Leviticus 14
1 The rites and sacrifices in cleansing the leper.
33 The signs of leprosy in a house.
48 The cleansing of that house.
law <08451> [the law.]
day <03117> [in the day.]
brought <0935> [He shall.]
go <03318> [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!
outside ... camp <02351 04264> [out of.]
healed <07495> [be healed.]
two .... birds <08147 06833> [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.
cedar <0730> [cedar.]
crimson <08144> [scarlet.]
hyssop <0231> [hyssop.]
clay vessel <03627 02789> [earthen vessel.]
live bird ........................... live bird ....... bird ..... fresh <06833 02416> [the living bird.]
live ........................ dip ..... live ............ fresh <02881 02416> [dip them.]
sprinkle <05137> [sprinkle.]
seven times <07651 06471> [seven times.]
cleansed ....... clean <02891> [pronounce.]
live <02416> [let.]
open countryside <06440 07704> [into the open field. Heb. upon the face of the field.]
wash ... clothes <03526 0899> [wash his.]
bathe ... water <07364 04325> [wash himself.]
live <03427> [and shall.]
seven days <07651 03117> [seven days.]
shave .... hair .......... hair ... he <01548 08181> [shave all.]
bathe ... body <01320 07364> [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 <03117 08066> [eighth day.]
take <03947> [take.]
lambs <03532> [he lambs.]
lamb <03535> [ewe lamb.]
yearling female <01323 08141> [of the first year. Heb. the daughter of her year. three tenth.]
grain offering <04503> [a meat offering.]
olive oil .... log ... olive oil <03849 08081> [log of oil.]
guilt offering <0817> [trespass.]
them .... wave offering <05130 08573> [wave them.]
place .............. sanctuary <04725> [in the place.]
sin offering .............. sin offering <02403> [as the sin.]
sanctuary ................ most holy <06944> [it is most holy.]
remainder <03498> [the remnant.]
atonement <03722> [make an atonement.]
poor <01800> [poor.]
sufficient <03027> [cannot. Heb. his hand reach not. one lamb.]
wave offering <08573> [to be waved. Heb. for a waving.]
two .... two <08147> [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.
<03027> [whose hand.]
enter <0935> [When.]
give ......... put <05414> [which I.]
give ......... put ... diseased infection <05061 06883 05414> [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.
infection <05061> [a plague.]
that ..... cleared <06437> [empty. or, prepare. be not made.]
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.
stones ......... pulled <02502 068> [take away.]
outside ... city <02351 05892> [without the city.]
unclean place <02931 04725> [into an unclean place.]
tear <05422> [break down.]
unclean place <02931 04725> [into an unclean place.]
unclean <02930> [shall be unclean.]
wash ... clothes ......... wash ... clothes <0899 03526> [wash his clothes.]
enters <0935> [shall come in. Heb. in coming in shall come in, etc. because.]
law <08451> [the law.]
scall <05424> [scall.]
diseased <06883> [the leprosy.]
house <01004> [of a house.]
swelling <07613> [a rising.]
teach <03384> [teach.]
when .... unclean ... when .... clean <03117 02931 02889> [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.]
