Leviticus 13:40

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:40

And the man whose hair is fallen off his head ,.... That is, from the back part of his head, from the crown of his head toward his neck behind: he is bald ; in that spot of the head where the hair is fallen off; and it denotes such a baldness as is occasioned by that, for it signifies one that had hair, but it is fallen off; whereas the baldness after spoken of is thought by some to be of such who never had any hair; though others will have it, that this intends a person bald all over;... 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 13:40-44

Leprosy appearing on the bald head. Though leprosy makes the hair drop off around the leprous spot, baldness is in itself no sign of leprosy, whether at the back or front of the head ( Leviticus 13:40 , Leviticus 13:41 ); but as the bald head is a not unusual place for the leprous spot to appear, any eruption upon it is therefore to be watched and tested as before. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 13:40-44

Affections of the mind. We learn lessons concerning— I. THE BLEMISH OF MENTAL PECULIARITY . ( Leviticus 13:40 .) Evidently baldness was an unusual and an unsightly thing among the Israelites. Otherwise it would not have excited notice and could not have created derision ( 2 Kings 2:23 ; Isaiah 3:24 ; Ezekiel 7:18 ). It was regarded as an unbecoming peculiarity. Affecting the head, we may regard it as a type of mental peculiarity which does not amount to a serious sin,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Leviticus 13:39-42

Leviticus 13:39 ; Leviticus 13:42. If the spots be darkish white When there was no other symptom but that of whiteness in the skin, the priest was to be cautious not to pronounce it a leprosy, unless the spots were perfectly bright; for if there was any cloudiness in them, it was not a leprosy. And he is informed that a man’s losing his hair by sickness or age, which made him bald, must not be taken for a sign of leprosy. But, (Leviticus 13:42,) If there were a white reddish sore It was... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Leviticus 13:1-59

Detection of leprosy (13:1-59)Biblical scholars and medical scientists alike have shown that the leprosy the Old Testament speaks of was not always the disease that we know as leprosy today. The word had a broad meaning that covered a number of infectious skin diseases, some of which were curable. It applied even to fungus or mildew on clothes and buildings.Laws laid down in these chapters concerned two main things. Firstly, because such disease was symbolic of sin, it made people ceremonially... read more

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