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Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Leviticus 14:8

Leviticus 14:8. Shall wash his clothes, &c.— All these ceremonies were no less productive, than they were demonstrative, of entire purification: and, as the disorder was so contagious, a seven days exclusion was reasonably enjoined to prevent all infection, and to shew that the disease was perfectly cured; after which the leper was deemed pure, and was re-admitted to all the privileges of society. REFLECTIONS.—1. If the leper was cured, the priest went forth to him to view him. Though a... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 14:1-9

The first act took place outside the camp and restored the formerly unclean person to the fellowship of the other Israelites from whom he had experienced separation because of his skin disease.Clean animals, including clean birds, represented Israel. [Note: Wenham, The Book . . ., p. 208.] Both of the birds used in this ritual evidently symbolized the Israelite who was about to reenter the covenant community. The bird killed probably represented the formerly unclean person whose fate was death... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 14:1-32

The ritual cleansing of abnormalities in human skin 14:1-32"If Leviticus 13 is bleak, speaking of separation from the holy presence, Leviticus 14 is full of hope, for in it the sufferer is restored to the covenant community. The Israelite learned even more about the nature of the holy God through these provisions for restoration to fellowship in the community." [Note: Ibid., p. 285.] The procedures described here were not curative but ritual. God prescribed no treatment for the cure of... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 14:1-57

The Purification of the Leper. The Leprosy of HousesWhen a leper has been cured of his plague, and has satisfied the priest that his cure is complete, he is required to go through a ceremonial purification before being readmitted to his place in society. The ritual of purification consists of three parts. (1) Two living birds are brought, with a rod of cedar wood, a piece of scarlet wool, and a bunch of hyssop, to the priest, who kills one of the birds over water. The living bird and the cedar... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Leviticus 14:8

(8) Shall wash his clothes.—This was done not to disinfect them, for leprosy, as we have seen, was not contagious, but as an act of purification, which was performed after every kind of defilement. (See Leviticus 6:20; Leviticus 11:25, &c.)And shave off all his hair.—The razor had to pass over the whole of his body, even his secret parts. A similar process was undertaken at the consecration of the Levites. (Comp. Numbers 8:7.)And shall tarry abroad out of his tent—But though permitted to... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Leviticus 14:9

(9) But it shall be . . . —Better, And it shall be. The second stage of purification, which restored the convalescent to the communion of the sanctuary, began on the seventh day, when, as a first act, he had again to shave off the hair of the whole of his body.Also he shall wash his flesh.—Better, and he shall bathe himself, or his body. The expression “flesh” simply means self, or body, as the Authorised Version rightly translates it in Ecclesiastes 2:3; Isaiah 10:8; Ezekiel 10:12. Besides... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Leviticus 14:1-32

THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPERLeviticus 14:1-32THE ceremonies for the restoration of the leper, when healed of his disease, to full covenant privileges, were comprehended in two distinct series. The first part of the ceremonial took place without the camp, and sufficed only to terminate his condition as one ceremonially dead, and allow of his return into the camp, and his association, though still under restriction, with his fellow Israelites. The second part of the ceremonial took up his case on... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Leviticus 14:1-54

4. The Cleansing of the Leper CHAPTER 14 1. The cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:1-32 ) 2. Leprosy in the house and its purification (Leviticus 14:33-54 ) The cleansing and restoration of the leper is full of significance, foreshadowing once more the blessed work of our Saviour. Two parts in this ceremonial are to be noticed first of all. The first thing done was to restore the leper among the people from whom he had been put away. The second part of the ceremony restored him fully to... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 14:1-57

RESTORING OF A LEPER (vv. 1-20) Even a case of leprosy may be healed, though this is not frequently seen in the Old Testament. Miriam's leprosy was healed very soon after her infliction (Numbers 12:9-16) because of the intercession of Moses. She was shut out of the camp only seven days. Naaman was healed of his leprosy, but he was a Gentile (2 Kings 5:1; 2 Kings 5:14), and therefore the Jewish ritual would not apply to him. Many lepers were in Israel at the time, but none of them were healed... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Leviticus 14:1-57

THE TYPICAL DISEASE Here we have what appears like a treatise on leprosy, but it is not introduced simply for medical purposes. There were other diseases more serious, but this is singled out and made the subject of special regulations because of its typical character. It is a parable of sin, drawn by the divine hand of the workings, developments and effects of inborn depravity. The disease is diagnosed under four heads: (1) leprosy rising spontaneously (Leviticus 1:17 ); (2) rising out of a... read more

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