Leviticus 13:1-59

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 13:18-37

The priest is here instructed what judgment to make if there was any appearance of a leprosy, either, 1. In an old ulcer, or bile, that has been healed, Lev. 13:18 When old sores, that seemed to be cured, break out again, it is to be feared there is a leprosy in them; such is the danger of those who, having escaped the pollutions of the world, are again entangled therein and overcome. Or, 2. In a burn by accident, for this seems to be meant, Lev. 13:24 The burning of strife and contention... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 13:38-46

We have here, I. Provisos that neither a freckled skin nor a bald head should be mistaken for a leprosy, Lev. 13:38-41. Every deformity must not forthwith be made a ceremonial defilement. Elisha was jeered for his bald head (2 Kgs. 2:23); but it was the children of Bethel, that knew not the judgments of their God, who turned it to his reproach. II. A particular brand set upon the leprosy if at any time it did appear in a bald head: The plague is in his head, he is utterly unclean, Lev. 13:44.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 13:47-59

This is the law concerning the plague of leprosy in a garment, whether linen or woollen. A leprosy in a garment, with discernible indications of it, the colour changed by it, the garment fretted, the nap worn off, and this in some one particular part of the garment, and increasing when it was shut up, and not to be got out by washing is a thing which to us now is altogether unaccountable. The learned confess that it was a sign and a miracle in Israel, an extraordinary punishment inflicted by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:1

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron ,.... Aaron is addressed again, though left out in the preceding law, because the laws concerning leprosy chiefly concerned the priests, whose business it was to judge of it, and cleanse from it; and so Ben Gersom observes, mention is made of Aaron here, because to him and his sons belonged the affair of leprosies, to pronounce unclean or clean, to shut up or set free, and, as Aben Ezra says, according to his determination were all the plagues or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:2

When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh ,.... Rules are here given, by which a leprosy might be judged of; which, as a disease, was frequent in Egypt, where the Israelites had dwelt a long time, and from whence they were just come; and is doubtless the reason, as learned men have observed, that several Heathen writers make the cause of their expulsion from Egypt, as they choose to call it, though wrongly, their being infected with this distemper; whereas it was the reverse, not they,... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:4

If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh ,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, white as chalk in the skin of his flesh; but other Jewish writers make the whiteness of the bright spot to be the greatest of all, like that of snow; See Gill on Leviticus 13:2 , and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white ; though it be a bright spot, and be very white, yet these two marks not appearing, it cannot be judged a leprosy, at most it is only... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:5

And the priest shall look on him the seventh day ,.... In the day, and not in the night, as Maimonides, but not on the seventh day, if it happened to be on the sabbath F6 Misn. Negaim, c. 1. sect. 4. , then it was put off till after it; and, according to the Jewish canons F7 Misn. ib. c. 2. sect. 2. , they do not look upon plagues in the morning, nor in the evening, nor in the middle of a house, nor on a cloudy day, nor at noon, but at the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth hours: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:6

And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day ,.... On the second seventh day, at the end of a fortnight from his being first presented to him, and shut up: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark ; the spot be not so bright, or so white as it was at first; though Aben Ezra observes, that indeed many wise men say, that כהה is as חשך , signifying dark, and the testimony or proof they bring is Genesis 27:1 but according to my opinion, adds he, the word is the reverse... read more

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