Bible Commentaries

the law

54-57, 13:59

in the day

Numbers 6:9

He shall

Matthew 8:2-4, Mark 1:40-44, Luke 5:12-14, 17:14

go forth

Lepers were obliged to live in a detached situation, separate from other people, and to keep themselves actually at a distance from them. They were distinguished by a peculiar dress; and if any person approached, they were bound to give him warning, by crying out, Unclean! unclean!

out of

13:46

be healed

Exodus 15:26, 2 Kings 5:3,7,8,14, Job 5:18, Matthew 10:8, 11:5, Luke 4:27, 7:22, Luke 17:15,16-19, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

two birds

or, sparrows. The word tzippor, from the Arabic zaphara, to fly, is used in the Scriptures to denote birds of every species, particularly small birds. But it is often used in a more restricted sense, as the Hebrew writers assert, to signify the sparrow. Aquinas says the same; and Jerome renders it here the sparrow. So the Greek [strouthia] in Matthew and Luke, which signifies a sparrow, is rendered by the Syriac translator tzipparin, the same as the Hebrew tzipporim. Nor is it peculiar to the Hebrews to give the same name to the sparrow and to fowls of the largest size; for Nicander calls the hen [strouthos katoikados] the domestic sparrow, and both Plautus and Ausonius call the ostrich, passer marinus, "the marine sparrow." It is evident, however, that the word in this passage signifies birds in general; for if the sparrow was a clean bird, there was no necessity for commanding a clean one to be taken, since every one of the species was ceremonially clean; but if it was unclean, then it could not be called clean.

1:14, 5:7, 12:8

cedar

6,49-52, Numbers 19:6

scarlet

Hebrews 9:19

hyssop

Exodus 12:22, Numbers 19:18, Psalms 51:7

earthen vessel

50, Numbers 5:17, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 5:1, 13:4, Hebrews 2:14

the living bird

John 14:19, Romans 4:25, 5:10, Philippians 2:9-11, Hebrews 1:3, Revelation 1:18

dip them

51-53, Zechariah 13:1, Revelation 1:5

sprinkle

Numbers 19:18,19, Isaiah 52:15, Ezekiel 36:25, John 19:34, Hebrews 9:13,19,21, Hebrews 10:22, 12:24, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 5:6

seven times

51, 4:6,17, 8:11, 16:14,19, 2 Kings 5:10,14, Psalms 51:2,7, Ephesians 5:26,27

pronounce

13:13,17

let

16:22, Daniel 9:24, Micah 7:19, Hebrews 9:26

into the open field

Heb. upon the face of the field.

wash his

11:25, 13:6, 15:5-8, Exodus 19:10,14, Numbers 8:7, Revelation 7:14

wash himself

8:6, 1 Peter 3:21, Revelation 1:5,6

and shall

Numbers 12:15

seven days

8:33-35, 13:5

shave all

Numbers 6:9, 8:7

wash his flesh

Lictenstein states that "among the Koossas, (a nation of South Africa,) there are certain prevailing notions respecting moral [ceremonial] uncleanness. All children are unclean till they are admitted among grown-up persons (which happens with the males through the various ceremonies attending circumcision); all lying-in women are unclean for the first month; all men who have lost their wives, for a fortnight, and all widows for a month; a mother who has lost a child, for two days; all persons who have been present at a death, the men returning from a battle, etc. No one may have intercourse with such an unclean person, till he has washed himself, rubbed his body with fresh paint, and rinsed his mouth with milk. But he must not do this till after the lapse of a certain time, fixed by general consent for each particular case, and during this time he must wholly refrain from washing, painting, or drinking milk."

eighth day

23, 9:1, 15:13,14

take

Matthew 8:4, Mark 1:44, Luke 5:14

he lambs

1:10, John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:19

ewe lamb

4:32, Numbers 6:14

of the first year

Heb. the daughter of her year. three tenth.

23:13, Exodus 29:40, Numbers 15:9, 28:20

a meat offering

2:1, Numbers 15:4-15, John 6:33,51

log of oil

12,15,21,24

8:3, Exodus 29:1-4, Numbers 8:6-11,21, Ephesians 5:26,27, Jude 1:24

trespass

5:2,3,6,7,18,19, 6:6,7, Isaiah 53:10

wave them

8:27-29, Exodus 29:24

in the place

1:5,11, 4:4,24, Exodus 29:11

as the sin

7:7, 10:17

it is most holy

2:3, 7:6, 21:22

8:23,24, Exodus 29:20, Isaiah 1:5, Romans 6:13,19, 12:1, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Philippians 1:20, 1 Peter 1:14,15, 2:5,9,10, Revelation 1:5,6

Psalms 45:7, John 3:34, 1 John 2:20

4:6,17, Luke 17:18, 1 Corinthians 10:31

14, 8:30, Exodus 29:20,21, Ezekiel 36:27, John 1:16, Titus 3:3-6, 1 Peter 1:2

the remnant

8:12, Exodus 29:7, 2 Corinthians 1:21,22, Ephesians 1:17,18

make an atonement

4:26,31, 5:16

12, 5:1,6, 12:6-8, Romans 8:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21

10, Ephesians 5:2

poor

1:14, 5:7, 12:8, 1 Samuel 2:8, Job 34:19, Proverbs 17:5, 22:2, Luke 6:20, 21:2-4, 2 Corinthians 8:9,12, James 2:5,6

cannot

Heb. his hand reach not. one lamb.

to be waved

Heb. for a waving.

two turtle doves

Tor, the turtle or ring-dove, so called by an onomatopoeia from its cooing, as in Greek [trugon], Latin, turtur and English, turtle. It is a species of the dove or pigeon, here called yonah, and in the Syriac yauno, from the verb to oppress, afflict, because of its being particularly defenceless, and exposed to rapine and violence. The dove is a genus of birds too well known to need a particular description; and of which there are several species besides the turtle-dove; as the wood pigeon, tame pigeon, and others. The dove is universally allowed to be one of the most beautiful objects in nature. The brilliancy of her plumage, the splendour of her eye, the innocence of her look, the excellence of her dispositions, and the purity of her manners, have been the theme of admiration and praise in every age. To the snowy whiteness of her wings, and the rich golden hues that adorn her neck, the inspired Psalmist alludes in most elegant strains. (Ps 68:13.) The voice of the dove is particularly tender and plaintive, and bears a striking resemblance to the groan of a person in distress; to which the inspired bards frequently allude. (Isa 38:14; 59:11; Eze 7:16.) Her native dwelling is in the caves or hollows of the rock; allusions to which fact also occur in the Sacred Writings, (So 2:14; Jer 48:28.) Her manners are as engaging as her form is elegant, and her plumage rich and beautiful. She is the chosen emblem of simplicity, gentleness, chastity, and feminine timidity, and for this reason, as well as from their abounding in the East, they were probably chosen as offerings by Jehovah.

Psalms 68:13, Song of Solomon 2:14, Isaiah 38:14, 59:11, Jeremiah 48:28, Ezekiel 7:16

Leviticus 14:11

Leviticus 14:10-13

14-20, Psalms 40:6, Ecclesiastes 5:1

18,20, Exodus 30:15,16, John 17:19, 1 John 2:1,2, 5:6

22, 12:8, 15:14,15, Luke 2:24, Romans 8:3

2,54-57, 13:59

whose hand

10,21, Psalms 72:12-14, 136:23, Matthew 11:5, 1 Corinthians 1:27,28

When

23:10, 25:2, Numbers 35:10, Deuteronomy 7:2, 12:1,8, 19:1, 26:1, 27:3

which I

Genesis 12:7, 13:17, 17:8, Numbers 32:32, Deuteronomy 12:9,10, 32:49, Joshua 13:1

I put the plague of leprosy

It was probably from this text, that the leprosy has been in general considered to be a supernatural disease, inflicted immediately by God himself; but it cannot be inferred from this expression, as it is well known, that in Scripture, God is frequently represented as doing what, in the course of his providence, he only permits to be done.

Exodus 15:26, Deuteronomy 7:15, 1 Samuel 2:6, Proverbs 3:33, Isaiah 45:7, Amos 3:6, 6:11, Micah 6:9

a plague

Deuteronomy 7:26, Joshua 7:21, 1 Samuel 3:12-14, 1 Kings 13:34, Psalms 91:10, Proverbs 3:33, Zechariah 5:4

empty

or, prepare. be not made.

1 Corinthians 15:33, 2 Timothy 2:17,18, Hebrews 12:15, Revelation 18:4

13:3,19,20,42,49

13:50

13:7,8,22,27,36,51, The consideration of the circumstances will exhibit the importance and the propriety of the Mosaic ordinance on the subject of the house leprosy. 1. Moses ordained that the owner of a house, when any suspicious spots appeared on the walls, should be bound to give notice of it, in order that the house might be inspected, and that person, as in the case of the human leprosy, was to be the priest, whose duty it was. Now this would serve to check the mischief at its very origin, and make every one attentive to observe it. 2. On notice being given, the priest was to inspect the house, but the occupant had liberty to remove everything previously out of it; and that this might be done, the priest was empowered to order it ex officio; for whatever was found within a house declared unclean, became unclean along with it. 3. If, on the first inspection, the complaint did not appear wholly without foundation, but suspicious spots or dimples were actually to be seen, the house was to be shut up for seven days and then to be inspected anew. If, in this interval, the evil did not spread, it was considered as have been a circumstance merely accidental, and the house was not polluted; but if it had spread, it was not considered a harmless accident, but the real house leprosy; and the stones affected with it were to be broken out of the wall, and carried to an unclean place without the city, and the walls of the whole house here scraped and plastered anew. 4. If, after this, the leprosy broke out afresh, the whole house was to be pulled down, and the materials carried without the city. Moses therefore, never suffered a leprous house to stand. 5. If, on the other hand, the house being inspected a second time, was found clean, it was solemnly so declared, and offering made on the occasion; in order that every one might know for certain that it was not infected, and the public be freed from all fears on that score. By this law many evils were actually prevented--it would check the mischief in its very origin, and make every one attentive to observe it: the people would also guard against those impurities whence it arose, and thus the health be preserved and not suffer in an infected house. These Mosaic statues were intended to prevent infection by the sacred obligations of religion. Ceremonial laws many keep more conscientiously and sacredly than moral precepts.

take away

Psalms 101:5,7,8, Proverbs 22:10, 25:4,5, Isaiah 1:25,26, Matthew 18:17, John 15:2, 1 Corinthians 5:5,6,13, Titus 3:10, 2 John 1:10,11, Revelation 2:2,6,14-16,20

without the city

Revelation 22:15

into an unclean place

Job 36:13,14, Isaiah 65:4, Matthew 8:28, 24:51, 1 Timothy 1:20, Revelation 22:15

Genesis 18:19, Joshua 24:15, 2 Chronicles 17:7-9, 19:5-7, 29:4,5, Psalms 101:6, Acts 1:20-26, 1 Timothy 5:9,10,21,22, 2 Timothy 2:2, Titus 1:5-9

Jeremiah 6:28-30, Ezekiel 24:13, Hebrews 6:4-8, 2 Peter 2:20,22, Jude 1:12

13:51,52, Zechariah 5:4

break down

1 Kings 9:6-9, 2 Kings 10:27, 17:20-23, 18:4, 25:4-12,25,26, Jeremiah 52:13, Ezekiel 5:4, Matthew 22:7, 24:2, Romans 11:7-11, Revelation 11:2

into an unclean place

shall be unclean

11:24,25,28, 15:5-8,10, 17:15, 22:6, Numbers 19:7-10,21,22

wash his clothes

8,9

shall come in

Heb. in coming in shall come in, etc. because.

3, Job 5:18, Hosea 6:1, Mark 5:29,34, Luke 7:21, 1 Corinthians 6:11

Leviticus 14:4-7

Leviticus 14:20

the law

2,32, 6:9,14,25, 7:1,37, 11:46, 15:32, Numbers 5:29, 6:13, 19:14, Deuteronomy 24:8

scall

13:30,31

the leprosy

13:47-59

of a house

a rising

13:2

teach

10:10, Jeremiah 15:19, Ezekiel 44:23

when it is unclean, and when it is clean

Heb. in the day of the unclean, and in the day of the clean. this is.

Deuteronomy 24:8