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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-17

I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:3

And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh ,.... Whether it be a swelling, scab, or a bright spot that appears, and judge of it by the following rules, and none but a priest might do this: and when the hair in the plague is turned white ; it arising in a place where hair grows, and which hair is not naturally white, but of another colour, but changed through the force of the plague; and there were to be two hairs at least, which were at first black, but turned... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 13:3

The priest shall - pronounce him unclean - אתו וטמא vetimme otho ; literally, shall pollute him, i. e., in the Hebrew idiom, shall declare or pronounce him polluted; and in Leviticus 13:23 , it is said, the priest shall pronounce him clean, הכהן וטהרו vetiharo haccohen , the priest shall cleanse him, i. e., declare him clean. In this phrase we have the proper meaning of Matthew 16:19 ; : Whatsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-46

The name leprosy has been made to cover a number of diseases similar but not identical in character. There are many spurious forms of leprosy, and many diseases akin to leprosy which do not now come under discussion. The disease here dealt with is elephantiasis, especially in its anesthetic form, which is otherwise called white leprosy. The two varieties of elephantiasis—the tuberculated and the anesthetic—are, however, so closely connected together that they cannot be separated, the one.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-59

The diagnosis of sin as illustrated in the leprosy. cf. 2 Kings 5:1-27 : Psalms 88:1-18 ; Matthew 8:1-4 ; Luke 5:12-15 . The preceding chapter brings forward sin as an inheritance through ordinary generation. No thorough sense or treatment of sin can be reached unless it is recognized as a nature. But God went further in his education of his people. He took one disease with unmistakable characteristics; he legislated about it, doomed the possessor of it to a certain treatment,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-59

Leprosy. That leprosy is a type of sin is evident from David's allusion in confessing his own horrible offenses (see Psalms 51:7 )? This also appears from the words of Jesus to the only leper, out of the ten cleansed by him, who returned to give glory to God: "Thy faith hath saved thee" (see Luke 17:11-19 ). The others had faith which availed them to remove the leprosy of the body; but this man's faith availed to remove the leprosy of the soul. Hence this plague often came as a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-59

The priest's adjudication. We have considered the plague of leprosy as an emblem of sin; the adjudication upon it will suggest thoughts concerning the treatment of sin. In this business the principal actor was the priest, who must be viewed as the type of Christ. The judgment in this case will be disciplinary rather than final; for when Messiah will come to judge the world at the last day, he will appear not as a priest but as a king. We are now concerned with the functions of the priest. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:3

When the hair in the plague is turned white. This is the first symptom, and the most noticeable as the commencement of the disease. The hair around the spot loses its colour and becomes thin and weak, the separate hairs being hardly stronger or individually thicker than down. The second symptom is when the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh ; that is, below the upper skin, or cuticle, and in the real cutis. These two symptoms distinguish real leprosy from other affections... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:3

It is a plague of leprosy. The chosen type of sin—its individual aspect. The conjecture that leprosy was contracted by the children of Israel in the hot and dusty brick-fields of Egypt is probable enough. The definition that it was "any severe disease spreading on the surface of the body in the way described in the chapter, and so shocking of aspect … that public feeling called for separation," is near enough for our purpose, There can be no question that it was the divinely chosen type... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:3

Conviction of sin. "And the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean." In the Hebrew commonwealth: 1 . There were those who were reasonably suspected of leprosy, i.e; of "uncleanness." 2 . It was a matter of the gravest consequence to know whether these suspicions were well founded or not. For ascertained leprosy meant unfitness to approach God in worship, exclusion from the fellowship of his people, etc. 3 . It was the function of the priest to decide positively... read more

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