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Texts -- Leviticus 14:4-57 (NET)

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14:4 then the priest will command that two live clean birds , a piece of cedar wood , a scrap of crimson fabric , and some twigs of hyssop be taken up for the one being cleansed . 14:5 The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered into a clay vessel over fresh water . 14:6 Then he is to take the live bird along with the piece of cedar wood , the scrap of crimson fabric , and the twigs of hyssop , and he is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over the fresh water , 14:7 and sprinkle it seven times on the one being cleansed from the disease , pronounce him clean , and send the live bird away over the open countryside .
The Seven Days of Purification
14:8 “The one being cleansed must then wash his clothes , shave off all his hair , and bathe in water , and so be clean . Then afterward he may enter the camp , but he must live outside his tent seven days . 14:9 When the seventh day comes he must shave all his hair – his head , his beard , his eyebrows , all his hair – and he must wash his clothes , bathe his body in water , and so be clean .
The Eighth Day Atonement Rituals
14:10 “On the eighth day he must take two flawless male lambs , one flawless yearling female lamb , three-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a grain offering mixed with olive oil , and one log of olive oil , 14:11 and the priest who pronounces him clean will have the man who is being cleansed stand along with these offerings before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent . 14:12 “The priest is to take one male lamb and present it for a guilt offering along with the log of olive oil and present them as a wave offering before the Lord . 14:13 He must then slaughter the male lamb in the place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered , in the sanctuary , because , like the sin offering , the guilt offering belongs to the priest ; it is most holy . 14:14 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed , on the thumb of his right hand , and on the big toe of his right foot . 14:15 The priest will then take some of the log of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand . 14:16 Then the priest is to dip his right forefinger into the olive oil that is in his left hand , and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times before the Lord . 14:17 The priest will then put some of the rest of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed , on the thumb of his right hand , and on the big toe of his right foot , on the blood of the guilt offering , 14:18 and the remainder of the olive oil that is in his hand the priest is to put on the head of the one being cleansed . So the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord . 14:19 “The priest must then perform the sin offering and make atonement for the one being cleansed from his impurity . After that he is to slaughter the burnt offering , 14:20 and the priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar . So the priest is to make atonement for him and he will be clean .
The Eighth Day Atonement Rituals for the Poor Person
14:21 “If the person is poor and does not have sufficient means , he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering for a wave offering to make atonement for himself, one-tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering , a log of olive oil , 14:22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons , which are within his means . One will be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering . 14:23 “On the eighth day he must bring them for his purification to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent before the Lord , 14:24 and the priest is to take the male lamb of the guilt offering and the log of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord . 14:25 Then he is to slaughter the male lamb of the guilt offering , and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed , on the thumb of his right hand , and on the big toe of his right foot . 14:26 The priest will then pour some of the olive oil into his own left hand , 14:27 and sprinkle some of the olive oil that is in his left hand with his right forefinger seven times before the Lord . 14:28 Then the priest is to put some of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed , on the thumb of his right hand , and on the big toe of his right foot , on the place of the blood of the guilt offering , 14:29 and the remainder of the olive oil that is in the hand of the priest he is to put on the head of the one being cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord . 14:30 “He will then make one of the turtledoves or young pigeons , which are within his means , 14:31 a sin offering and the other a burnt offering along with the grain offering . So the priest is to make atonement for the one being cleansed before the Lord . 14:32 This is the law of the one in whom there is a diseased infection , who does not have sufficient means for his purification .”
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

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...
    [smith] in its legal and technical sense, is applied to the ritual observances whereby an Israelite was formally absolved from the taint of uncleanness. The essence of purification, in all eases, consisted in the use of water, whethe...
    [nave] PURIFICATION, sanitary and symbolical. For women before marriage, Esth. 2:12; after childbirth, Lev. 12:6-8; Luke 2:22; after menstruation, Lev. 15:19-33; 2 Sam. 11:4. Of the Jews before the passover, John 11:55. For those ...

  • 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 ...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Atonement

    [isbe] ATONEMENT - a-ton'-ment: Translates kaphar; chaTa'; ratsah, the last employed only of human relations (1 Sam 29:4); translates the following Greek stems hilas-, simple and compounded with various prepositions; allag- in comp...
    [nave] ATONEMENT For tabernacle and furniture, Lev. 16:15-20, 33. In consecration of the Levites, Num. 8:21. For those defiled by the dead, Num. 6:11. Made for houses, Lev. 14:53. For sin, see below. By meat offerings, Lev. 5:...

  • Log

    [ebd] the smallest measure for liquids used by the Hebrews (Lev. 14:10, 12, 15, 21, 24), called in the Vulgate sextarius. It is the Hebrew unit of measure of capacity, and is equal to the contents of six ordinary hen's eggs=the tw...
    [isbe] LOG - log, logh, "deepened," "hollowed out" (Lev 14:10-24)): The smallest liquid or dry measure of the Hebrews, equal to about 1 pint. See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
    [nave] LOG, a measure for liquids, holding about a pint, Lev. 14:10, 12, 15, 24.

  • 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...

  • Lamb

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. kebes, a male lamb from the first to the third year. Offered daily at the morning and the evening sacrifice (Ex. 29:38-42), on the Sabbath day (Num. 28:9), at the feast of the New Moon (28:11), of Trumpets (29:2), ...

  • SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2

    [isbe] SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2 - V. The Mosaic Sacrificial System. 1. The Covenant Sacrifice: The fundamental function of Moses' work was to establish the covenant between Israel and God. This important transaction took ...

  • Offerings

    [nave] OFFERINGS Offered at the door of the tabernacle, Lev. 1:3; 3:2; 17:4, 8, 9; of the temple, 2 Chr. 7:12; 1 Kin. 8:62; 12:27. All animal sacrifices must be eight days old or over, Lev. 22:27. Must be salted, Lev. 2:13; Ezek....

  • 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...

  • Hyssop

    [ebd] (Heb. 'ezob; LXX. hyssopos), first mentioned in Ex. 12:22 in connection with the institution of the Passover. We find it afterwards mentioned in Lev. 14:4, 6, 52; Num. 19:6, 18; Heb. 9:19. It is spoken of as a plant "springi...
    [isbe] HYSSOP - his'-up ('ezobh; hussspos, Ex 12:22; Lev 14:4,6,4:9 ff; Nu 19:6,18; 1 Ki 4:33; Ps 51:7; Jn 19:29; Heb 9:19): A plant used for ritual cleansing purposes; a humble plant springing out of the wall (1 Ki 4:33), the extr...
    [nave] HYSSOP An indigenous plant to western Asia and northern Africa, 1 Kin. 4:33. The Israelites used, in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb upon the lintels of their doors, Ex. 12:22; in sprinkling blood in purifications,...

  • 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. ...
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Arts

Questions

  • The following material from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia should be helpful here: III. Significant numbers Numbers are also used with a symbolical or theological significance. One is used to convey th...

Sermon Illustrations

Matthew 26:28

Resources/Books

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...
  • The structure of 4:1-6:7 indicates that this offering has a close relationship to the sin offering. This offering removed the guilt of certain sins that involved trespassing against God. Trespassing means going beyond the lim...
  • 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 procedures described here were not curative but ritual. God prescribed no treatment for the cure of leprosy here, but He explained how the priests and the Israelites could recognize healed skin so formerly afflicted indiv...
  • 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...
  • These verses describe the fourth and most striking phase of this day's ceremony. The second goat symbolically bore the sins of the people taking them to an unclean place far from God. There is difference of opinion among the ...
  • 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...
  • God gave this law so the nation might maintain purity as the older generation died off in the wilderness. Its purpose was not to remove sin itself but to remove the uncleanness that death represented because of its connection...
  • 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...
  • 52:13 "Behold, My Servant"marks a new section in the development of Isaiah's argument, but it also calls the reader to fix his or her attention carefully on the Servant (cf. 42:1). The Servant would prosper in the sense of fu...
  • "The next verses in the chapter are among the most glorious in the entire range of revealed truth on the subject of Israel's restoration to the Lord and national conversion."46536:22-23 Ezekiel was to tell the Israelites that...
  • 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...
  • This miracle was to be a "testimony"to others about Jesus' person (v. 14). It authenticated His person and His teaching. It also shows the blessings that Jesus brought to people, specifically the spiritual cleansing of those ...
  • 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 ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Lev. 14:1-7And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2. This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: 3. And the priest shall go forth out of the camp: and the priest shall ...
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