|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Leviticus Table of Contents  |  Previous Section   |  Next Section  |

LEVITICUS 14

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:1-9
  ¹Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²"This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, ³and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, ⁴then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. ⁵The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. ⁶As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. ⁷He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. ⁸The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. ⁹It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean."

14:1 "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing" Leviticus 14 describes an elaborate ritual to thank God for the cleansing of the leper. It has much in common with

1. the ordination of Aaron (Leviticus 8-9)
2. the ashes of the Red Heifer (Numbers 19)
3. the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)

It is almost like a life coming back from the dead. It also held out hope for those who had leprosy that healing was possible. The rabbis asserted (because of Uzziah's leprosy) that it was a God-given disease.

▣ "the law" This term, "Torah" (BDB 435), means "instruction" or "direction." It is used often in Leviticus to describe YHWH's guidelines (cf. Lev. 6:9,14,25; 7:1,7,11,37; 11:46; 12:7; 13:59; 14:2,32, 54,57; 15:32; 26:46). See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION.

▣ "in the day of his cleansing" Notice the time sequence.

1. day one ‒ priest goes outside the camp, Lev. 14:2-8
2. day seven ‒ still outside the camp, Lev. 14:9
3. day eight ‒ in the Tabernacle, Lev. 14:10-32

Notice "day" is used symbolically not literally. See SPECIAL TOPIC: DAY (yom).

▣ "Now he shall be brought to the priest" This action is referred to in Matt. 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14; 17:14. However, the priest must be outside the camp in this context. Maybe there was a designated place (but note Lev. 13:46).

14:3 The leper had to live away from the camp of Israel (cf. Lev. 13:45-46), therefore, the priest must go to him.

▣ "infection of leprosy" See note at Lev. 13:2. This root (BDB 619) is used 60 times in Leviticus 13-14, but no where else in Leviticus.

14:4-7 This records the priest's part in the cleansing procedures.

1. items
   1. take two clean birds (wild birds, cf. Lev. 14:7)
   2. take cedar wood
   3. take scarlet string
   4. take hyssop
2. ritual
   1. kill one bird in earthen vessel over running water
   2. mix b, c, d from above with the live bird in the earthenware vessel
   3. sprinkle the blood on the cured person
   4. make an official pronouncement of their cleansing
   5. let the live bird go free (see note at Lev. 1:7)

This is from two NOUNS (BDB 1040 CONSTRUCT BDB 1009). Literally it means "red worm." It is used in

1. Lev. 14:4,6,49,51,52
2. Num. 19:6 (ashes of red heifer)

It may refer to the red dye itself. Notice the ritual earthen bowl has

1. blood of the bird
2. water
3. cedar wood (reddish)
4. this

All are reddish in color, which may relate to the theological concept of blood atonement; leprosy takes life—this gives it back.

▣ "hyssop" It was a desert shrub with hairy, straight branches. It was used in blood sprinkling rituals (cf. Exod. 12:22; Lev. 14:4,6,49,51,52; Num. 19:6,18; 1 Kgs. 4:37; Ps. 51:7). See UBS Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pp. 129-130, and NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 334-335.

Some commentators think that the blood of the slain bird was sprinkled with both

1. hyssop and
2. the piece of cedar with a red-dyed cloth or string attached

The ADJECTIVE (BDB 311) means "alive" or "living." It is used of water that has not been "stored" (cf. Gen. 26:19; Lev. 14:5,6,50,51,52; 15:13; Num. 19:17; Song of Songs 4:15; Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Zech. 14:8. The last three refer to YHWH and His new day of forgiveness. This is the theological thrust.

14:7 "sprinkle" It does not specify where. The rabbis guessed:

1. the back
2. the forehead

For the VERB see note at Lev. 1:15.

▣ "seven times" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #4.

▣ "the one who is to be cleansed" Notice the person is already cured but the ritual is for ceremonial purification.

After the ritual the priest must still "pronounce him clean" (BDB 372, KB 369, Piel PERFECT with waw). They were "pronounced" (i.e., "judged") unclean, now they must be pronounced "clean" so that they can resume

1. community
2. worship
3. family

▣ "shall let the live bird go free over the open field" This ritual, like the live goat of Leviticus 16, is a symbol of bearing away the impurity/uncleanness of the "leprosy." The bird, like the goat of Leviticus 16, is not to return to the camp, therefore, it is probably a wild bird.

Some say that this symbolized the person going free, while others say it refers to the sin being borne away like the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). This is a unique aspect of this sacrifice, as one bird dies, the other is set free.

14:8-9 These are the remaining ritual procedures for the person pronounced clean.

1. wash clothes
2. shave off all hair
3. bathe ones body
4. stay outside of his/her tent for seven days

14:8 "shave off all his hair" This ritual had several connotations.

1. removal of uncleanness
   1. here, in Leviticus (cf. Lev. 13:33; 14:8,9; 21:5)
   2. end of temporary Nazirite vow (cf. Num. 6:9,18-19; Acts 21:24)
2. procedure for wife captured in battle (cf. Deut. 21:12)
3. sign of mourning ‒ see SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES
4. symbol of humiliation and defeat in battle ‒ 2 Sam. 10:4; 1 Chr. 19:4; Isa. 7:20; Jer. 41:5

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:10-20
  ¹⁰"Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil; ¹¹and the priest who pronounces him clean shall present the man to be cleansed and the aforesaid before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ¹²Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering, with the log of oil, and present them as a wave offering before the Lord. ¹³Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. ¹⁴The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ¹⁵The priest shall also take some of the log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; ¹⁶the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. ¹⁷Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; ¹⁸while the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. ¹⁹The priest shall next offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. ²⁰The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean."

14:10-20 These verses describe the sacrifices to be made on the altar in regard to the pronouncement of the person cured.

1. on the eighth day have available (Lev. 14:10)
   1. two male lambs
   2. a yearling ewe lamb
   3. 3/10 of a bushel of fine flour with oil
   4. one log of oil
2. the procedure
   1. present the person at the doorway of the Tabernacle
   2. present one male lamb and the log of oil as a guilt offering (i.e., wave)
   3. put the lamb's blood on the cleansed person's
      (1) the right ear lobe
      (2) the right big toe
      (3) pour some of the oil on the priest's left palm (Lev. 14:15)
   4. of the oil in the left palm the priest shall
      (1) sprinkle it seven times before the Lord (Lev. 14:16)
      (2) put it on (Lev. 14:17)
      (a) right thumb
      (b) right big toe
      (3) remainder of the oil on the head of the person cured (Lev. 14:18)
   5. killing of sin offering (Lev. 14:19)
   6. burning of burnt offering (Lev. 14:19-20)
   7. offer the grain offering (Lev. 14:20)

14:10 "without defect" See note at Lev. 3:9 and SPECIAL TOPIC: BLAMELESS, INNOCENT, GUILTLESS, WITHOUT REPROACH.

The MT does not specify which measurement. Ephah is assumed by most translations. The Talmud has 1/10 of a "hin." See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES.

▣ "fine flour" See note on BDB 701 at Lev. 2:2.

▣ "log" This term (BDB 528) refers to some amount of liquid (cf. Lev. 14:10,12,15,21,24). UBS Handbook, p. 211, suggests "half a pint." The term is found only in this chapter.

14:12 "and present them as a wave offering" This phrase is a combination of the NOUN "wave" (BDB 632) and the VERB (BDB 631, KB 682) "wave them as a wave offering." See note at Lev. 7:30.

14:13 "in the place where they slaughter. . ." This refers to the area around the altar of sacrifice in the Tabernacle. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF SACRIFICE and SPECIAL TOPIC: TABERNACLE (chart).

▣ "it is most holy" The distinction between "holy" and "most holy" was where the blood was placed. If it was taken into the shrine (i.e., holy place and most holy place), it was "most holy."

14:14 "some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear" This is similar to the ordination of Aaron (cf. Lev. 8:24). It may denote the whole person.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:21-32
  ²¹"But if he is poor and his means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a log of oil, ²²and two turtledoves or two young pigeons which are within his means, the one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. ²³Then the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. ²⁴The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall offer them for a wave offering before the Lord. ²⁵Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ²⁶The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; ²⁷and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the Lord. ²⁸The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. ²⁹Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest's palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. ³⁰He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, which are within his means. ³¹He shall offer what he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. ³²This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose means are limited for his cleansing."

14:21-32 There is a similar ritual procedure for the poor person who has been cleansed (i.e., Lev. 14:32).

1. one male lamb
2. 1/10 of a bushel of fine flour and oil
3. one log of oil
4. two clean birds

For a good brief discussion, see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 462-464.

14:31 "make atonement" This is a summary of the purification rite (cf. Lev. 14:18,20) of the poorer person. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ATONEMENT.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:33
  ³³The Lord further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:34-42
  ³⁴"When you enter the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, ³⁵then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, 'Something like a mark of leprosy has become visible to me in the house.' ³⁶The priest shall then command that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the mark, so that everything in the house need not become unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to look at the house. ³⁷So he shall look at the mark, and if the mark on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the surface, ³⁸then the priest shall come out of the house, to the doorway, and quarantine the house for seven days. ³⁹The priest shall return on the seventh day and make an inspection. If the mark has indeed spread in the walls of the house, ⁴⁰then the priest shall order them to tear out the stones with the mark in them and throw them away at an unclean place outside the city. ⁴¹He shall have the house scraped all around inside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. ⁴²Then they shall take other stones and replace those stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house."

14:33-53 These verses deal with some type of "leprosy" in a house. This seems to refer to mildew (i.e., mildew, mold, fungus) or mineral deposits on the walls. It also reflects a future time because at this period the people were at Mt. Sinai living in tents and they would not enter the Promised Land (Lev. 14:34) and live in houses until forty years later. This is evidence that Leviticus is an editorial compilation.

14:34 This verse is meant to express that YHWH is the cause of all things (i.e., Eccl. 7:14; Isa. 14:24-27; 43:13; 45:7; 54:16; Jer. 18:11; Lam. 3:33-38; Amos 3:6).

Verses like these magnify the question about causality. I think there are several sources.

1. God
2. evil
3. fallen world

This is not the world God intended it to be. Bad things happen. I am uncomfortable attributing evil (personal or natural) to God. This is not meant to diminish His power and knowledge (i.e., Rom. 8:28), but it does assert His goodness and mercy. See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) and SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (NT).

14:36 This is extremely interesting to me because it shows the practicality of these laws. Man was to remove all of the things he needed for daily life before the priest came to determine of the house was clean or unclean. If he did not remove them, then all of the possessions needed for daily life would be quarantined.

This term (BDB 891) occurs only here (PLURAL). There have been many suggestions. NASB assumes it comes from Arabic root "to be deep" (BDB 891) or the Hebrew root (BDB 891) "dish" (cf. Exod. 37:16).

If "depression" is accurate, it seems to link up with the depressions of "leprosy" in Lev. 13:3 (i.e., "deeper than the skin"). It is the similarity between "leprosy" in humans and mold/mildew/fungus in houses and garments that unites chapters 13 and 14.

14:40 "the stones" This is surprising that both "the camp" and "stones" in houses appear in the same context. Israel lived in "tents" when this was originally given, but only later after the conquest did they have stone houses.

▣ "at an unclean place outside the camp" This location (cf. Lev. 14:40,41,45) is unknown but it is in contrast to the place where the remains of the sacrificial rituals were taken (i.e., "a clean place outside the camp," cf. Lev. 4:12; 6:4). Somehow these two locations were marked or well known.

14:41 This procedure on a house is theologically parallel to the cleansed leper shaving.

14:42 "plaster. . .replaster" A plaster made of mud/earth/clay (BDB 779, #1, g) and

1. straw
2. ash
3. sand
4. lime

See James Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, p. 90, #159.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:43-47
  ⁴³"If, however, the mark breaks out again in the house after he has torn out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, ⁴⁴then the priest shall come in and make an inspection. If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. ⁴⁵He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place. ⁴⁶Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has quarantined it, becomes unclean until evening. ⁴⁷Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes."

14:45 The reason the stones, timbers, and the plaster were put into an unclean place outside the town was because the people had a tendency to reuse building materials in other dwellings. To put them in an unclean place made the stones, timber, and plaster "unclean" and the Hebrews would not be tempted to reuse them.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:48-53
  ⁴⁸"If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and makes an inspection and the mark has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the mark has not reappeared. ⁴⁹To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop, ⁵⁰and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. ⁵¹Then he shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the scarlet string, with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird as well as in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵²He shall thus cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the running water, along with the live bird and with the cedar wood and with the hyssop and with the scarlet string. ⁵³However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean."

14:48-53 This describes the sacrifices for cleansing, which are similar to those for the cleansing of a leper.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 14:54-57
  ⁵⁴This is the law for any mark of leprosy—even for a scale, ⁵⁵and for the leprous garment or house, ⁵⁶and for a swelling, and for a scab, and for a bright spot—⁵⁷to teach when they are unclean and when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy.

14:54-57 This is a summary of Leviticus 13 and 14. For a brief discussion on how to apply these rituals to Christians, see Sandy and Giese, Cracking OT Codes, pp. 123-125 and Fee and Stuart How To Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp. 165-169.

14:56 See note at Lev. 12:2 on the meaning of these three key words.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is the ritual of Leviticus 14 similar to Leviticus 16?
2. How can Lev. 14:34 be related to Israel in the wilderness?
3. Does God send "leprosy" on houses? (Lev. 14:34)
4. Why release one bird?
5. How is "leprosy" in humans similar to "leprosy" in garments, leather, and houses?

|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Leviticus Table of Contents  |  Previous Section   |  Next Section  |