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Texts -- Leviticus 14:33-57 (NET)

Context
Purification of Disease-Infected Houses
14:33 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron : 14:34 “When you enter the land of Canaan which I am about to give to you for a possession , and I put a diseased infection in a house in the land you are to possess , 14:35 then whoever owns the house must come and declare to the priest , ‘Something like an infection is visible to me in the house .’ 14:36 Then the priest will command that the house be cleared before the priest enters to examine the infection so that everything in the house does not become unclean , and afterward the priest will enter to examine the house . 14:37 He is to examine the infection , and if the infection in the walls of the house consists of yellowish green or reddish eruptions , and it appears to be deeper than the surface of the wall , 14:38 then the priest is to go out of the house to the doorway of the house and quarantine the house for seven days . 14:39 The priest must return on the seventh day and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the walls of the house , 14:40 then the priest is to command that the stones that had the infection in them be pulled and thrown outside the city into an unclean place . 14:41 Then he is to have the house scraped all around on the inside , and the plaster which is scraped off must be dumped outside the city into an unclean place . 14:42 They are then to take other stones and replace those stones , and he is to take other plaster and replaster the house . 14:43 “If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after he has pulled out the stones , scraped the house , and it is replastered , 14:44 the priest is to come and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the house , it is a malignant disease in the house . It is unclean . 14:45 He must tear down the house , its stones , its wood , and all the plaster of the house , and bring all of it outside the city to an unclean place . 14:46 Anyone who enters the house all the days the priest has quarantined it will be unclean until evening . 14:47 Anyone who lies down in the house must wash his clothes . Anyone who eats in the house must wash his clothes . 14:48 “If , however, the priest enters and examines it, and the infection has not spread in the house after the house has been replastered , then the priest is to pronounce the house clean because the infection has been healed . 14:49 Then he is to take two birds , a piece of cedar wood , a scrap of crimson fabric , and some twigs of hyssop to decontaminate the house , 14:50 and he is to slaughter one bird into a clay vessel over fresh water . 14:51 He must then take the piece of cedar wood , the twigs of hyssop , the scrap of crimson fabric , and the live bird , and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the fresh water , and sprinkle the house seven times . 14:52 So he is to decontaminate the house with the blood of the bird , the fresh water , the live bird , the piece of cedar wood , the twigs of hyssop , and the scrap of crimson fabric , 14:53 and he is to send the live bird away outside the city into the open countryside . So he is to make atonement for the house and it will be clean .
Summary of Purification Regulations for Infections
14:54 “This is the law for all diseased infections , for scall , 14:55 for the diseased garment , for the house , 14:56 for the swelling , for the scab , and for the bright spot , 14:57 to teach when something is unclean and when it is clean . This is the law for dealing with infectious disease .”

Pericope

NET
  • Lev 14:33-53 -- Purification of Disease-Infected Houses
  • Lev 14:54-57 -- Summary of Purification Regulations for Infections

Bible Dictionary

  • CLEAN

    [ebd] The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law are enumerated in Lev. 11-15; Num. 19. The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded on the practice of sacrifice. It existed before the Floo...
    [isbe] CLEAN - klen (Anglo-Saxon cloene, "clear," "pure"): Rendering four Hebrew roots: bar, etc., "purify," "select," "make shining"; zakh, etc., "bright," "clean" "pure"; naqi, "free from," "exempt"; Taher, "clean," "pure," "empt...

  • Leprosy

    [ebd] (Heb. tsara'ath, a "smiting," a "stroke," because the disease was regarded as a direct providential infliction). This name is from the Greek lepra, by which the Greek physicians designated the disease from its scaliness. We ...
    [nave] LEPROSY Law concerning, Lev. 13; 14; 22:4; Num. 5:1-3; 12:14; Deut. 24:8; Matt. 8:4; Luke 5:14; 17:14. Sent as a judgment: On Miriam, Num. 12:1-10; Gehazi, 2 Kin. 5:27; Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:20, 21. Entailed, 2 Kin. 5:27. Iso...

  • Purification

    [ebd] the process by which a person unclean, according to the Levitical law, and thereby cut off from the sanctuary and the festivals, was restored to the enjoyment of all these privileges. The great annual purification of the peo...

  • Ablution

    [ebd] or washing, was practised, (1.) When a person was initiated into a higher state: e.g., when Aaron and his sons were set apart to the priest's office, they were washed with water previous to their investiture with the priestl...

  • AZAZEL

    [isbe] AZAZEL - a-za'-zel `aza'zel apopompaios; the King James Version Scapegoat, the Revised Version, margin "removal"): I. THE MEANING OF THE WORD 1. The Passages to Be Considered 2. The Proposed Interpretations (1) The Etymology...

  • WOOL

    [isbe] WOOL - wool (tsemer; erion): Wool and flax were the fibers most used by the ancient weavers. Wool was used principally for the outside garments (Lev 13:48 ff; Prov 31:13; Ezek 34:3; Hos 2:5,9). Syrian wool is found on the wo...

  • COLOR; COLORS

    [isbe] COLOR; COLORS - kul'-er, kul'-erz: The word translated "color" in the King James Version is `ayin, which literally means "eye" or "appearance," and has been so translated in the Revised Version (British and American). In the...

  • UNCLEANNESS

    [isbe] UNCLEANNESS - un-klen'-nes: I. TERMS 1. In the Old Testament (Hebrew) 2. In the New Testament 3. In the Septuagint II. POSSIBLE RELATION OF ISRAEL'S LAWS ON UNCLEANNESS WITH THE LAWS OF TABOO AMONG THE NATIONS III. TEACHING ...

  • CLEANSE

    [isbe] CLEANSE - klenz: "Make clean," "purify" being a frequent rendering of the original. It is found often (American Revised Version) instead of "purge," "purify" (the King James Version), renders nearly the same roots, and has t...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Defilement

    [nave] DEFILEMENT Laws relating to, Lev. 7:18-21; 11:43; 22:2-7. Caused by leprosy, Lev. 13:3, 44-46; 14; 22:4-7; gonorrhea, Lev. 15:1-15; 22:4; copulation, Lev. 15:17; emission of semen, Lev. 15:16, 17; childbirth, Lev. 12:2-8; L...

  • Sanitation

    [nave] SANITATION. Carcasses Lev. 5:2; Lev. 10:4, 5; Lev. 11:24-28, 31-40; Lev. 22:4, 6; Num. 9:6, 10; Num. 19:11-16; Num. 31:19; Deut. 21:22, 23 Childbirth Lev. 12:3; Ezek. 16:4 Circumcision See: Circumcision. Contagion Le...

  • House

    [isbe] HOUSE - hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Acts 12:1, "prison"): I. CAVE DWELLINGS II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES 1. Details of Plan and Con...
    [nave] HOUSE Built of stone, Lev. 14:40-45; Isa. 9:10; Amos 5:11; brick, Gen. 11:3; Ex. 1:11-14; Isa. 9:10; wood, Song 1:17; Isa. 9:10. Built into city walls, Josh. 2:15. Used for worship, Acts 1:13, 14; 12:12; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. ...

  • Mortar

    [ebd] (Heb. homer), cement of lime and sand (Gen. 11:3; Ex. 1:14); also potter's clay (Isa. 41:25; Nah. 3:14). Also Heb. 'aphar, usually rendered "dust," clay or mud used for cement in building (Lev. 14:42, 45). Mortar for pulveri...
    [smith] (Genesis 11:3; Exodus 1:14; Leviticus 14:42,45; Isaiah 41:25; Ezekiel 13:10,11,14,15; 22:28; Nehemiah 3:14) The various compacting substances used in Oriental buildings appear to be -- Bitumen, as in the Babylonian structure...
    [nave] MORTAR 1. An instrument for pulverizing grains, Num. 11:8; Prov. 27:22. See: Grinding; Mill. 2. A cement, Ex. 1:14. Bitumen or tar used as, in building tower of Babel, Gen. 11:3. Used to plaster houses, Lev. 14:42, 45. ...

  • PRIESTS AND LEVITES

    [isbe] PRIESTS AND LEVITES - (kohen, "priest"; nothing is definitely known as to the origin of the word; Lewi, "Levite," on which see LEVI): I. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE HISTORY 1. The Old View 2. The Graf-Wellhausen View 3. Mediating...

  • PENTATEUCH, 1

    [isbe] PENTATEUCH, 1 - pen'-ta-tuk: I. TITLE, DIVISION, CONTENTS II. AUTHORSHIP, COMPOSITION, DATE 1. The Current Critical Scheme 2. The Evidence for the Current Critical Scheme (1) Astruc's Clue (2) Signs of Post-Mosaic Date (3) N...

  • Blood

    [isbe] BLOOD - blud (dam, probably from 'adham "to be red"; haima): Used in the Old Testament to designate the life principle in either animal or vegetable, as the blood of man or the juice of the grape (Lev 17:11, et al.); in the ...
    [nave] BLOOD Is the life, Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11, 14; 19:16; Deut. 12:23; Matt. 27:4, 24. Forbidden to be used as food, Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; 7:26, 27; 17:10-14; 19:26; Deut. 12:16, 23; 15:23; Ezek. 33:25; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25. Pla...

  • Cedar

    [nave] CEDAR Valuable for building purposes, Isa. 9:10. David's ample provision of, in Jerusalem, for the temple, 2 Chr. 1:15; 22:4. Furnished by Hiram, king of Tyre, for Solomon's temple, 1 Kin. 5:6-10; 9:11; 2 Chr. 2:16. Used ...

  • Dwellings

    [ebd] The materials used in buildings were commonly bricks, sometimes also stones (Lev. 14:40, 42), which were held together by cement (Jer. 43:9) or bitumen (Gen. 11:3). The exterior was usually whitewashed (Lev. 14:41; Ezek. 13:...

  • Plaster

    [nave] PLASTER, Lev. 14:42, 44, 48; Deut. 27:2; Dan. 5:5.
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Matthew 26:28

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Jews called their first month Abib (v. 2). After the Babylonian captivity they renamed it Nisan (Neh. 2:1; Esth. 3:7). It corresponds to our March-April. Abib means "ear-month"referring to the month when the grain was in ...
  • Hyssop grew commonly on rocks and walls in the Near East and Egypt (v. 22). If it was the same plant that we identify as hyssop today, masses of tiny white flowers and a fragrant aroma characterized it. The Jews used it for a...
  • "At first sight the book of Leviticus might appear to be a haphazard, even repetitious arrangement of enactments involving the future life in Canaan of the Israelite people. Closer examination will reveal, however, that quite...
  • Leviticus continues revelation concerning the second of three elements necessary for any nation to exist, namely, a people (Gen. 12:10--Exod. 19), their law (Exod. 20--Num. 10:10), and their land (Num. 10:11--Josh. 24).Leviti...
  • This section closes with a summary. This is a common feature of Leviticus (cf. 11:46-47; 13:59; 14:54-57; 15:32-33)."The sacrificial law, therefore, with the five species of sacrifices which it enjoins, embraces every aspect ...
  • A change of subject matter indicates another major division in Leviticus. We move now from narrative to more legislation. These five chapters pick up the idea introduced in 10:10: ". . . make a distinction between the holy an...
  • We have here the same threefold division of animals that inhabit the land, sea, and air as the one that appears in the story of creation (Gen. 1:20-23)."It has long been recognized . . . that the order of the purity laws in L...
  • The laws of purification begun in this chapter connect in principle with the preceding ones that deal with unclean food and animals. The defilement dealt with in this group (chs. 12-15) proceeded from the human body. Pollutio...
  • Many translations and commentaries have regarded the legislation in these chapters as dealing with leprosy, but this is misleading. The confusion has arisen because the term "leprosy"appears in most English texts in these cha...
  • The fact that certain abnormal conditions afflicted houses as well as persons reminded the Israelites that their dwelling places as well as their bodies needed to be holy. This law anticipated life in Canaan when the Israelit...
  • The final four verses of this section draw the instructions concerning abnormalities in skin and other coverings (chs. 13-14) to a conclusion by summarizing them and explaining the purpose of the collection."As the Flood was ...
  • This chapter concludes the regulations on uncleanness (chs. 11-15)."The uncleanness laws start with uncleanness that is permanent: that associated with various animals and food (ch. 11). Then they deal with the uncleanness of...
  • The sacrifices and offerings that Moses described thus far in the law were not sufficient to cleanse all the defilement that the sins of the people created. Much sinfulness still needed covering. Therefore God appointed a yea...
  • We learn from verse 1 that Moses received instructions regarding the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, immediately after the judgment of Nadab and Abihu (ch. 10). Consequently he must have inserted chapters 11-15 in the chronolog...
  • The preceding two chapters specify correct behavior. This one sets forth the punishments for disobedience. Chapters 18-19 already discussed most of the subjects dealt with in this chapter."The difference between the laws in t...
  • Genesis reveals how people can have a relationship with God. This comes through trust in God and obedience to Him. Faith is the key word in Genesis. God proves Himself faithful in this book.Exodus reveals that God is also sov...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell, The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeology series. H...
  • Perhaps it was God's exaltation of Moses by bestowing the gift of prophecy on the elders that provoked the envy of Miriam and Aaron. God reminded the people of Moses' special endowment with the Spirit when He blessed the elde...
  • Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18, 20). Leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could c...
  • 8:1 This verse is transitional (cf. 5:1). Great crowds continued to follow Jesus after He delivered the Sermon on the Mount, as they had before.8:2-3 Matthew typically used the phrase kai idou("and behold,"not translated in t...
  • Luke's narration of this miracle focuses on the response of the Samaritan whom Jesus healed. It is not so much a story that he intended to show Jesus' divine identity, though it does that. It is rather another lesson for the ...
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