn again, H7725 and be changed H2015 unto white, H3836 he shall come H935 unto the priest; H3548
17 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 him: and, behold, if the plague H5061 be turned H2015 into white; H3836 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean H2891 that hath the plague: H5061 he is clean. H2889
18 The flesh H1320 also, in which, H3588 even in the skin H5785 thereof, was a boil, H7822 and is healed, H7495
19 And in the place H4725 of the boil H7822 there be a white H3836 rising, H7613 or a bright spot, H934 white, H3836 and somewhat reddish, H125 and it be shewed H7200 to the priest; H3548
20 And if, when the priest H3548 seeth H7200 it, behold, it be in sight H4758 lower H8217 than the skin, H5785 and the hair H8181 thereof be turned H2015 white; H3836 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 broken H6524 out of the boil. H7822
21 But if the priest H3548 look H7200 on it, and, behold, there be no white H3836 hairs H8181 therein, and if it be not lower H8217 than the skin, H5785 but be somewhat dark; H3544 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days: H3117
22 And if it spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a plague. H5061
23 But if the bright spot H934 stay H5975 in his place, and spread H6581 not, it is a burning H6867 boil; H7822 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean. H2891
24 Or if there be any flesh, H1320 in the skin H5785 whereof there is a hot H784 burning, H4348 and the quick H4241 flesh that burneth H4348 have a white H3836 bright spot, H934 somewhat reddish, H125 or white; H3836
25 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon it: and, behold, if the hair H8181 in the bright spot H934 be turned H2015 white, H3836 and it be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 it is a leprosy H6883 broken H6524 out of the burning: H4348 wherefore the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is the plague H5061 of leprosy. H6883
26 But if the priest H3548 look H7200 on it, and, behold, there be no white H3836 hair H8181 in the bright spot, H934 and it be no lower H8217 than the other skin, H5785 but be somewhat dark; H3544 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days: H3117
27 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon him the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and if it be spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is the plague H5061 of leprosy. H6883
28 And if the bright H934 spot H934 stay H5975 in his place, and spread H6581 not in the skin, H5785 but it be somewhat dark; H3544 it is a rising H7613 of the burning, H4348 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 for it is an inflammation H6867 of the burning. H4348
29 If a man H376 or woman H802 have a plague H5061 upon the head H7218 or the beard; H2206
30 Then the priest H3548 shall see H7200 the plague: H5061 and, behold, if it be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 and there be in it a yellow H6669 thin H1851 hair; H8181 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a dry scall, H5424 even a leprosy H6883 upon the head H7218 or beard. H2206
31 And if the priest H3548 look H7200 on the plague H5061 of the scall, H5424 and, behold, it be not in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin, H5785 and that there is no black H7838 hair H8181 in it; then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the plague H5061 of the scall H5424 seven H7651 days: H3117
32 And in the seventh H7637 day H3117 the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the plague: H5061 and, behold, if the scall H5424 spread H6581 not, and there be in it no yellow H6669 hair, H8181 and the scall H5424 be not in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785
33 He shall be shaven, H1548 but the scall H5424 shall he not shave; H1548 and the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the scall H5424 seven H7651 days H3117 more: H8145
34 And in the seventh H7637 day H3117 the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the scall: H5424 and, behold, if the scall H5424 be not spread H6581 in the skin, H5785 nor be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 and he shall wash H3526 his clothes, H899 and be clean. H2891
35 But if the scall H5424 spread H6581 much H6581 in the skin H5785 after H310 his cleansing; H2893
36 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him: and, behold, if the scall H5424 be spread H6581 in the skin, H5785 the priest H3548 shall not seek H1239 for yellow H6669 hair; H8181 he is unclean. H2931
37 But if the scall H5424 be in his sight H5869 at a stay, H5975 and that there is black H7838 hair H8181 grown H6779 up therein; the scall H5424 is healed, H7495 he is clean: H2889 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean. H2891
38 If a man H376 also or a woman H802 have in the skin H5785 of their flesh H1320 bright spots, H934 even white H3836 bright spots; H934
39 Then the priest H3548 shall look: H7200 and, behold, if the bright spots H934 in the skin H5785 of their flesh H1320 be darkish H3544 white; H3836 it is a freckled spot H933 that groweth H6524 in the skin; H5785 he is clean. H2889
40 And the man H376 H3588 whose hair is fallen H4803 off his head, H7218 he is bald; H7142 yet is he clean. H2889
41 And he that hath his hair fallen H4803 off from the part H6285 of his head H7218 toward his face, H6440 he is forehead bald: H1371 yet is he clean. H2889
42 And if there be in the bald head, H7146 or bald forehead, H1372 a white H3836 reddish H125 sore; H5061 it is a leprosy H6883 sprung H6524 up in his bald head, H7146 or his bald forehead. H1372
43 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon it: and, behold, if the rising H7613 of the sore H5061 be white H3836 reddish H125 in his bald head, H7146 or in his bald forehead, H1372 as the leprosy H6883 appeareth H4758 in the skin H5785 of the flesh; H1320
44 He is a leprous H6879 man, H376 he is unclean: H2931 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him utterly H2930 unclean; H2930 his plague H5061 is in his head. H7218
45 And the leper H6879 in whom the plague H5061 is, his clothes H899 shall be rent, H6533 and his head H7218 bare, H6544 and he shall put a covering H5844 upon his upper lip, H8222 and shall cry, H7121 Unclean, H2931 unclean. H2931
46 All the days H3117 wherein the plague H5061 shall be in him he shall be defiled; H2930 he is unclean: H2931 he shall dwell H3427 alone; H910 without H2351 the camp H4264 shall his habitation H4186 be.
47 The garment H899 also that the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 is in, whether it be a woollen H6785 garment, H899 or a linen H6593 garment; H899
48 Whether it be in the warp, H8359 or woof; H6154 of linen, H6593 or of woollen; H6785 whether in a skin, H5785 or in any thing made H4399 of skin; H5785
49 And if the plague H5061 be greenish H3422 or reddish H125 in the garment, H899 or in the skin, H5785 either H176 in the warp, H8359 or in the woof, H6154 or in any thing H3627 of skin; H5785 it is a plague H5061 of leprosy, H6883 and shall be shewed H7200 unto the priest: H3548
50 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon the plague, H5061 and shut H5462 up it that hath the plague H5061 seven H7651 days: H3117
51 And he shall look H7200 on the plague H5061 on the seventh H7637 day: H3117 if the plague H5061 be spread H6581 in the garment, H899 either in the warp, H8359 or in the woof, H6154 or in a skin, H5785 or in any work H4399 that is made H6213 of skin; H5785 the plague H5061 is a fretting H3992 leprosy; H6883 it is unclean. H2931
52 He shall therefore burn H8313 that garment, H899 whether warp H8359 or woof, H6154 in woollen H6785 or in linen, H6593 or any thing H3627 of skin, H5785 wherein the plague H5061 is: for it is a fretting H3992 leprosy; H6883 it shall be burnt H8313 in the fire. H784
53 And if the priest H3548 shall look, H7200 and, behold, the plague H5061 be not spread H6581 in the garment, H899 either H176 in the warp, H8359 or H176 in the woof, H6154 or H176 in any thing H3627 of skin; H5785
54 Then the priest H3548 shall command H6680 that they wash H3526 the thing wherein the plague H5061 is, and he shall shut H5462 it up seven H7651 days H3117 more: H8145
55 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the plague, H5061 after H310 that it is washed: H3526 and, behold, if the plague H5061 have not changed H2015 his colour, H5869 and the plague H5061 be not spread; H6581 it is unclean; H2931 thou shalt burn H8313 it in the fire; H784 it is fret H6356 inward, whether it be bare within H7146 or without. H1372
56 And if the priest H3548 look, H7200 and, behold, the plague H5061 be somewhat dark H3544 after H310 the washing H3526 of it; then he shall rend H7167 it out of the garment, H899 or out of the skin, H5785 or out of the warp, H8359 or out of the woof: H6154
57 And if it appear H7200 still H5750 in the garment, H899 either in the warp, H8359 or in the woof, H6154 or in any thing H3627 of skin; H5785 it is a spreading H6524 plague: thou shalt burn H8313 that wherein the plague H5061 is with fire. H784
58 And the garment, H899 either warp, H8359 or woof, H6154 or whatsoever thing H3627 of skin H5785 it be, which thou shalt wash, H3526 if the plague H5061 be departed H5493 from them, then it shall be washed H3526 the second H8145 time, and shall be clean. H2891
59 This is the law H8451 of the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 in a garment H899 of woollen H6785 or linen, H6593 either in the warp, H8359 or woof, H6154 or any thing H3627 of skins, H5785 to pronounce it clean, H2891 or to pronounce it unclean. H2930
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh 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 if the hair in the plague be turned white, and the appearance of the plague be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is the plague of leprosy; and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
4 And if the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and the appearance thereof 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 in his eyes the plague be at a stay, and the plague be not spread 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 dim, and the plague be not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7 But if the scab spread abroad in the skin, after that he hath showed himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again:
8 and the priest shall look; and, behold, if the scab be spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is leprosy.
9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
10 and the priest shall look; and, behold, if there be a white rising 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: he shall not shut him up, for he is unclean.
12 And if the leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of `him that hath' the plague from his head even to his feet, as far as appeareth to the priest;
13 then the priest shall look; 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 whensoever raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
15 And the priest shall look on the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean: it is leprosy.
16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, then he shall come unto the priest;
17 and the priest shall look on him; and, behold, if the plague be turned into white, then the priest shall pronounce `him' clean `that hath' the plague: he is clean.
18 And when the flesh hath in the skin thereof a boil, and it is healed,
19 and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then is shall be showed to the priest;
20 and the priest shall look; and, behold, if the appearance thereof be lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy, it hath broken out in the boil.
21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and it be not lower than the skin, but be dim; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
22 And if it spread abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
23 But if the bright spot stay in its place, and be not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24 Or when the flesh hath in the skin thereof a burning by fire, and the quick `flesh' of the burning become a bright spot, reddish-white, or white;
25 then the priest shall look upon it; and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and the appearance thereof be deeper than the skin; it is leprosy, it hath broken out in the burning: and 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 in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the skin, but be dim; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
27 and the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: if it spread 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 its place, and be not spread in the skin, but be dim; it is the rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is the scar of the burning.
29 And when a man or woman hath a plague upon the head or upon the beard,
30 then the priest shall look on the plague; and, behold, if the appearance thereof be deeper than the skin, and there be in it yellow thin hair, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a scall, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard.
31 And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, the appearance thereof be not deeper than the skin, and there be 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 be not spread, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the appearance of the scall be not deeper than the skin,
33 then he shall be shaven, but the scall shall he 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, and the appearance thereof be not 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 abroad in the skin after his cleansing,
36 then the priest shall look on him; and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean.
37 But if in his eyes the scall be at a stay, and black hair be grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
38 And when a man or a woman hath in the skin of the 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 of a dull white, it is a tetter, it hath broken out in the skin; he is clean.
40 And if a man's hair be fallen off his head, he is bald; `yet' is he clean.
41 And if his hair be fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald; `yet' is he clean.
42 But if there be in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
43 Then the priest shall look upon him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague be reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh;
44 he is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his plague is in his head.
45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
46 All the days wherein the plague is in him he shall be unclean; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his dwelling be.
47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
48 whether it be in warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin;
49 if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the priest.
50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up `that which hath' the plague seven days:
51 and he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever service skin is used for; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
52 And he shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in woollen or in linen, or anything of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;
54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
55 and the priest shall look, after that the plague is washed; and, behold, if the plague have not changed its color, and the plague be not spread, it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire: it is a fret, whether the bareness be within or without.
56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be dim after the washing thereof, then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
57 and if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is breaking out: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
58 And the garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,
2 `When a man hath in the skin of his flesh a rising, or scab, or bright spot, and it hath become in the skin of his flesh a leprous plague, then he hath been brought in unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests;
3 and the priest hath seen the plague in the skin of the flesh, and the hair in the plague hath turned white, and the appearance of the plague `is' deeper than the skin of his flesh -- it `is' a plague of leprosy, and the priest hath seen him, and hath pronounced him unclean.
4 `And if the bright spot is white in the skin of his flesh, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and its hair hath not turned white, then hath the priest shut up `him who hath' the plague seven days.
5 `And the priest hath seen him on the seventh day, and lo, the plague hath stood in his eyes, the plague hath not spread in the skin, and the priest hath shut him up a second seven days.
6 `And the priest hath seen him on the second seventh day, and lo, the plague is become weak, and the plague hath not spread in the skin -- and the priest hath pronounced him clean, it `is' a scab, and he hath washed his garments, and hath been clean.
7 `And if the scab spread greatly in the skin, after his being seen by the priest for his cleansing, then he hath been seen a second time by the priest;
8 and the priest hath seen, and lo, the scab hath spread in the skin, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it `is' leprosy.
9 `When a plague of leprosy is in a man, then he hath been brought in unto the priest,
10 and the priest hath seen, and lo, a white rising in the skin, and it hath turned the hair white, and a quickening of raw flesh `is' in the rising, --
11 an old leprosy it `is' in the skin of his flesh, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; he doth not shut him up, for he `is' unclean.
12 `And if the leprosy break out greatly in the skin, and the leprosy hath covered all the skin of `him who hath' the plague, from his head even unto his feet, to all that appeareth to the eyes of the priest,
13 then hath the priest seen, and lo, the leprosy hath covered all his flesh, and he hath pronounced `him who hath' the plague clean; it hath all turned white; he `is' clean.
14 `And in the day of raw flesh being seen in him he is unclean;
15 and the priest hath seen the raw flesh, and hath pronounced him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it `is' leprosy.
16 Or when the raw flesh turneth back, and hath been turned to white, then he hath come in unto the priest,
17 and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the plague hath been turned to white, and the priest hath pronounced clean `him who hath' the plague; he `is' clean.
18 `And when flesh hath in it, in its skin, an ulcer, and it hath been healed,
19 and there hath been in the place of the ulcer a white rising, or a bright white spot, very red, then it hath been seen by the priest,
20 and the priest hath seen, and lo, its appearance `is' lower than the skin, and its hair hath turned white, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it `is' a plague of leprosy -- in an ulcer it hath broken out.
21 `And if the priest see it, and lo, there is no white hair in it, and it is not lower than the skin, and is become weak, then hath the priest shut him up seven days;
22 and if it spread greatly in the skin, then hath the priest pronounced him unclean, it `is' a plague;
23 and if in its place the bright spot stay -- it hath not spread -- it `is' an inflammation of the ulcer; and the priest hath pronounced him clean.
24 `Or when flesh hath in its skin a fiery burning, and the quickening of the burning, the bright white spot, hath been very red or white,
25 and the priest hath seen it, and lo, the hair hath turned white in the bright spot, and its appearance `is' deeper than the skin; leprosy it `is', in the burning it hath broken out, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it `is' a plague of leprosy.
26 `And if the priest see it, and lo, there is no white hair on the bright spot, and it is not lower than the skin, and it is become weak, then the priest hath shut him up seven days;
27 and the priest hath seen him on the seventh day, if it spread greatly in the skin, then the priest hath pronounced him unclean; a plague of leprosy it `is'.
28 `And if the bright spot stay in its place, it hath not spread in the skin, and is become weak; a rising of the burning it `is', and the priest hath pronounced him clean; for it `is' inflammation of the burning.
29 `And when a man (or a woman) hath in him a plague in the head or in the beard,
30 then hath the priest seen the plague, and lo, its appearance is deeper than the skin, and in it a thin shining hair, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it `is' a scall -- it `is' a leprosy of the head or of the beard.
31 `And when the priest seeth the plague of the scall, and lo, its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then hath the priest shut up `him who hath' the plague of the scall seven days.
32 `And the priest hath seen the plague on the seventh day, and lo, the scall hath not spread, and a shining hair hath not been in it, and the appearance of the scall is not deeper than the skin,
33 then he hath shaved himself, but the scall he doth not shave; and the priest hath shut up `him who hath' the scall a second seven days.
34 And the priest hath seen the scall on the seventh day, and lo, the scall hath not spread in the skin, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and the priest hath pronounced him clean, and he hath washed his garments, and hath been clean.
35 `And if the scall spread greatly in the skin after his cleansing,
36 and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the scall hath spread in the skin, the priest seeketh not for the shining hair, he is unclean;
37 and if in his eyes the scall hath stayed, and black hair hath sprung up in it, the scall hath been healed -- he `is' clean -- and the priest hath pronounced him clean.
38 `And when a man or woman hath in the skin of their flesh bright spots, white bright spots,
39 and the priest hath seen, and lo, in the skin of their flesh white weak bright spots, it `is' a freckled spot broken out in the skin; he `is' clean.
40 `And when a man's head `is' polished, he `is' bald, he `is' clean;
41 and if from the corner of his face his head is polished, he `is' bald of the forehead; he `is' clean.
42 `And when there is in the bald back of the head, or in the bald forehead, a very red white plague, it `is' a leprosy breaking out in the bald back of the head, or in the bald forehead;
43 and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the rising of the very red white plague in the bald back of the head, or in the bald forehead, `is' as the appearance of leprosy, in the skin of the flesh,
44 he `is' a leprous man, he `is' unclean; the priest doth pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague `is' in his head.
45 `As to the leper in whom `is' the plague, his garments are rent, and his head is uncovered, and he covereth over the upper lip, and `Unclean! unclean!' he calleth;
46 all the days that the plague `is' in him he is unclean; he `is' unclean, alone he doth dwell, at the outside of the camp `is' his dwelling.
47 `And when there is in any garment a plague of leprosy, -- in a garment of wool, or in a garment of linen,
48 or in the warp, or in the woof, of linen or of wool, or in a skin, or in any work of skin,
49 and the plague hath been very green or very red in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin, it `is' a plague of leprosy, and it hath been shewn the priest.
50 `And the priest hath seen the plague, and hath shut up `that which hath' the plague, seven days;
51 and he hath seen the plague on the seventh day, and the plague hath spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, of all that is made of skin for work; the plague `is' a fretting leprosy, it `is' unclean.
52 `And he hath burnt the garment, or the warp, or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any vessel of skin in which the plague is; for it `is' a fretting leprosy; with fire it is burnt.
53 `And if the priest see, and lo, the plague hath not spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin,
54 then hath the priest commanded, and they have washed that in which the plague `is', and he hath shut it up a second seven days.
55 And the priest hath seen `that which hath' the plague after it hath been washed, and lo, the plague hath not changed its aspect, and the plague hath not spread, -- it `is' unclean; with fire thou dost burn it; it `is' a fretting in its back-part or in its front-part.
56 `And if the priest hath seen, and lo, the plague `is' become weak after it hath been washed, then he hath rent it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof;
57 and if it still be seen in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin, it `is' a fretting; with fire thou dost burn it -- that in which the plague `is'.
58 `And the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or any vessel of skin which thou dost wash when the plague hath turned aside from them, then it hath been washed a second time, and hath been clean.
59 `This `is' the law of a plague of leprosy `in' a garment of wool or of linen, or of the warp or of the woof, or of any vessel of skin, to pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean.'
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising or a scab, or bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh a sore [as] of leprosy, then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests.
3 And when the priest looketh on the sore in the skin of the flesh, and the hair in the sore is turned white, and the sore looketh deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is the sore of leprosy; and the priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean.
4 But if the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and look not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white, the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the sore seven days.
5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day; and behold, in his sight, the sore remaineth as it was, the sore hath not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up seven days a second time.
6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day, and behold, the sore is become pale and the sore hath not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a scab; and he shall wash his garments and be clean.
7 But if the scab have spread much in the skin, after that he hath been seen by the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again;
8 and the priest shall look on him, and behold, the scab hath spread in the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is leprosy.
9 When a sore [as] of leprosy is in a man, he shall be brought unto the priest;
10 and the priest shall look on him, and behold, there is a white rising in the skin, and it hath turned the hair white, and a trace of raw flesh is in the rising:
11 it is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh; and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and he shall not shut him up, for he is unclean.
12 But if the leprosy break out much in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the sore, from his head even to his foot, wherever the eyes of the priest look,
13 and the priest looketh, and behold, the leprosy covereth all his flesh, he shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the sore; it is all turned white; he is clean.
14 And on the day when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
15 And the priest shall look on the raw flesh, and shall pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy.
16 But if the raw flesh change again, and be turned white, he shall come unto the priest;
17 and the priest shall look on him, and behold, the sore is turned white; then the priest shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the sore: he is clean.
18 And the flesh -- when in the skin thereof cometh a boil, and it is healed,
19 and there is in the place of the boil a white rising, or a white-reddish bright spot, it shall be shewn to the priest;
20 and the priest shall look on it, and behold, it looketh deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof is turned white; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the sore of leprosy broken out in the boil.
21 But if the priest look on it, and behold, there are no white hairs therein, and it is not deeper than the skin, and is pale, the priest shall shut him up seven days;
22 and if it spread much in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the sore.
23 But if the bright spot have remained in its place, [and] have not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24 Or if in the flesh, in the skin thereof, there is a burning inflammation, and the place of the inflammation become a bright spot white-reddish or white,
25 and the priest look on it, and behold, the hair is turned white in the bright spot, and it looketh deeper than the skin, it is a leprosy which is broken out in the inflammation; and the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the sore of leprosy.
26 But if the priest look on it, and behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it is no deeper than the skin, and is pale, the priest shall shut him up seven days.
27 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day, and if it have spread much in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the sore of leprosy.
28 But if the bright spot have remained in its place, [and] not spread in the skin, and is pale, it is the rising of the inflammation; and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar of the inflammation.
29 And if a man or a woman have a sore on the head or on the beard,
30 and the priest look on the sore, and behold, it looketh deeper than the skin, and there is in it yellow thin hair, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a scall, the leprosy of the head or the beard.
31 And if the priest look on the sore of the scall, and behold, it is not in sight deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the sore of the scall seven days.
32 And when the priest looketh on the sore on the seventh day, and behold, the scall hath not spread, and there is in it no yellow hair, and the scall doth not look deeper than the skin,
33 he [that hath the sore] shall shave himself; but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the scall seven days a second time.
34 And the priest shall look on the scall on the seventh day, and behold, the scall hath not spread in the skin, nor is in sight deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his garments, and be clean.
35 But if the scall have spread much in the skin after his cleansing,
36 and the priest shall look on him, and behold, the scall hath spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair: he is unclean.
37 But if the scall have in his sight remained as it was, and there is black hair grown up therein, the scall is healed: he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
38 And if a man or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, white bright spots,
39 and the priest look, and behold, there are in the skin of their flesh pale white spots, it is an eruption which is broken out in the skin: he is clean.
40 And if a man's hair have fallen off his head, he is bald: he is clean;
41 and if he have the hair fallen off from the part of the head towards his face, he is forehead-bald: he is clean.
42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white-reddish sore, it is a leprosy which hath broken out in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
43 And the priest shall look on it, and behold, the rising of the sore is white-reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of the leprosy in the skin of the flesh;
44 he is a leprous man, he is unclean; the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his sore is in his head.
45 And as to the leper in whom the sore is, -- his garments shall be rent, and his head shall be uncovered, and he shall put a covering on his beard, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean!
46 All the days that the sore shall be in him he shall be unclean: he is unclean; he shall dwell apart; outside the camp shall his dwelling be.
47 And if a sore of leprosy is in a garment, in a woollen garment, or a linen garment,
48 either in the warp or in the woof of linen or of wool, or in a skin, or in anything made of skin,
49 and the sore is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is the sore of leprosy, and shall be shewn unto the priest.
50 And the priest shall look on the sore, and shall shut up [that which hath] the sore seven days.
51 And he shall see the sore on the seventh day: if the sore have spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in a skin, in any work that may be made of skin, the sore is a corroding leprosy: it is unclean.
52 And they shall burn the garment, or the warp or the woof, of wool or of linen, or anything of skin, wherein the sore is; for it is a corroding leprosy: it shall be burned with fire.
53 But if the priest look, and behold, the sore hath not spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin,
54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the sore is, and he shall shut it up seven days a second time.
55 And the priest shall look on the sore after the washing, and behold, if the sore have not changed its appearance, and the sore have not spread, it is unclean: thou shalt burn it with fire: it is a fretting sore on what is threadbare or where the nap is gone.
56 But if the priest look, and behold, the sore hath become pale after the washing of it, then he shall rend it from the garment, or from the skin, or from the warp, or from the woof.
57 And if it appear still in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is a [leprosy] breaking out: thou shalt burn with fire that wherein the sore is.
58 But the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin which thou hast washed, and the sore departeth from them, it shall be washed a second time, and it is clean.
59 This is the law of the sore of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, to cleanse it, or to pronounce it unclean.
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2 "When a man shall have a rising in his body's skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests:
3 and the priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body: and if the hair in the plague has turned white, and the appearance of the plague is deeper than the body's skin, it is the plague of leprosy; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.
4 If the bright spot is white in the skin of his body, and the appearance of it isn't deeper than the skin, and the hair of it hasn't turned white, then the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.
5 The priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and, behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested, and the plague hasn't spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days.
6 The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and, behold, if the plague has faded, and the plague hasn't spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7 But if the scab spreads on the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again.
8 The priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.
9 "When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest;
10 and the priest shall examine him. Behold, if there is a white rising in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the rising,
11 it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not isolate him, for he is unclean.
12 "If the leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the infected person from his head even to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest;
13 then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean.
14 But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean.
15 The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.
16 Or if the raw flesh turns again, and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest;
17 and the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.
18 "When the body has a boil on its skin, and it has healed,
19 and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest;
20 and the priest shall examine it; and, behold, if the appearance of it is lower than the skin, and the hair of it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil.
21 But if the priest examines it, and, behold, there are no white hairs in it, and it isn't deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.
22 If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague.
23 But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn't spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24 "Or when the body has a burn from fire on its skin, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white,
25 then the priest shall examine it; and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot has turned white, and the appearance of it is deeper than the skin; it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.
26 But if the priest examines it, and, behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it isn't lower than the skin, but is faded; then the priest shall isolate him seven days.
27 The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.
28 If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn't spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar from the burn.
29 "When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard,
30 then the priest shall examine the plague; and, behold, if the appearance of it is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is an itch, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard.
31 If the priest examines the plague of itching, and, behold, its appearance isn't deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate him the person infected with itching seven days.
32 On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and, behold, if the itch hasn't spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn't deeper than the skin,
33 then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch; and the priest shall shut him up who has the itch seven more days.
34 On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and, behold, if the itch hasn't spread in the skin, and its appearance isn't deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
35 But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,
36 then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean.
37 But if in his eyes the itch is arrested, and black hair has grown in it; the itch is healed, he is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.
38 "When a man or a woman has bright spots in the skin of the body, even white bright spots;
39 then the priest shall examine them; and, behold, if the bright spots on the skin of their body are a dull white, it is a harmless rash, it has broken out in the skin; he is clean.
40 "If a man's hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean.
41 If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean.
42 But if there is in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
43 Then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh,
44 he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head.
45 "The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!'
46 All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. Outside of the camp shall be his dwelling.
47 "The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment;
48 whether it is in warp, or woof; of linen, or of wool; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin;
49 if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest.
50 The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days.
51 He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean.
52 He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of skin, in which the plague is: for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.
53 "If the priest examines it, and, behold, the plague hasn't spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;
54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which the plague is, and he shall isolate it seven more days.
55 Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and, behold, if the plague hasn't changed its color, and the plague hasn't spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside.
56 If the priest looks, and, behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
57 and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn with fire that in which the plague is.
58 The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean."
59 This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
1 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
2 If a man has on his skin a growth or a mark or a white place, and it becomes the disease of a leper, let him be taken to Aaron the priest, or to one of the priests, his sons;
3 And if, when the priest sees the mark on his skin, the hair on the place is turned white and the mark seems to go deeper than the skin, it is the mark of a leper: and the priest, after looking at him, will say that he is unclean.
4 But if the mark on his skin is white, and does not seem to go deeper than the skin, and the hair on it is not turned white, then the priest will keep him shut up for seven days;
5 And the priest is to see him on the seventh day; and if, in his opinion, the place on his skin has not become worse and is not increased in size, then the priest will keep him shut up for seven days more:
6 And the priest is to see him again on the seventh day; and if the mark is less bright and is not increased on his skin, then let the priest say that he is clean: it is only a skin-mark, and after his clothing has been washed he will be clean.
7 But if the size of the mark on his skin is increased after he has been seen by the priest, let him go to the priest again:
8 And if, after looking at him, he sees that the mark is increased in his skin, let the priest say that he is unclean; he is a leper.
9 When the disease of a leper is seen on a man, let him be taken to the priest;
10 And if the priest sees that there is a white growth on the skin, and the hair is turned white, and there is diseased flesh in the growth,
11 It is an old disease in the skin of his flesh, and the priest will say that he is unclean; he will not have to be shut up, for he is clearly unclean.
12 And if the disease comes out all over his skin, from his head to his feet, as far as the priest is able to see,
13 And if the priest sees that all his flesh is covered with the leper's disease, the priest will say that he is clean: it is all turned white, he is clean.
14 But whenever diseased flesh is seen on him, he will be unclean.
15 And when the priest sees the diseased flesh he will say that he is unclean; the diseased flesh is unclean, he is a leper.
16 Or if the diseased flesh is turned again and changed to white then he is to come to the priest,
17 And the priest will see him: and if the place is turned white, then the priest will say that he is free from the disease.
18 And if a bad place has come out on the skin and is well again,
19 And on the same place there is a white growth of a bright mark, red and white, then let the priest see it;
20 And after looking at it, if it seems to go deeper than the skin, and the hair on it is turned white, then the priest will say that the man is unclean: it is the leper's disease, it has come out in the bad place.
21 But if, after looking at it, he sees that there are no white hairs on it, and it is not deeper than the skin, and it is not very bright, then let the priest keep him shut up for seven days:
22 And if it is increasing on the skin, the priest will say that he is unclean: it is a disease.
23 But if the bright mark keeps in the same place and gets no greater, it is the mark of the old wound, and the priest will say that he is clean.
24 Or if there is a burn on the skin of the flesh, and if the diseased flesh in the burn becomes a bright place, red and white or white,
25 The priest is to see it: and if the hair on the bright place is turned white and it seems to go deeper than the skin, he is a leper: it has come out in the burn, and the priest will say that he is unclean: it is the leper's disease.
26 But if, after looking at it, the priest sees that there is no white hair on the bright place, and it is not deeper than the skin, and is not very bright, then let the priest keep him shut up for seven days:
27 And the priest is to see him again on the seventh day; if it is increased in the skin, then the priest will say that he is unclean: it is the leper's disease.
28 And if the bright place keeps the same size and gets no greater on the skin, but is less bright, it is the effect of the burn, and the priest will say that he is clean: it is the mark of the burn.
29 And when a man or a woman has a disease on the head, or in the hair of the chin,
30 Then the priest is to see the diseased place: and if it seems to go deeper than the skin, and if there is thin yellow hair in it, then the priest will say that he is unclean: he has the mark of the leper's disease on his head or in the hair of his chin.
31 And after looking at the diseased place, if it does not seem to go deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest will have him shut up for seven days:
32 And on the seventh day the priest will see the place: and if it is not increased, and there is no yellow hair in it, and it does not seem to go deeper than the skin,
33 Then his hair is to be cut off, but not on the diseased place, and he is to be shut up for seven days more:
34 And on the seventh day the priest will see the place: and if it is not increased, and does not seem to go deeper than the skin, the priest will say that he is clean: and after his clothing has been washed he will be clean.
35 But if the disease in his skin becomes worse after he has been made clean,
36 Then the priest is to see him: and if the mark is increased, the priest, without looking for the yellow hair, will say that he is unclean.
37 But if, in his opinion, the growth is stopped, and black hair has come up on it, the disease has gone; he is clean and the priest will say that he is clean.
38 And if a man or a woman has bright marks on the skin of their flesh, that is, bright white marks,
39 Then the priest is to see them: and if the white marks on their skin are not very bright, it is a skin disease which has come out on the skin; he is clean.
40 And if a man's hair has come out and he has no hair, still he is clean.
41 And if the hair has gone from the front part of his head, so that he has no hair there, still he is clean.
42 But if, on his head or on his brow, where he has no hair, there is a red and white place, it is the disease of the leper coming out on his head or on his brow.
43 Then if the priest sees that the growth of the disease has become red and white on his head or on his brow where there is no hair, like the mark in the skin of a leper;
44 He is a leper and unclean; the priest is to say that he is most certainly unclean: the disease is in his head.
45 And the leper who has the disease on him is to go about with signs of grief, with his hair loose and his mouth covered, crying, Unclean, unclean.
46 While the disease is on him, he will be unclean. He is unclean: let him keep by himself, living outside the tent-circle.
47 And any clothing of wool or of linen in which is the mark of the disease;
48 If it is in the threads of the linen or of the wool, or in leather, or in anything made of skin;
49 If there are red or green marks on the clothing, or on the leather, or in the threads of the cloth, or in anything made of skin, it is the leper's disease: let the priest see it.
50 And after it has been seen by the priest, the thing which is so marked is to be shut up for seven days:
51 And he is to see the mark on the seventh day; if the mark is increased in the clothing, or in the threads of the material, or in the leather, whatever the leather is used for, it is the disease biting into it: it is unclean.
52 And the clothing, or the wool or linen material, or anything of leather in which is the disease, is to be burned: for the disease is biting into it; let it be burned in the fire.
53 And if the priest sees that the mark is not increased in the clothing or in any part of the material or in the leather,
54 Then the priest will give orders for the thing on which the mark is, to be washed, and to be shut up for seven days more:
55 And if, after the mark has been washed, the priest sees that the colour of it is not changed and it is not increased, it is to be burned in the fire: the disease is working in it, though the damage may be inside or outside.
56 And if the priest sees that the mark is less bright after the washing, then let him have it cut out of the clothing or the leather or from the threads of the material:
57 And if the mark is still seen in the clothing or in the threads of the material or in the leather, it is the disease coming out: the thing in which the disease is will have to be burned with fire.
58 And the material of the clothing, or anything of skin, which has been washed, if the mark has gone out of it, let it be washed a second time and it will be clean.
59 This is the law about the leper's disease in the thread of wool or linen material, in clothing or in anything of skin, saying how it is to be judged clean or unclean.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 13
Commentary on Leviticus 13 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 13
In this chapter an account is given of the various sorts of leprosy, and the rules by which they were to be judged of, Leviticus 13:1 of the bright spot and scab, Leviticus 13:4 of the rising or swelling, Leviticus 13:9 of the bile or hot ulcer, Leviticus 13:18 of the hot burning or inflammation, Leviticus 13:24 of the plague of the scall, Leviticus 13:29 of bright spots or blisters, Leviticus 13:38 and of shedding the hair, and baldness, Leviticus 13:40 of what the leper was to do, and to be done unto, Leviticus 13:45 of the leprosy in garments made of linen, woollen, or of skin, Leviticus 13:47.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,.... Aaron is addressed again, though left out in the preceding law, because the laws concerning leprosy chiefly concerned the priests, whose business it was to judge of it, and cleanse from it; and so Ben Gersom observes, mention is made of Aaron here, because to him and his sons belonged the affair of leprosies, to pronounce unclean or clean, to shut up or set free, and, as Aben Ezra says, according to his determination were all the plagues or strokes of a man, who should be declared clean or unclean:
saying; as follows.
When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh,.... Rules are here given, by which a leprosy might be judged of; which, as a disease, was frequent in Egypt, where the Israelites had dwelt a long time, and from whence they were just come; and is doubtless the reason, as learned men have observed, that several Heathen writers make the cause of their expulsion from Egypt, as they choose to call it, though wrongly, their being infected with this distemper; whereas it was the reverse, not they, but the Egyptians, were incident to itF26Est elephas morbus-----gignitur Aegypto. Lucret. l. 6. ver. 1112. . Moreover, the leprosy here spoken of seems not to be the same with that disease, or what we now call so, though some have thought otherwise; it being rather an uncleanness than a disease, and the business of a priest, and not a physician to attend unto; and did not arise from natural causes, but was from the immediate hand of God, and was inflicted on men for their sins, as the cases of Miriam, Gehazi, and Uzziah show; and who by complying with the rites and ceremonies hereafter enjoined, their sins were pardoned, and they were cleansed; so that as their case was extraordinary and supernatural, their cure and cleansing were as remarkable: besides, this impurity being in garments and houses, shows it to be something out of the ordinary way. And this law concerning it did not extend to all men, only to the Israelites, and such as were in connection with them, such as proselytes. It is saidF1Misn. Negaim, c. 3. sect. 1. , all are defiled with the plague (of leprosy) except an idolater and a proselyte of the gate; and the commentators sayF2Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. , even servants, and little ones though but a day old; that is, they are polluted with it, and so come under this law. Now the place where this disorder appears is "in the skin of the flesh"; that is, where there is a skin, and that is seen; for there are some places, the Jewish writersF3Misn. Negaim. c. 6. sect. 8. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. say, are not reckoned the skin of the flesh, or where that is not seen, and such places are excepted, and they are these; the inside of the eye, of the ear, and of the nose: wrinkles in the neck, under the pap, and under the arm hole; the sole of the foot, the nail, the head and beard: and this phrase, "in the skin of his flesh", is always particularly mentioned; and when there appeared in it
a rising, scab, or bright spot; the scab that is placed between the rising or swelling, and the bright spot, belongs to them both, and is a kind of an accessory, or second to each of them: hence the Jews distinguish the scab of the swelling, and the scab of the bright spot; so that these make four in all, as they observeF4Misn. ib. c. 1. sect. 1. . And to this agrees what Ben Gersom on this text remarks; the bright spot is, whose whiteness is as the snow; the rising or swelling is what is white, as the pure wool of a lamb of a day old; the scab is what is inferior in whiteness to the rising, and is as in the degree of the whiteness of the shell or film of an egg; and this is the order of these appearances, the most white is the bright spot, after that the rising, and after that the scab of the bright spot, and after that the scab of the rising or swelling; and, lo, what is in whiteness below the whiteness of this (the last) is not the plague of leprosy:
and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; either of the above appearances in the skin, having somewhat in them similar to the leprosy, or which may justly raise a suspicion of it, though it is not clear and manifest:
then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests; for, as Jarchi notes, there was no pollution nor purification of the leprosy, but by the mouth or determination of a priest. And a good man that was desirous, and made conscience of observing the laws of God, when he observed anything of the above in him, and had any suspicion of his case, would of himself go, and show himself to the priest; but if a man did not do this, and any of his neighbours observed the appearances on him, brought him to the priest whether he would or not, according to the text:
he shall be brought: that is, as Aben Ezra explains it, whether with or without his will; for he that sees in him one of the signs, shall oblige him to come to the priest; and who observes, that by Aaron the priest is meant, the priest anointed in his room; and by his sons the priests, the common priests, who are found without the sanctuary; such as the priests of Anathoth, but who were not of those that were rejected.
And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh,.... Whether it be a swelling, scab, or a bright spot that appears, and judge of it by the following rules, and none but a priest might do this:
and when the hair in the plague is turned white; it arising in a place where hair grows, and which hair is not naturally white, but of another colour, but changed through the force of the plague; and there were to be two hairs at least, which were at first black, but turned white; so Jarchi and Ben Gersom: and these hairs, according to the MisnahF5Negaim, c. 4. sect. 4. , must be white at bottom; if the root (or bottom) is black, and the head (or top) white, he is clean; if the root white, and the head black, he is defiled; for hairs turning white is a sign of a disorder, of weakness, of a decay of nature, as may be observed in ancient persons:
and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh; appears plainly to view to be more than skin deep, to have corroded and eat into the flesh below the skin:
it is a plague of leprosy; when these two signs were observed, hair turned white, and the plague was more than skin deep, then it was a plain case that it was the leprosy of which See Gill on Matthew 8:2, Matthew 8:3, Luke 5:12. This was an emblem of sin, and the corruption of nature, which is an uncleanness, and with which every man is defiled, and which renders him infectious, nauseous, and abominable; and of which he is only to be cured and cleansed by Christ, the great High Priest, through his blood, which cleanses from all sin. The above signs and marks of leprosy may be observed in this; the white hair denoting a decay of strength, see Hosea 7:9 may be seen in sinners, as in the leper, who are without moral and spiritual strength to keep the law of God, to do anything that is spiritually good, to regenerate, renew, convert, and sanctify themselves, or to bring themselves out of the state of pollution, bondage, and misery, in which they are; and, like the leprosy, sin lies deep in man; it is in his flesh, in which dwells no good thing, and in which there is no soundness; it does not lie merely in outward actions, but it is in the heart, which is desperately wicked; for the inward part of man is very wicked:
and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean; and so should be obliged to rend his clothes, make bare his head, put a covering on his upper lip, and cry, unclean, unclean; dwell alone without the camp, and at a proper time bring the offering for his cleansing, and submit to the several rites and ceremonies prescribed, Leviticus 13:45.
If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, white as chalk in the skin of his flesh; but other Jewish writers make the whiteness of the bright spot to be the greatest of all, like that of snow; See Gill on Leviticus 13:2,
and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; though it be a bright spot, and be very white, yet these two marks not appearing, it cannot be judged a leprosy, at most it is only suspicious: wherefore
then the priest, shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days; in whom the bright spot is, and of whom there is a suspicion of the plague of leprosy, but it is not certain; and therefore, in order to take time, and get further knowledge, the person was to be shut up from all company and conversation for the space of seven days; by which time it might be supposed, as Ben Gersom observes, that the case and state of the leprosy (if it was one) would be altered; and Aben Ezra remarks, that most diseases change or alter on the seventh day.
And the priest shall look on him the seventh day,.... In the day, and not in the night, as Maimonides, but not on the seventh day, if it happened to be on the sabbathF6Misn. Negaim, c. 1. sect. 4. , then it was put off till after it; and, according to the Jewish canonsF7Misn. ib. c. 2. sect. 2. , they do not look upon plagues in the morning, nor in the evening, nor in the middle of a house, nor on a cloudy day, nor at noon, but at the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth hours:
and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay; it appears to the priest, according to the strictest view he can take of it, that it is in the same state and condition it was, neither better nor worse:
and the plague spread not in the skin: is not greater or larger than it was, though not less:
then the priest shall shut him up seven days more; such abundant care was taken, lest after all it should prove a leprosy.
And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day,.... On the second seventh day, at the end of a fortnight from his being first presented to him, and shut up:
and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark; the spot be not so bright, or so white as it was at first; though Aben Ezra observes, that indeed many wise men say, that כהה is as חשך, signifying dark, and the testimony or proof they bring is Genesis 27:1 but according to my opinion, adds he, the word is the reverse of פשה, to spread; and the sense is, if the plague does not spread itself in another place; and so some translators render it "contracted", or "contracts itself"F8כהה "contracta est", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "contraxerit sese", some in Vatablus. : and this seems best to agree with what follows:
and the plague spread not in the skin; but is as it was when first viewed, after waiting fourteen days, and making observations on it:
the priest shall pronounce him clean; that is, from leprosy, otherwise there was an impure disorder on him, a scabious one:
it is but a scab; which is the name, Jarchi says, of a clean plague or stroke, that is, in comparison of the leprosy, otherwise such cannot be said with any propriety to be clean. Ben Gersom better explains it, it is a white scab, but not of the kind of leprosy, although it is found as the whiteness of the bright spot; but there are not seen in it the signs of leprosy, the hair is not turned white, nor has the plague increased:
and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean; for seeing he was obliged to be shut up, as Jarchi observes, he is called unclean, and stood in need of dipping, that is, his body and his clothes into water; so the people of God, though they are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and are pronounced clean through it, yet since they have their spots and scabs, they have need to have their conversation garments continually washed in the blood of the Lamb.
But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin,.... Or "in spreading spread"F11פשה תפשה "diffundendo diffuderit se", Montanus, Drusius, Piscator. ; spreads, and proceeds to spread more and more:
after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing: even after he had been viewed upon the first presentation of him to him, and after he had been twice seen by him by the end of two weeks, in which he was shut up, and after he had been pronounced clean, and had washed his clothes for his purification:
he shall be seen of the priest again; either he shall go to him of himself, or be brought to him, to be reviewed and pass under afresh examination.
And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin,.... Is not at a stay, as when he looked at it a second and third time:
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; a leprous person; to be absolutely so, as Jarchi expresses it; and so obliged to the birds (to bring birds for his cleansing), and to shaving, and to the offering spoken of in this section, as the same writer observes:
it is a leprosy: it is a clear and plain case that it was one, and no doubt is to be made of it, it is a spreading leprosy: as sin is; it spreads itself over all the powers and faculties of the soul, and over all the members of the body; and it spreads more and more in every stage of life, unless and until grace puts a stop to it.
When the plague of leprosy is in a man,.... He has all the signs of it, and it is pretty manifest both to himself and others that it is upon him:
then he shall be brought unto the priest; by his friends and neighbours, if he is not willing to come of himself: a sinner insensible of the leprosy of sin, and of his unclean and miserable state through it, has no will to come to Christ the great High Priest for cleansing; but one that is sensible of it, and of Christ's ability to help and cleanse him, will come freely and gladly, and importunately seek to him for it; though indeed such an one is brought by powerful and efficacious grace to him, yet not against, but with his full will; see John 5:40; compare with this Matthew 8:1.
And the priest shall see him,.... Look at him, and closely and narrowly inspect and examine his case:
and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin; this is another appearance of the leprosy; the preceding were a bright spot, and the scab of it; but this a rising or white swelling in the skin, as white as pure wool, as the Targum of Jonathan:
and it have turned the hair white; to the whiteness of an egg shell, or the film of it, as the same Targum; that is, hath turned the hair of another colour, into white which was before black:
and there be quick raw flesh in the rising, or swelling; or "the quickening" or "quickness of live flesh"F12מהית בשר חי "vivacitas carnis vivae", Montanus, Vatablus. either such as we call proud flesh, which looks raw and red; or sound flesh, live flesh being opposed to that which is mortified and putrid; and so Jarchi renders it by "saniment", a French word for "soundness": and the Septuagint version, in this and all other places where the word is used, renders it "sound": this clause may be considered disjunctively, as by Gersom, "or there be quick raw flesh"; for either the hair turning white, or quick raw flesh, one or the other, and one without the other was a sign of leprosy, so Jarchi observes; even this is a sign of uncleanness, the white hair without the quick flesh, and the quick flesh without the white hair: this may seem strange that quick and sound flesh should be a sign of the leprosy and its uncleanness; though it should be observed, it is such as is in the rising or swelling: and in things spiritual, it is a bad sign when men are proud of themselves and have confidence in the flesh; when in their own opinion they are whole and sound, and need no physician; when they trust in themselves that they are righteous, and boast of and have their dependence on their own works; he appears to be in the best state and frame that cried out as David did, that there is "no soundness in his flesh", Psalm 38:3.
It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh,.... An inveterate one, of long standing and continuance, an obstinate one, not to be cured by medicine; as this sort of leprosy was, and therefore the person was sent not to a physician, but to the priest: the leprosy of sin is an old disease, brought by man into the world with him, and continues with him from his youth upwards, and nothing but the grace of God and blood of Christ can remove it:
and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up; there being no doubt at all of it being a leprosy, and of his uncleanness, and therefore no need to shut him up for further examination, but to turn him out of the camp till his purification was over:
for he is unclean; in a ceremonial sense, and was obliged to the law for cleansing, such as after given.
And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin,.... Or, if flowering it flowersF13פרוח תפרח ανθουσα εξανθηση, Sept. "florendo floruerit", Montanus; so Drusius & Tigurine version. ; the man that has it on him looks like a plant or tree covered with white flowers, being spread all over him in white swellings, bright spots or scabs, as it follows:
and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague, from his head even to his foot; such an one as the leper was that came to Christ for healing, said to be full of leprosy, Luke 5:12; and such in a mystical sense is every sinner, whether sensible of it or not, even from the Crown of the head to the sole of the foot, full of the wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores of sin, Isaiah 1:6,
wheresoever the priest looketh; that is, he cannot look any where upon any part of him but he sees the signs of the leprosy on him; and from whence the Jewish writers gather, that a priest that inspects leprous persons ought to have a clear sight, and to have both his eyes, and that the inspection should not be made in a dark house.
Then the priest shall consider,.... Look wistly upon it, and well weigh the matter in his own mind, that he may make a true judgment and pronounce a right sentence:
and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh; from head to foot, so that no quick, raw, or sound flesh appear in him:
he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague; not clean from a leprosy he is covered with; but that he is free from pollution by it, and under no obligation to bring his offering, or to perform, or have performed on him any of the rites and ceremonies used in cleansing of the leper:
it is all turned white; his skin and flesh with white bright spots, scabs and swellings, and no raw and red flesh appears:
he is clean; in a ceremonial sense: this may seem strange, that one that had a bright spot, or a white swelling, or a scab that spreads, a single one of these, or here and there one, should be unclean, and yet, if covered over with them, should be clean; the reason in nature is, because this shows a good healthful inward constitution, which throws out all its ill humours externally, whereby health is preserved; as we see in persons that have the measles or smallpox, or such like distempers, if they stick in the skin, and only here and there one rises up in a tumour, and to an head, it is a bad sign; but if they come out kindly and well, though they cover the whole body, things are very promising: the mystical or spiritual meaning of this is, that when a man sees himself to be a sinful creature, all over covered with sin, and no part free, and disclaims all righteousness of his own to justify him before God, but wholly trusts to, and depends upon the grace of God for salvation, and the righteousness of Christ for his acceptance with God; he becomes clean through the grace of God and the blood and righteousness of Christ.
But when raw flesh appeareth in him,.... Between the white spots, scabs, or swellings, or in the midst of them:
he shall be unclean; be pronounced unclean, and be subject to all the prescriptions of the law concerning lepers.
And the priest shall see the raw flesh,.... Or when he sees it, the person being brought to him to be viewed:
and pronounce him to be unclean; or shall pronounce him to be unclean:
for the raw flesh is unclean; made a man so in a ceremonial sense; See Gill on Leviticus 13:10,
it is a leprosy; wherever any quick raw flesh appears in a swelling.
Or if the raw flesh turn again,.... Changes its colour, from redness, which is in raw flesh:
and be changed unto white: and does not look ruddy as flesh in common does, nor red and fiery, as raw and proud flesh, but is white, of the same colour with the swelling or scab:
he shall come unto the priest; again, and show himself, even though he was before by him pronounced clean.
And the priest shall see him,.... Review him, and examine him thoroughly:
and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; the raw flesh in the swelling, which looked red, is become white:
then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague; that was supposed to have the plague of leprosy; but upon a review, and on this change of things, has not, he shall declare him free from it:
he is clean; and under no obligation to the laws and rites concerning it.
The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil,.... Or hot ulcer, by which, says MaimonidesF14In Misn. Negaim, c. 6. sect. 8. you may understand any stroke by a stone, stick, or iron, or any other thing: and in the MisnahF15Ib. c. 9. sect. 1. , it is asked, what is an ulcer (or boil)? a stroke by wood, stone, pitch, or hot water; all that is from the force of fire is an ulcer:
and is healed; by the use of medicine, and the part, in all appearance, as well and as sound as ever.
And in the place of the boil there be a white rising,.... In the place where the boil was, a white swelling appears:
or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish; white and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so Aben Ezra interprets the word "reddish", of the bright spot being mixed of two colours, or part of it so; and such a mixed colour of white and red, Gersom observes, is usual in a swelling, and adds, we are taught how to judge of these appearances, according to a tradition from Moses, which is this: take a cup full of milk, and put in it two drops of blood, and the colour of it will be as the colour of the bright spot, white and reddish; and if you put into it four drops, its colour will be as the colour of the rising (or swelling) reddish; and if you put into it eight drops, its colour will be as the colour of the scab of the bright spot, more reddish; and if you put into it sixteen drops, its colour will be as the colour of the scab of the swelling, very red: hence it appears, says he, that the bright spot is whitest with its redness, and after that the swelling, and next the scab of the bright spot, and then the scab of the swelling; but BochartF16Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 6. col. 689. is of opinion that the word is wrongly rendered "reddish", which, he thinks, contradicts the account of the bright spot being white, and especially as the word for "reddish" has its radicals doubled, which always increase the signification; and therefore if the word bears the sense of redness, it should be rendered "exceeding red", which would be quite contrary to the spot being white at all; wherefore from the use of the word in the Arabic language, which signifies white, bright, and glittering; See Gill on Lamentations 4:7; he chooses to read the words, "or a bright spot, white and exceeding glittering": but this word we render reddish and white, being read disjunctively, Leviticus 13:24; seems to contradict this observation of his:
and it be shewed to the priest; to look upon and pass his judgment on it.
And if, when the priest seeth it,.... And has thoroughly viewed it and considered it:
behold, it be in sight lower than the skin; having eaten into and taken root in the flesh under the skin:
and the hair thereof be turned white; which are the signs of leprosy before given, Leviticus 13:3,
the priest shall pronounce him unclean; not fit for company and conversation, but obliged to conform to the laws concerning leprosy:
it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil; which was there before: this is an emblem of apostates and apostasy, who having been seemingly healed and cleansed, return to their former course of life, and to all the impurity of it, like the dog to its vomit, and the swine to its wallowing in the mire, Proverbs 26:11; and so their last state is worse than the first, Matthew 12:45, as in this case; at first it was a boil, and then thought to be cured, and afterwards arises out of it a plague of leprosy.
But if the priest look on it,.... Upon a person in a like case as first described, having had a boil, and that healed, and afterwards a white swelling, or a bright spot in the place of it:
and, behold, there be no white hairs therein; not two hairs turned white, as Gersom interprets it:
and if it be not lower than the skin; the bright spot not lower than the skin; not having got into the flesh, only skin deep: the Targum of Jonathan is, not lower in whiteness than the skin; for the bright spot is described as white, and so the rising or swelling, Leviticus 13:19,
but be somewhat dark; or rather "contracted"; to which spreading is opposed in the next verse; See Gill on Leviticus 13:6,
then the priest shall shut him up seven days; to wait and see whether it will spread or not: a boil and burning, the Jews say, make a man unclean in one week, and by two signs, the white hair, and the spreading; by the white hair, both at the beginning and at the end of the week after dismission, and by spreading at the end of the week after itF17Misn. Negaim, c. 3. sect. 4. .
And if it spread much abroad in the skin,.... Upon viewing it on the seventh day, though it is not expressed, the swelling or bright spot; or "in spreading spread"; See Gill on Leviticus 13:7; which Ben Gersom interprets, not of the skin of the flesh, but of the ulcer:
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; even though there are no white hairs in it, nor is it lower than the skin, yet is not at a stand or contracted, but spreading:
it is a plague; or stroke; it is one sort of a leprosy, and such an one as makes a man unclean in a ceremonial sense.
But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not,.... Continues as it was when first viewed:
it is a burning boil; but not a plague of leprosy:
and the priest shall pronounce him clean; as clear of a leprosy, and so not bound by the law of it, though attended with an inflammation or burning ulcer.
Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning,.... Or "a burning of fire"F18מכות אש "adustio ignis", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Termellius, Piscator. : it is asked, what is a burning? that which is burnt with a coal or with hot ashes; all that is from the force of fire is burningF19Misn. Negaim, c. 9. sect. 1. & Maimon. in ib. c. 6. sect. 8. ; that is, whatever sore, pustule, or blister, is occasioned by fire touching the part, or by anything heated by fire:
and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; the Targum of Jonathan is, a white spot mixed with red, or only white; and so Aben Ezra interprets the last clause: this seems to set aside Bochart's interpretation of the word "adamdemeth", which we render "somewhat reddish", and be, very white, bright, and glittering since white is here opposed unto it; though it may be, the sense is, that the flesh burnt has a bright white spot in it, exceeding glittering; or however, at least, a white one: by the "quick flesh" that burneth, Gersom says, is meant the weak, the tender flesh which is renewed there, after it is healed from the purulent matter in it.
Then the priest shall look upon it,.... And examine it, whether it has the marks and signs of a leprosy or not, such as follow:
behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white; which before was black, or of another colour from white, and is now, turned into the whiteness of chalk, as the Targum of Jonathan:
and it be in sight deeper than the skin; the same Targum is,"and its sight or colour is deeper in being white like snow, more than the skin;'but this respects not the colour of it, as appearing to the sight, but the depth of the spot, going below the skin into the flesh, which, with the change of hair, are the two signs of leprosy, Leviticus 13:3,
it is a leprosy broken out of the burning; which sprung from thence, and what that had issued in:
wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean; a leper, and to be treated as such:
it is the plague of leprosy; being a plain case, according to the rules by which it was to be judged of.
But if the priest look on it,.... On the hot burning and bright spot in it, in another person:
and, behold, there be no white hair on the white spot, and it be no lower than the other skin; why the word "other" should be supplied I know not, any more than in Leviticus 13:21,
but be somewhat dark; or "contracted"; see Gill on Leviticus 13:21,
then the priest shall shut him up seven days; as in the case of the burning boil or hot ulcer, as in Leviticus 13:21.
And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day,.... When that is come, any time on that day; not needing to wait until the end of it, or till, the seven days are precisely up; the same is to be understood in all places in this chapter where the like is used:
and if it be spread much abroad in the skin; in the space of seven days:
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the plague of leprosy: according to the law; so that it was necessary, in such a case for him to conform to it in order to his cleansing.
And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin,.... If, after being shut up, seven days, it appears that the spot is no larger than, when it was first viewed, but is as it was, and not at all increased:
but it be somewhat dark; either not so bright as it was, or more contracted:
it is a rising of the burning; or a swelling of it, a swelling which sprung from it, and nothing else:
the priest shall pronounce him clean; from the leprosy, and so set him at liberty to go where he will, and dwell and converse with men as usual:
for it is an inflammation of the burning; or an inflammation or blister occasioned by the burning, and no leprosy.
If a man or a woman hath a plague upon the head or the beard. Any breaking out in those parts a swelling, scab, or spot, on a man's beard or on a woman's head; or on the head of either man or woman; or on a woman's beard, if she had any, as some have had though not common.
Then the priest shall see the plague,.... The person on whom it is shall come or be brought unto him; and he shall look upon it and examine it:
and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; which is always one sign of leprosy:
and there be in it a yellow thin hair; like the appearance of thin gold, as the Targum of Jonathan; for, as Ben Gersom says, its colour is the colour of gold; and it is called thin in this place, because short and soft, and not when it is long and small; and so it is said, scabs make unclean in two weeks, and by two signs, by thin yellow hair, and by spreading, by yellow hair, small, soft, and shortF20Negaim, c. 10. sect. 1. : now this is to be understood, not of hair that is naturally of a yellow or gold colour, as is the hair of the head and beard of some persons, but of hair changed into this colour through the force of the disease; and so Jarchi interprets it, black hair turned yellow; in other parts of the body, hair turned white was a sign of leprosy, but here that which was turned yellow or golden coloured: Aben Ezra observes, that the colour expressed by this word is, in the Ishmaelitish or Arabic language, the next to the white colour:
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; declare him a leper, and unfit for company, and order him to do and have done for him the things after expressed, as required in such a case:
it is a dry scall; or "wound", as the Septuagint version; "nethek", which is the word here used, Jarchi says, is the name of a plague that is in the place of hair, or where that grows; it has its name from plucking up; for there the hair is plucked away, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom note:
even a leprosy upon the head or beard; as the head is the seat of knowledge, and the beard a sign of manhood, and of a man's being arrived to years of discretion; when wisdom and prudence are expected in him; this sort of leprosy may be an emblem of errors in judgment, of false doctrines and heresies imbibed by persons, which eat as doth a canker, and are in themselves damnable, and bring ruin and destruction on teachers and hearers, unless recovered from them by the grace of God.
And if the priest look on the plague of the scall,.... As it may appear in another person, brought to him for inspection and examination:
and, behold, it be not in the sight deeper than the skin; it do not seem to be got into the flesh, or lower than the skin:
and that there is no black hair in it; or, "but no black hair in it"; for, as Jarchi says, if there was a black hair in it, he would be clean, and there would be no need of shutting up; for black hair in scalls is a sign of cleanness, as it is said, Leviticus 13:37; it would be a clear case that such a man had no leprosy on him; for black hair is a token of a strong and healthful constitution; and there could remain no doubt about it, and it would require no further trial and examination: Ben Gersom says it means two black hairs; and further observes, that black hair in the midst of a scall is a sign of cleanness; but this being wanting:
then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days; from the time of his viewing the scall; and so Ben Gersom, this is the seventh day from the time of looking upon the scall.
And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague,.... To see whether it has got any deeper, or spread any further, and has any hair growing in it, and of what colour, that he might be also able to judge whether it was a leprosy or not:
and, behold, if the scall spread not; was neither got into the flesh, nor larger in the skin:
and there be in it no yellow hair; that is, a thin yellow hair, for such only, as Ben Gersom observes, was a sign of leprosy in scalls, as in Leviticus 13:30; and the same writer observes, that "and" is here instead of "or", and to be read, "or there be in it no yellow hair"; since a scall was pronounced unclean, either on account of thin yellow hair, or on account of spreading:
and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin; but be just as it was when first looked upon.
He shall be shaven,.... His head or beard, where the scall was, as Aben Ezra; and so Ben Gersom, who adds, the law is not solicitous whether this shaving is by a priest or not; so it seems any one might shave him:
but the scall shall he not shave; that is, the hair that is in it, but that was to continue and grow, that the colour of it might be easily discerned at the end of seven other days; according to the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, he was to shave round about it, but not that itself; Jarchi says, he was to leave two hairs near itF21Misn. Negaim, c. 10. sect. 5. , that he might know whether it spread; for if it spread it would go over the hairs, and into the part that was shaven; when it would be a clear case it was a spreading leprosy: now, that there might be an opportunity of observing this, whether it would or not, the following method was to be taken:
and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more; by which time it would be seen whether there was any increase or decrease, or whether at a stand, and of what colour the hair was, by which judgment might be made of the case.
And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall,.... That is, according to Ben Gersom, on the thirteenth day from the first inspection of him by the priest:
and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; neither appears spread on the surface of the skin, nor to have eaten into the flesh under it; also no thin yellow hair, though it is not expressed, for that made a person unclean, though there was no spreading:
then the priest shall pronounce him clean; free from a leprosy:
and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean; there was no need to say he shall wash them in water, as Aben Ezra observes, that is supposed; and then he was looked upon as a clean person, and might go into the sanctuary, and have conversation with men, both in a civil and religious way, and not defile anything he sat upon.
But if the scall spread much in his skin after cleansing. After he has been declared clean by the priest; for it was possible that it might spread after this, though so much precaution had been used, and so much time taken to observe it: with this compare 2 Peter 1:9.
Then the priest shall look on him,.... Again, and which is no less than the fourth time; for notwithstanding his being pronounced clean, he was still subject to the inspection of the priest, if any alteration appeared:
and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin; which was a certain sign of a leprosy:
the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; or be solicitous about that, whether there is any or not, for either one or the other of these signs were sufficient to determine the case:
he is unclean; and so to be pronounced.
But if the scall be in his sight at a stay,.... If in a few days, or in a short space of time after this, it should appear that the scall is at a full stop, and does not spread any further at all:
and that there is black hair grown up therein; which is a sign of health and soundness, and so of purity; yea, if it was green or red, so be it, it was not yellow, according to Jarchi, it was sufficient:
the scall is healed; from whence it appears that it had been a leprous scall, but was now healed, an entire stop being put to the spread of it; and though yellow hairs might have appeared in it, yet, as Gersom observes, two black hairs having grown up in it, it was a clear case that the corruption of the blood had departed, and it had returned to its former state:
he is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; he was clean before, and is the reason why he pronounces him so; wherefore it is not the sentence of the priest, but the truth of his case that makes him clean; teaching, as Ainsworth observes, that the truth of a man's estate, discerned by the word and law of God, made the man clean or unclean, and not the sentence of the priest, if it swerved from the law.
If a man also, or a woman,.... One or the other, for the law concerning leprosy respecteth both:
have in the skin of their flesh bright spots; and them only; not any rising or swelling, nor scab, nor scall, nor boil, nor burning, only bright spots, a sort of freckles or morphew:
even white bright spots; these, Ben Gersom observes, are white spots, but not plagues; and which were in whiteness inferior to the four species of the plague of leprosy, the white spot, the white swelling, and the scab of each.
Then the priest shall look,.... Upon the man or woman that has these spots, and upon the spots themselves, and examine them of what kind they are:
and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; their whiteness is not strong, as Jarchi observes; but dusky and obscure, or "contracted"F23כהות "costractae", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; small white spots, not large and spreading:
it is a freckled spot that grows in the skin; a kind of morphew, which the above writer describes as a sort of whiteness which appears in the flesh of a ruddy man:
he is clean; from leprosy; this is observed, lest a person that is freckled and has a morphew should be mistaken for a leprous person; as every man that has some spots, failings, and infirmities, is not to be reckoned a wicked man.
And the man whose hair is fallen off his head,.... That is, from the back part of his head, from the crown of his head toward his neck behind:
he is bald; in that spot of the head where the hair is fallen off; and it denotes such a baldness as is occasioned by that, for it signifies one that had hair, but it is fallen off; whereas the baldness after spoken of is thought by some to be of such who never had any hair; though others will have it, that this intends a person bald all over; but it seems plain from what follows, that it designs one whose hair was fallen off behind, and was bald on that part only; and it may be observed, that this is only said of a man, not of a woman, because, as Aben Ezra remarks, she has much moisture in her, and therefore her head does not become bald; hair being like to grass, which flourishes in moist places:
yet is he clean; from the leprosy, or from the scalls, as Jarchi observes, because he is not judged by the signs of the head and beard, which are the place of hair, but by the signs of leprosy in the skin of the flesh, i.e. by the raw flesh and spreading.
And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head towards his face,.... That is, from the crown of his head towards his forehead and temples, the fore part of his head; and so the Misnic doctors distinguish baldness, which is from the crown of the head descending behind to the channel of the neck; and that here mentioned, which is from the crown of the head descending to his face and forehead, over against the hair aboveF24Misn. Negaim, c. 10. sect. 10. :
he is forehead bald; to distinguish him from him that is bald behind:
yet is he clean; as the other: these cases are observed, that it might not be concluded that every man that shed his hair or was bald either before or behind was a leper, because the hair of a leper used to fall off from him; if he had not the other signs of leprosy, and which were the sure and true signs of it before mentioned.
And if there be,.... Or, "but if there be", or, "when there shall be"F25וכי "sin autem", V. L. "quum autem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator Drusius. , or shall appear to be:
in the bald head, or in the bald forehead, a white reddish sore; white and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan, having something of both colours, neither a clear white nor thorough red; though, according to Bochart, it should be rendered "a white sore exceeding bright"; See Gill on Leviticus 13:19,
it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or in his bald forehead; the signs of which were raw flesh and spreading; so it is said in the MisnahF26Ut supra. (Misn. Negaim, c. 10. sect. 10.) ,"those two sorts of baldness defile in two weeks, by two signs, by quick raw flesh and by spreading;'if there was the bright spot and no quick flesh, then he was to be shut up seven days, and looked upon at the end of them; and if there was either quick flesh or a spreading, he was pronounced unclean, but if neither, he was shut up seven days more; and if either of the above signs appeared he was pronounced unclean, if not he was set free.
Then the priest shall look upon it,.... The white reddish sore:
and, behold, if the rising of the sore; or the swelling of it:
be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead; See Gill on Leviticus 13:42,
as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; as in Leviticus 13:2; having the signs of the leprosy there given; anyone of them, excepting the white hair, which in this case could be no sign, there being none: Jarchi's note is, according to the appearance of the leprosy, said in Leviticus 13:2; and what is said in it is, it defiles by four appearances, and is judged in two weeks; but not according to the appearance of the leprosy said of the boil, and burning, which were judged in one week; nor according to the appearance of the scalls, of the place of hair, which do not defile by the four appearances, the rising or swelling, and the scab of it, the bright spot, and the scab of that.
He is a leprous man, he is unclean,.... And so to be pronounced and accounted; only a leprous man is mentioned, there being no leprous women, having this sort of leprosy, their hair not falling off, or they becoming bald, usually; unless, as Ben Gersom observes, in a manner strange and wonderful:
the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; as in any other case of leprosy:
his plague is in his head; an emblem of such who have imbibed bad notions and erroneous principles, and are therefore, like the leper, to be avoided and rejected from the communion of the saints, Titus 3:10; and shows that men are accountable for their principles as well as practices, and liable to be punished for them.
And the leper in whom the plague is,.... Meaning not he only that has the plague of leprosy in his head, but every sort of leper before mentioned in this chapter:
his clothes shall be rent; not that he might the more easily put on his clothes without hurting him, as some have thought; or that the corrupt humours might evaporate more freely, for evaporation would rather be hindered than promoted by being exposed to cold; nor that he might be known and better avoided, for his cry after mentioned was sufficient for that; but as a token of mourning: and so Aben Ezra having mentioned the former reason, that he might be known by going in a different habit, adds, or the sense is, as a token of mourning; for he was to mourn for the wickedness of his actions; for, for his works came this plague of leprosy upon him; and so the Jews in common understand it, not as a disease arising from natural causes, but as a punishment inflicted by God for sin; wherefore this rite of rending the garments was an emblem of contrition of heart, and of sorrow and humiliation for sin, see Joel 1:13,
and his head bare; or "free" from cutting or shaving, but shall let his hair grow; and so the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret it; or free from any covering upon it, hat, or cap, or turban: Ben Gersom observes, that the making bare the head, or freeing it, is taken different ways; sometimes it is used of not shaving the head for thirty days, and sometimes for the removal of the vail, or covering of the head it has been used to; but in this place it cannot signify the nourishing of the hair, but that his head ought to be covered: and so MaimonidesF1Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat, c. 10. sect. 6. observes, that a leper should cover his head all the days he is excluded, and this was a token of mourning also; see 2 Samuel 15:30,
and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip; as a mourner, see Ezekiel 24:17. Jarchi interprets it of both lips, upper and under, which were covered with a linen cloth or vail thrown over the shoulder, and with which the mouth was covered; and this was done, as Aben Ezra says, that the leper might not hurt any with the breath of his mouth:
and shall cry, Unclean, unclean; as he passed along in any public place, that everyone might avoid him, and not be polluted by him: the Targum of Jonathan is,"a herald shall proclaim and say, Depart, depart from the unclean.'So every sinner sensible of the leprosy of sin in his nature, and which appears in his actions, should freely confess and acknowledge his uncleanness, original and actual, the impurity of his heart and life, and even of his own righteousness in the sight of God, and have recourse to Christ, and to his blood, for the cleansing him from it.
All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled,.... Reckoned an unclean person, and avoided as such:
he is unclean; in a ceremonial sense, and pronounced as such by the priest, and was to be looked upon as such by others during the time of his exclusion and separation, until he was shown to the priest and cleansed, and his offering offered:
he shall dwell alone; in a separate house or apartment, as Uzziah did, 2 Chronicles 26:21; none were allowed to come near him, nor he to come near to any; yea, according to Jarchi, other unclean persons might not dwell with him:
without the camp shall his habitation be; without the three camps, as the same Jewish writer interprets it, the camp of God, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of Israel: so Miriam, when she was stricken with leprosy, was shut out of the camp seven days, Numbers 12:14. This was observed while in the wilderness, but when the Israelites came to inhabit towns and cities, then lepers were excluded from thence; for they defiled, in a ceremonial sense, every person and thing in a house they came into, whether touched by them or not. So BartenoraF2In Misn. Celim, c. 1. sect. 4. so in Misn. Negaim, c. 13. sect. 7, 11, 12. observes, that if a leprous person goes into any house, all that is in the house is defiled, even what he does not touch; and that if he sits under a tree, and a clean person passes by, the clean person is defiled; and if he comes into a synagogue, they make a separate place for him ten hands high, and four cubits broad, and the leper goes in first, and comes out last. The Persians, according to HerodotusF3Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 138. , had a custom much like this; he says, that if any of the citizens had a leprosy or a morphew, he might not come into the city, nor be mixed with other Persians (or have any conversation with them), for they say he has them because he has sinned against the sun: and there was with us an ancient writ, called "leproso amovendo"F4See the Supplement to Chambers's Dictionary, in the word "Leprosy". , that lay to remove a leper who thrust himself into the company of his neighbours in any parish, either in the church, or at other public meetings, to their annoyance. This law concerning lepers shows that impure and profane sinners are not to be admitted into the church of God; and that such who are in it, who appear to be so, are to be excluded from it, communion is not to be had with them; and that such, unless they are cleansed by the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven; for into that shall nothing enter that defiles, or makes an abomination, or a lie; see 1 Corinthians 5:7 Revelation 21:27.
The garments also, that the plague of leprosy is in,.... Whether this sort of leprosy proceeded from natural causes, or was extraordinary and miraculous, and came immediately from the hand of God, and was peculiar to the Jews, and unknown to other nations, is a matter of question; the latter is generally asserted by the Hebrew writers, as MaimonidesF5Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat, c. 16. sect. 10. , Abraham SebaF6Tzeror Hammor, fol. 99. 3. , and othersF7Ramban, Bechai, Isaac Arama, & alii, apud Muisium in loc. ; but others are of opinion, and Abarbinel among the Jews, that it might be by the contact or touch of a leprous person. Indeed it must be owned, as a learned manF8Scheuchzer. Physica Sacra, vol. 2. p. 326. observes, that the shirts and clothes of a leper must be equally infectious, and more so than any other communication with him; and the purulent matter which adheres thereunto must needs infect; such who put on their clothes; for it may be observed, that it will get between the threads of garments, and stick like glue, and fill them up, and by the acrimony of it corrode the texture itself; so that experience shows that it is very difficult to wash such a garment without a rupture, and the stains are not easily got out: and it must be allowed that garments may be scented by diseases, and become infectious, and carry a disease from place to place, as the plague oftentimes is carried in wool, cotton, silk, or any bale goods; but whether all this amounts to the case before us is still a question. Some indeed have endeavoured to account for it by observing, that wool ill scoured, stuffs kept too long, and some particular tapestries, are subject to worms and moths which eat them, and from hence think it credible, that the leprosy in clothes, and in skins here mentioned, was caused by this sort of vermin; to which, stuffs and works, wrought in wool in hot countries, and in times when arts and manufactures were not carried to the height of perfection as now, might probably be more exposedF9Calmet's Dictionary, in the word "Leper". ; but this seems not to agree with this leprosy of Moses, which lay not in the garment being eaten, but in the colour and spread of it:
whether it be a woollen garment or a linen garment: and, according to the Misnic doctorsF11Misn. Celaim, c. 9. sect, 1. , only wool and linen were defiled by leprosy; Aben Ezra indeed says, that the reason why no mention is made of silk and cotton is because the Scripture speaks of what was found (then in use), as in Exodus 23:5; wherefore, according to him, woollen and linen are put for all other garments; though, he adds, or it may be the leprosy does not happen to anything but wool and linen; however, it is allowed, as Ben Gersom observes, that when the greatest part of the cloth is made of wool or linen, it was defiled by it: the Jewish canon is, if the greatest part is of camels hair, it is not defiled; but if the greatest part is of sheep, it is; and if half to half (or equal) it is defiled; and so flax, and hemp mixed togetherF12Ib. Negaim, c. 11. sect. 2. ; the same rule is to be observed concerning them.
Whether it be in the warp, or woof, of linen, or of woollen,.... When these are woven and mixed together, it seems difficult, if not impossible, to judge whether the plague of leprosy was in the one or in the other; one would think it should be unavoidably in both; wherefore Castalio renders the words, whether "in the outer part of it, or in the inner"; in the outside or inside, or what we call the right side or the wrong side of the cloth: but to me it seems that the warp and woof, whether of linen or woollen, are here distinguished not only from garments made of them, but from the cloth itself, of which they are made, and even to be considered before they are wrought together in the loom; and, according to the Jews, when upon the spindleF13Misn. Negaim, c. 11. sect. 8. :
whether in a skin, or anything made of skin; that is, whether in unwrought skin, which is not made up in anything, or in anything that is made of skins, as tents, bottles, &c. but skins of fishes, according to the Jewish traditions, are excepted; for so they sayF14Misn. Negaim, c. 11. sect. 1. , sea skins, i.e. skins of fishes, are not defiled by plagues (of leprosy); for which the commentatorsF15Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Edait, c. 7. sect. 8. give this reason, that as wool and linen are of things which grow out of the earth, so must the skins be; that is, of such animals as live by grass, that springs out of the earth; but if anything was joined unto them, which grew out of the earth, though but a thread, that received uncleanness, it was defiled.
And if the plague be greenish or reddish the garment, or in the skin,.... Either of these two colours were signs of leprosy in garments; but it is not agreed whether stronger or weaker colours are designed; the radicals of both these words being doubled, according to some, and particularly Aben Ezra, lessen the sense of them; and so our translators understand it; but, according to Ben Gersom, the signification is increased thereby, and the meaning is, if it be exceeding green or exceeding red; and this is evidently the sense of the MisnahF16Misn. Negaim, c. 11. sect. 4. ; garments are defiled by green in greens, and by red in reds, that is, by the greenest and reddest; the green, the commentators sayF17Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Edaiot, c. 7. sect. 8. , is like that of the wings of peacocks and leaves of palm trees, and the red like crimson or scarlet; and now these garments or skins, in which the green or red spots appeared, must be white, and not coloured or dyed: the canon runs thusF18Misn. ut supra, (c 11) sect. 3,4. ; skins and garments dyed are not defiled with plagues (of leprosy); a garment whose warp is dyed, and its woof white, or its woof dyed, and its warp white, all goes according to the sight; that is, according to what colour to the eye most prevails, whether white or dyed:
either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything of the skin; the same held good of these as of a garment, or anything else made of them:
it is a plague of leprosy; it has the signs of one, and gives great suspicion that it is one:
and shall be shewed unto the priest; by the person in whose possession it is, that it may be examined and judged of whether it is a leprosy or no.
And the priest shall look upon the plague,.... The green or red spot in the garment, &c.
and shut up it that hath the plague seven days; the woollen or linen garment, the warp or the woof, or skins, and those things that were made of them.
And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day,.... To see whether there is any alteration in it in that space of time:
if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the green and red spot be spread more and more in either of them, whether the colour remains the same or not, be changed, the green into red, or the red into green, yet if there was a spreading, it was a sign of leprosy. According to the Jewish canonF19Misn. Negaim, c. 11. sect. 3, 4. , if the plague was green and spread red, or red and spread green, it was unclean; that is, as BartenoraF20In ib. explains it, if it was red in the size of a bean, and at the end of the week the red had spread itself to green; or if at the beginning it was green like a bean, and at the end of the week had spread itself to the size of a shekel, and the root or spread of it was become red:
the plague is a fretting leprosy; according to Jarchi, a sharp and pricking one, like a thorn; which signification the word has in Ezekiel 28:24. Ben Gersom explains it, which brings a curse, corruption, and oldness into the thing in which it is; an old "irritated, exasperated" leprosy, as BochartF21Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 45. col. 493. , from the use of the word in the Arabic tongue, translates it:
it is unclean; and the garment or thing in which it is.
He shall therefore burn that garment,.... That there may be no more use of it, nor profit from it; and this was done without the city, as Ben Gersom asserts:
whether in warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or anything of skin,
wherein the plague is; all and either of them were to be burnt:
for it is a fretting leprosy; See Gill on Leviticus 13:51,
it shall be burnt in the fire; which may teach both to hate the garment spotted with the flesh, and to put no trust in and have no dependence on a man's own righteousness, which is as filthy rags, and both are such as shall be burnt, and the loss of them suffered, even when a man himself is saved, yet so as by fire, 1 Corinthians 3:15.
And if the priest shall look,.... On the seventh day as before, after shutting up:
and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; but is at an entire stay, that it may be hoped it is not a fretting leprosy: so when men do not proceed to more ungodliness, as wicked men commonly do, but there is a stop put to their vicious life and conversation, it is an hopeful sign of future good.
Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is,.... The priest did not wash it himself, but ordered others to do it; and this was either the part in which the plague was, or the whole garment or skin in which it was; which may be typical of the washing of the garments of men in the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, Revelation 7:14,
and he shall shut it up seven days more: the garment or skin in which the leprosy was, or suspected to be, to see what alteration would be made by that time through the washing, whether the colour would be altered, or whether it would spread any more or not.
And the priest shall look on the plague after it is washed,.... That is, on the second seventh day, or thirteenth day from his first inspection of it:
and, behold, if the plague has not changed its colour; and the plague be not spread, it is unclean, thou shalt burn it in the fire; if it remains just as it was at first, very green or very red, and has not diminished of its colour at all, nor changed from one colour to another, although it should not have spread itself, yet it is defiled, and to be burnt without the camp, as before; that which spreads itself here and there, it is to be burnt:
it is after inward, whether it be bare within or without; that is, whether it be threadbare on the wrong or right side of the garment, the nap being eaten off by the leprosy; which shows it to be a fretting, eating, and corroding one: in the Hebrew text it is, "in the boldness of the hinder", or "in the baldness of the fore part"; they are the same words which are used of the boldness of the back part and fore part of the head, Leviticus 13:42; the nap being off either of the outer and right side of the cloth, or of the inner and wrong side, made it look like a bald head, whether before or behind.
And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it,.... Is become of a weaker colour, either not quite so green, or not quite so red as it was, or is "contracted", and does not spread itself; see Gill on Leviticus 13:6; but is rather become less:
then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof; that is, that piece which has the plague in it, and burn it, as Jarchi says; that so the whole may not be lost, which is otherwise pure, and clean, and free from any infection. The manner of expression confirms what I have observed on Leviticus 13:48; that the warp and woof are considered as separate things, and as before they are wove together, or wrought into one garment. This rending out may denote the denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts, the parting with right eye and right hand sins, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.
And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin,.... After the piece has been rent out, in another part of the garment, &c. where before it was not seen:
it is a spreading plague; or leprosy; a flourishing one, as the word signifies, a growing and increasing one:
thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire; according to Aben Ezra, only that part in which the plague was; but Jarchi says the whole garment; with whom Ben Gersom seems to agree, who reads the words, thou shall burn it, with that in which the plague is; the whole garment, skin, warp, or woof, along with the part in which the leprosy is.
And the garment, either warp or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash,.... After it had been shut up seven days, and viewed by the priest again: if the plague be departed from them: upon a review of them:
then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean; and so reckoned even thoroughly clean, and used; this denotes the thorough washing and cleansing of sinners by the blood of Jesus, see Psalm 51:2; this washing was by dipping; and so the Targum renders it; and Jarchi observes, that all washings of garments, which are for dipping, they interpret by the same word.
This is the law of the plague of leprosy,.... The rules by which it was to be judged of; whether or no it was
in a garment of woollen, or linen, either the warp or woof, or any thing of skins; which include everything in which this sort of leprosy was:
to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean; either to declare it free from the plague of the leprosy, or as infected with it, and so accordingly dispose of it.