Bible Commentaries

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 ^a [like] the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

(a) That it may be suspected to be leprosy.

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] ^b deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

(b) That is, shrunken in, and be lower than the rest of the skin.

And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, [if] the plague [be] somewhat ^c 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.

(c) As having the skin drawn together, or blackish.

And [if] the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him ^d unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

(d) Concerning his bodily disease: for his disease was not imputed to him for sin before God even though it were the punishment of sin.

Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, [if] the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [him] ^e clean [that hath] the plague: it is all turned white: he [is] clean.

(e) For it is not that contagious leprosy that infects, but a form of scales which does not leave the skin raw as leprosy does.

And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: [for] the raw flesh [is] ^f unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

(f) That is, declares that the flesh is not found, but is in danger of being leprous.

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 ^g unclean: it [is] a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

(g) No one was exempted, but if the priest pronounced him unclean, he was put out from among the people: as appears by the example of Mary the prophetess, (Numbers 12:14) and by king Uzziah, (2 Chronicles 26:20).

Or if there be [any] flesh, in the skin whereof [there is] a hot burning, and the quick [flesh] that burneth have a ^h white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;

(h) If he has a white spot in the place where the burning was and was later healed.

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 ⁱ hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a dry scall, [even] a leprosy upon the head or beard.

(i) Which was not wont to be there, or else smaller than in any other part of the body.

Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not ^k seek for yellow hair; he [is] unclean.

(k) He shall not care whether the yellow hair is there or not.

And he that hath his ^l hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he [is] forehead bald: [yet is] he clean.

(l) By sickness or any other inconvenience.

And the leper in whom the plague [is], his clothes shall be ^m rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper ⁿ lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

(m) In sign of sorrow and lamentation.

(n) Either in token of mourning, or for fear of infecting others.

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 ^o skin; it [is] a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:

(o) Whether it be garment, vessel, or instrument.

And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not ^p spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

(p) But abide still in one place, as in (Leviticus 13:37).

And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, [if] the plague have not changed his ^q colour, and the plague be not spread; it [is] unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it [is] fret inward, ^r [whether] it [be] bare within or without.

(q) But remain as it did before.

(r) Or, whether it be in any bare place before, or behind.

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 ^s the second time, and shall be clean.

(s) So that he might be sure that the leprosy was departed, and that all opportunity for infection might be taken away.