“When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: rising: or, swelling”
Colour, &c. Hebrew, “a tumour, abscess, or white spot,” which are three marks of leprosy. (Calmet) — Leprosy. The leprosy was a figure of sin: and the observances prescribed in this and the following chapter, intimate what ought spiritually to be done, in order to be delivered from so great an evil, or preserved from it. (Challoner) — The authority of the priests in the new law to bind or loose sins, was hereby prefigured. (St. Chrysostom, de Sacerd. 3.) (Worthington)
“And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.”
Flesh. These two signs indicated the species of leprosy called volatile, or impetigo, (Menochius) resembling a scab, which did not penetrate the flesh or bones, as our leprosy or elephantiasis does. (Vales.; Chap. xix.) — Separated from society. Hebrew, “he shall contaminate him.” See ver. 11. (Haydock) — Some assert, that the physician was first to be consulted. But none but the priests could declare them unclean, or set them at liberty. After they had pronounced sentence, the lepers might apply for medicines to others.
“And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.”
Obscure. Some translate the Hebrew “retired,” with the Syriac and Arabic versions. — Scab, “an ebullition,” or pustule. (Theodoret; St. Jerome in Nah. ii.) — Clothes, and himself. See Chap. xi. 40.
“And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.”
Uncleanness, or permanent leprosy.
“And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising; quick: Heb. the quickening of living flesh”
Living flesh. The leprosy is caused by immense numbers of worms, which crawl between the skin and the flesh, and sometimes infect the latter, and the very bones, garments, &c. Hence the flesh seems all in motion, and living. (Haydock) — The different spots in the skin represent heretical opinions obscuring the true faith, of which priests are the judges, Deuteronomy xvii. (St. Augustine, q. Evang. ii. 40.) (Worthington)
“It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.”
Inveterate. Celsus says, this sort of leprosy is hardly ever cured. — Up. But, as the Roman Septuagint reads, “shall separate him,” from the people.
“Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.”
Clean. The white leprosy causeth no itching. (Gorrheus.; Celsus, v. 28.) Theodoret (q. 16,) says, it is incurable; and therefore, the person infected is not shut up, out of pity. So St. Paul (1 Corinthians v. 11,) forbids us to eat with a dissolute Christian, while he allows us to have commerce with infidels, though they be wholly corrupt. But others assert, it is not so difficult to cure as that which is partial, ver. 14. The hand of Moses was stricken with this white leprosy, Exodus iv. 6. (Calmet) — This species is not so contagious. (Menochius)
“But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.”
Live flesh, raw, the skin being consumed in various parts.
“Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;”
Whiteness, after the red flesh is covered with skin as usual.
“And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.”
Ulcer, as before, ver. 3.
“But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.”
Place, which is contrary to the nature of leprosy.
“Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; a hot: Heb. a burning of fire”
Scar. If it had proceeded from burning it would have been black. (Menochius)
“But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:”
Obscure. Hebrew may be, “stopped,” as it is opposed to ver. 22, if it spread. See ver. 55-56.
“And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.”
Unclean. Hebrew adds, “it is the stroke of leprosy,” and the Septuagint, “it has spread in the ulcer.”
“Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.”
Leprosy, or scurf. (Calmet) — This species causes the hair to be yellow, and not white. (Menochius)
“And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:”
Black. The Hebrew, Samaritan, &c., prefix “not,” which ought probably to be away, as the natural colour of the hair, in that country, is black; while yellow, or white hair, give reason to suspect leprosy; and (ver. 32,) the Hebrew says, “if there be no yellow hair in it,” which insinuates that it was black before. The Septuagint have explained both verses in the same sense, as they found the negation also. If we admit it, we may distinguish black hair from that which approaches to brown, or light-coloured hair. When therefore a person, who had before black hair, has experienced some change, he must be shut up seven days; after which, if his hair be not become yellow or reddish, he must be shaved, &c. (Calmet)
“Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.”
Blemish, or scab, of which Celsus speaks, B. 5.
“And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.”
Colour, indicating some bad humours, which had caused the hair to fall off.
“And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.”
Loose, both for the benefit of the leper, and that others may beware of him. (Menochius) — Bare, letting the hair grow, (chap. xxi. 5, 10,) in testimony of mourning. The leper behaved like one in mourning, tearing his garments, neglecting his hair and beard, or cutting them, and, through shame, covering his face, Ezechiel xxiv. 22. The Persians would not allow any lepers to enter their cities. (Herodotus ii. 138.) (Calmet)
“All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”
Camp, or city, unless some great man, like king Ozias, might be permitted to dwell there in a house, secluded from all society, 4 Kings xv. 5. — 2 Paralipomenon xxvi. 21.
“The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;”
Garment that shall have the leprosy. These prescriptions, with relation to garments and houses infected with the leprosy, are to teach us to fly all such company and places as are apt to be the occasion of sin.
“And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: thing: Heb. vessel, or, instrument”
White. Hebrew and Septuagint, “greenish.”
“And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.”
Grown. Hebrew adds here, (and ver. 53, 56, 57, 59,) “in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of a skin.”
“And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without. whether: Heb. whether it be bald in the head thereof, or in the forehead thereof”
Returned, which it had before it was infected, and, consequently, as the Hebrew reads, “behold the plague has not changed its colour.” (Haydock)
“And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:”
Dark, or “at a stand.” See ver. 6. Hebrew keha, means to sink, like the eyes of an old man, &c.
“And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.”
Flying, as that in man, ver. 12. Hebrew, “it is a leprosy, which returns and is rooted.” Chaldean, “it spreads.” (Calmet) See Calmet’s Diss. on the Leprosy. — This dreadful disorder is very common in Arabia and Palestine. During the holy wars many of the Europeans were infected with it. The Jews believe, that the leprosy of garments and of houses was restrained to Judea, and attacked them only when the people rebelled against God. (Oleaster) — The providence of God often visited those, who would not obey his ministers, with this disorder, Deuteronomy xxiv. 8. and Numbers xii. (Theodoret q. 18.) (Tirinus)
“This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.”
Pronounced. This word should refer to both; mundari vel contaminari, how it ought to be pronounced clean or unclean; as the law regards the declaration of the priests, and not the medicines to be used for the leprosy. (Haydock)