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Scott's Reference Library
Leviticus 14:1 through Leviticus 14:20 (NIV)
1The LORD said to Moses, 2“These are the regulations for the diseased person
at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest: 3The
priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed
of his infectious skin disease, 4the priest shall order that two live clean
birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be
cleansed. 5Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over
fresh water in a clay pot. 6He is then to take the live bird and dip it,
together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of
the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7Seven times he shall sprinkle
the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then
he is to release the live bird in the open fields.
8“The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and
bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come
into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. 9On the seventh
day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his
eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself
with water, and he will be clean.
10“On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old,
each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed
with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil. 11The priest who pronounces
him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the
LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
12“Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt
offering, along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the LORD as a
wave offering. 13He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy place where the sin
offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the
guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14The priest is to take
some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear
of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of
his right foot. 15The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in
the palm of his own left hand, 16dip his right forefinger into the oil in his
palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the LORD seven times. 17The
priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right
ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe
of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. 18The rest of the
oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed and
make atonement for him before the LORD.
19“Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the
one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter
the burnt offering 20and offer it on the altar, together with the grain
offering, and make atonement for him, and he will be clean.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 1-9
The priests could not cleanse the lepers; but when the Lord removed the plague,
various rules were to be observed in admitting them again to the ordinances of
God, and the society of his people. They represent many duties and exercises of
truly repenting sinners, and the duties of ministers respecting them. If we
apply this to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw
from those who walk disorderly, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish
them as brethren. And also that when God by his grace has brought to repentance,
they ought with tenderness and joy, and sincere affection, to be received again.
Care should always be taken that sinners may not be encouraged, nor penitents
discouraged. If it were found that the leprosy was healed, the priest must
declare it with the particular solemnities here described. The two birds, one
killed, and the other dipped in the blood of the bird that was killed, and then
let loose, may signify Christ shedding his blood for sinners, and rising and
ascending into heaven. The priest having pronounced the leper clean from the
disease, he must make himself clean from all remains of it. Thus those who have
comfort of the remission of their sins, must with care and caution cleanse
themselves from sins; for every one that has this hope in him, will be concerned
to purify himself.
VERSES 10-32
The cleansed leper was to be presented to the Lord, with his offerings. When God
has restored us to enjoy public worship again, after sickness, distance, or
otherwise, we should testify our thanksgiving by our diligent use of the
liberty. And both we and our offerings must be presented before the Lord, by the
Priest that made us clean, even our Lord Jesus. Beside the usual rites of the
trespass-offering, some of the blood, and some of the oil, was to be put upon
him that was to be cleansed. Wherever the blood of Christ is applied for
justification, the oil of the Spirit is applied for sanctification; these two
cannot be separated. We have here the gracious provision the law made for poor
lepers. The poor are as welcome to God’s altar as the rich. But though a meaner
sacrifice was accepted from the poor, yet the same ceremony was used for the
rich; their souls are as precious, and Christ and his gospel are the same to
both. Even for the poor one lamb was necessary. No sinner could be saved, had it
not been for the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God with his
blood.
See Healing