Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Leviticus Chapter 14
Overview
Lev 14:1, The rites and sacrifices in cleansing the leper; Lev 14:33, The signs of leprosy in a house; Lev 14:48, The cleansing of that house.
the law: Lev 14:54-57, Lev 13:59
in the day: Num 6:9
He shall: Mat 8:2-4; Mar 1:40-44; Luk 5:12-14, Luk 17:14
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!
out of: Lev 13:46
be healed: Exo 15:26; Kg2 5:3, Kg2 5:7, Kg2 5:8, Kg2 5:14; Job 5:18; Mat 10:8, Mat 11:5; Luk 4:27, Luk 7:22; Luk 17:15, Luk 17:16-19; Co1 6:9-11
two birds: or, sparrows, The word tzippor, from the Arabic zaphara, to fly, is used in the Scriptures to denote birds of every species, particularly small birds. But it is often used in a more restricted sense, as the Hebrew writers assert, to signify the sparrow. Aquinas says the same; and Jerome renders it here the sparrow. So the Greek στρουθια, in Matthew and Luke, which signifies a sparrow, is rendered by the Syriac translator tzipparin, the same as the Hebrew tzipporim. Nor is it peculiar to the Hebrews to give the same name to the sparrow and to fowls of the largest size; for Nicander calls the hen στρουθος κατοικαδος, the domestic sparrow, and both Plautus and Ausonius call the ostrich, passer marinus, "the marine sparrow." It is evident, however, that the word in this passage signifies birds in general; for if the sparrow was a clean bird, there was no necessity for commanding a clean one to be taken, since every one of the species was ceremonially clean; but if it was unclean, then it could not be called clean. Lev 1:14, Lev 5:7, Lev 12:8
cedar: Lev 14:6, Lev 14:49-52; Num 19:6
scarlet: Heb 9:19
hyssop: Exo 12:22; Num 19:18; Psa 51:7
earthen vessel: Lev 14:50; Num 5:17; Co2 4:7, Co2 5:1, Co2 13:4; Heb 2:14
the living bird: Joh 14:19; Rom 4:25, Rom 5:10; Phi 2:9-11; Heb 1:3; Rev 1:18
dip them: Lev 14:51-53; Zac 13:1; Rev 1:5
sprinkle: Num 19:18, Num 19:19; Isa 52:15; Eze 36:25; Joh 19:34; Heb 9:13, Heb 9:19, Heb 9:21; Heb 10:22, Heb 12:24; Pe1 1:2; Jo1 5:6
seven times: Lev 14:51, Lev 4:6, Lev 4:17, Lev 8:11, Lev 16:14, Lev 16:19; Kg2 5:10, Kg2 5:14; Psa 51:2, Psa 51:7; Eph 5:26, Eph 5:27
pronounce: Lev 13:13, Lev 13:17
let: Lev 16:22; Dan 9:24; Mic 7:19; Heb 9:26
into the open field: Heb. upon the face of the field
wash his: Lev 11:25, Lev 13:6, Lev 15:5-8; Exo 19:10, Exo 19:14; Num 8:7; Rev 7:14
wash himself: Lev 8:6; Pe1 3:21; Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6
and shall: Num 12:15
seven days: Lev 8:33-35, Lev 13:5
wash his flesh: Lictenstein states that "among the Koossas (a nation of South Africa), there are certain prevailing notions respecting moral (ceremonial) uncleanness. All children are unclean till they are admitted among grown-up persons (which happens with the males through the various ceremonies attending circumcision); all lying-in women are unclean for the first month; all men who have lost their wives, for a fortnight, and all widows for a month; a mother who has lost a child, for two days; all persons who have been present at a death, the men returning from a battle, etc. No one may have intercourse with such an unclean person, till he has washed himself, rubbed his body with fresh paint, and rinsed his mouth with milk. But he must not do this till after the lapse of a certain time, fixed by general consent for each particular case, and during this time he must wholly refrain from washing, painting, or drinking milk.
eighth day: Lev 14:23, Lev 9:1, Lev 15:13, Lev 15:14
take: Mat 8:4; Mar 1:44; Luk 5:14
he lambs: Lev 1:10; Joh 1:29; Pe1 1:19
of the first year: Heb. the daughter of her year
three tenth: Lev 23:13; Exo 29:40; Num 15:9, Num 28:20
a meat offering: Lev 2:1; Num 15:4-15; Joh 6:33, Joh 6:51
log of oil: Lev 14:12, Lev 14:15, Lev 14:21, Lev 14:24
Lev 8:3; Exo 29:1-4; Num 8:6-11, Num 8:21; Eph 5:26, Eph 5:27; Jde 1:24
trespass: Lev 5:2, Lev 5:3, Lev 5:6, Lev 5:7, Lev 5:18, Lev 5:19, Lev 6:6, Lev 6:7; Isa 53:10
wave them: Lev 8:27-29; Exo 29:24
in the place: Lev 1:5, Lev 1:11, Lev 4:4, Lev 4:24; Exo 29:11
as the sin: Lev 7:7, Lev 10:17
it is most holy: Lev 2:3, Lev 7:6, Lev 21:22
Lev 8:23, Lev 8:24; Exo 29:20; Isa 1:5; Rom 6:13, Rom 6:19, Rom 12:1; Co1 6:20; Co2 7:1; Phi 1:20; Pe1 1:14, Pe1 1:15, Pe1 2:5, Pe1 2:9, Pe1 2:10; Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6
Lev 4:6, Lev 4:17; Luk 17:18; Co1 10:31
Lev 14:14, Lev 8:30; Exo 29:20, Exo 29:21; Eze 36:27; Joh 1:16; Tit 3:3-6; Pe1 1:2
the remnant: Lev 8:12; Exo 29:7; Co2 1:21, Co2 1:22; Eph 1:17, Eph 1:18
make an atonement: Lev 4:26, Lev 4:31, Lev 5:16
Lev 14:12, Lev 5:1, Lev 5:6, Lev 12:6-8; Rom 8:3; Co2 5:21
poor: Lev 1:14, Lev 5:7, Lev 12:8; Sa1 2:8; Job 34:19; Pro 17:5, Pro 22:2; Luk 6:20, Luk 21:2-4; Co2 8:9, Co2 8:12; Jam 2:5, Jam 2:6
cannot: Heb. his hand reach not
one lamb: Lev 14:10
to be waved: Heb. for a waving
two turtle doves: Tor, the turtle or ring-dove, so called by an onomatop[28959]ia from its cooing, as in Greek τρυγων, Latin, turtur and English, turtle. It is a species of the dove or pigeon, here called yonah, and in the Syriac yauno, from the verb to oppress, afflict, because of its being particularly defenceless, and exposed to rapine and violence. The dove is a genus of birds too well known to need a particular description; and of which there are several species besides the turtle-dove; as the wood pigeon, tame pigeon, and others. The dove is universally allowed to be one of the most beautiful objects in nature. The brilliancy of her plumage, the splendour of her eye, the innocence of her look, the excellence of her dispositions, and the purity of her manners, have been the theme of admiration and praise in every age. To the snowy whiteness of her wings, and the rich golden hues that adorn her neck, the inspired Psalmist alludes in most elegant strains (Psa 68:13). The voice of the dove is particularly tender and plaintive, and bears a striking resemblance to the groan of a person in distress; to which the inspired bards frequently allude (Isa 38:14; Isa 59:11; Eze 7:16). Her native dwelling is in the caves or hollows of the rock; allusions to which fact also occur in the Sacred Writings (Sol 2:14; Jer 48:28). Her manners are as engaging as her form is elegant, and her plumage rich and beautiful. She is the chosen emblem of simplicity, gentleness, chastity, and feminine timidity, and for this reason, as well as from their abounding in the East, they were probably chosen as offerings by Jehovah. Psa 68:13; Sol 2:14; Isa 38:14, Isa 59:11; Jer 48:28; Eze 7:16
Lev 14:14-20; Psa 40:6; Ecc 5:1
Lev 14:18, Lev 14:20; Exo 30:15, Exo 30:16; Joh 17:19; Jo1 2:1, Jo1 2:2, Jo1 5:6
Lev 14:22, Lev 12:8, Lev 15:14, Lev 15:15; Luk 2:24; Rom 8:3
Lev 14:2, Lev 14:54-57, Lev 13:59
whose hand: Lev 14:10, Lev 14:21; Psa 72:12-14, Psa 136:23; Mat 11:5; Co1 1:27, Co1 1:28
When: Lev 23:10, Lev 25:2; Num 35:10; Deu 7:2, Deu 12:1, Deu 12:8, Deu 19:1, Deu 26:1, Deu 27:3
which I: Gen 12:7, Gen 13:17, Gen 17:8; Num 32:32; Deu 12:9, Deu 12:10, Deu 32:49; Jos 13:1
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. Exo 15:26; Deu 7:15; Sa1 2:6; Pro 3:33; Isa 45:7; Amo 3:6, Amo 6:11; Mic 6:9
a plague: Deu 7:26; Jos 7:21; Sa1 3:12-14; Kg1 13:34; Psa 91:10; Pro 3:33; Zac 5:4
empty: or, prepare
be not made: Co1 15:33; Ti2 2:17, Ti2 2:18; Heb 12:15; Rev 18:4
Lev 13:3, Lev 13:19, Lev 13:20, Lev 13:42, Lev 13:49
Lev 13:7, Lev 13:8, Lev 13:22, Lev 13:27, Lev 13:36, Lev 13:51; The consideration of the circumstances will exhibit the importance and the propriety of the Mosaic ordinance on the subject of the house leprosy.
1. Moses ordained that the owner of a house, when any suspicious spots appeared on the walls, should be bound to give notice of it, in order that the house might be inspected; and that person, as in the case of the human leprosy, was to be the priest, whose duty it was. Now this would serve to check the mischief at its very origin, and make every one attentive to observe it.
2. On notice being given, the priest was to inspect the house, but the occupant had liberty to remove everything previously out of it; and that this might be done, the priest was empowered to order it ex officio; for whatever was found within a house declared unclean, became unclean along with it.
3. If, on the first inspection, the complaint did not appear wholly without foundation, but suspicious spots or dimples were actually to be seen, the house was to be shut up for seven days and then to be inspected anew. If, in this interval, the evil did not spread, it was considered as have been a circumstance merely accidental, and the house was not polluted; but if it had spread, it was not considered a harmless accident, but the real house leprosy; and the stones affected with it were to be broken out of the wall, and carried to an unclean place without the city, and the walls of the whole house here scraped and plastered anew.
4. If, after this, the leprosy broke out afresh, the whole house was to be pulled down, and the materials carried without the city. Moses therefore, never suffered a leprous house to stand.
5. If, on the other hand, the house being inspected a second time, was found clean, it was solemnly so declared, and offering made on the occasion; in order that every one might know for certain that it was not infected, and the public be freed from all fears on that score. By this law many evils were actually prevented - it would check the mischief in its very origin, and make every one attentive to observe it. the people would also guard against those impurities whence it arose, and thus the health be preserved and not suffer in an infected house. These Mosaic statues were intended to prevent infection by the sacred obligations of religion. Ceremonial laws many keep more conscientiously and sacredly than moral precepts.
take away: Psa 101:5, Psa 101:7, Psa 101:8; Pro 22:10, Pro 25:4, Pro 25:5; Isa 1:25, Isa 1:26; Mat 18:17; Joh 15:2; Co1 5:5, Co1 5:6, Co1 5:13; Tit 3:10; Jo2 1:10, Jo2 1:11; Rev 2:2, Rev 2:6, Rev 2:14-16, Rev 2:20
without the city: Rev 22:15
into an unclean place: Job 36:13, Job 36:14; Isa 65:4; Mat 8:28, Mat 24:51; Ti1 1:20; Rev 22:15
Gen 18:19; Jos 24:15; Ch2 17:7-9, Ch2 19:5-7, Ch2 29:4, Ch2 29:5; Psa 101:6; Act 1:20-26; Ti1 5:9, Ti1 5:10, Ti1 5:21, Ti1 5:22; Ti2 2:2; Tit 1:5-9
Jer 6:28-30; Eze 24:13; Heb 6:4-8; Pe2 2:20, Pe2 2:22; Jde 1:12
break down: Kg1 9:6-9; Kg2 10:27, Kg2 17:20-23, Kg2 18:4, Kg2 25:4-12, Kg2 25:25, Kg2 25:26; Jer 52:13; Eze 5:4; Mat 22:7, Mat 24:2; Rom 11:7-11; Rev 11:2
into an unclean place: Lev 14:41
shall be unclean: Lev 11:24, Lev 11:25, Lev 11:28, Lev 15:5-8, Lev 15:10, Lev 17:15, Lev 22:6; Num 19:7-10, Num 19:21, Num 19:22
wash his clothes: Lev 14:8, Lev 14:9
shall come in: Heb. in coming in shall come in, etc. because. Lev 14:3; Job 5:18; Hos 6:1; Mar 5:29, Mar 5:34; Luk 7:21; Co1 6:11
the law: Lev 14:2, Lev 14:32, Lev 6:9, Lev 6:14, Lev 6:25, Lev 7:1, Lev 7:37, Lev 11:46, Lev 15:32; Num 5:29, Num 6:13, Num 19:14; Deu 24:8
the leprosy: Lev 13:47-59
of a house: Lev 14:34
a rising: Lev 13:2
teach: Lev 10:10; Jer 15:19; Eze 44:23
when it is unclean, and when it is clean: Heb. in the day of the unclean, and in the day of the clean
this is: Deu 24:8