Leviticus 13:12-13
skin ...... covers .... skin <03680 05785> [cover all.]
disease <06883> [if the leprosy.]
It may seem strange that the partial leper should be pronounced unclean, and the person totally covered with the disease clean. This was probably owing to a different species or stage of the disease; the partial being contagious, the total not. That there are two different species, or degrees, of the disease described here, is sufficiently evident: in one, the person was all covered with a white enamelled scurf; in the other, there was a quick raw flesh in the risings. On this account, the one was deemed unclean, or contagious, the other not; for contact with the quick raw flesh would be more likely to communicate the disease, than the touch of the hard dry scurf. The ichor proceeding from the former, when brought into contact with the flesh of another, would soon be taken into constitution by means of the absorbent vessels; but where the surface was perfectly dry; the absorbent vessels of another, coming in contact with the diseased man, could imbibe nothing, and there was consequently but little or no danger of infection. This is the learned Dr. Mead's view of the subject; who thus accounts for the circumstances mentioned in the text.
clean <02889> [he is clean.]
Leviticus 13:20
appears <04758> [in sight.]
Leviticus 13:27
diseased infection <05061 06883> [it is the plague of leprosy. See on ver.]
Leviticus 13:42-43
Leviticus 13:45-46
clothes <0899> [his clothes.]
head <07218> [and his head.]
cover <05844> [put.]
Unclean Unclean <02931> [Unclean.]
time <03117> [the days.]
outside <02351> [without.]
Leviticus 13:53
Leviticus 13:58
wash .......... washed <03526> [be washed.]
The plague of leprosy was inflicted immediately from the hand of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's and King Uzziah's were all the punishments of particular sins; and if generally it was so, no marvel there was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper, that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary token of Divine displeasure, but those that really were so.
Leviticus 14:3
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.]
Leviticus 14:34
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.
Leviticus 14:40
stones ......... pulled <02502 068> [take away.]
outside ... city <02351 05892> [without the city.]
