Method of

CHAP. XIV.

cleansing the leper. having any commerce with their fellow-creatures. | own sore and the plague of his heart; confess his Ten lepers could associate together, because partaking transgressions; look to God for a cure, from whom of the same infection; and civil society is generally alone it can be received; and bring that Sacrifice by maintained, because composed of a leprous community. which alone the guilt can be taken away, and his 7. He that wishes to be saved from his sins must soul be purified from all unrighteousness. See the humble himself before God and man, sensible of his conclusion of the following chapter.

CHAPTER XIV.

Introduction to the sacrifices and ceremonies to be used in cleansing the leper, 1-3. Two living birds, cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop, to be brought for him who was to be cleansed, 4. One of the birds to be killed, 5; and the living bird, with the cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop, to be dipped in the blood, and to be sprinkled on him who had been infected with the leprosy, 6, 7; after which he must wash his clothes, shave his head, eyebrows, beard, &c., bathe himself, tarry abroad seven days, 8, 9; on the eighth day he must bring two he-lambs, one ewe-lamb, a tenth deal of flour, and a log of oil, 10; which the priest was to present as a trespass-offering, wave-offering, and sin-offering before the Lord, 11-13. Afterwards he was to sprinkle both the blood and oil on the person to be cleansed, 14-18. The atonement made by these offerings, 19, 20. If the person were poor, one lamb, with the flour and oil, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, were only required, 21, 22. These to be presented, and the blood and oil applied as before, 23-32. Laws and ordinances relative to houses infected by the leprosy, 33-48. An atonement to be made in order to cleanse the house, similar to that made for the healed leper, 49–53. A summary of this and the preceding chapter, relative to leprous persons, garments, and houses, 54-56. The end for which these different laws were given, 57.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV.

Verse 3. The priest shall go forth out of the camp] As the leper was separated from the people, and obliged, because of his uncleanness, to dwell without the camp, and could not be admitted till the priest had declared that he was clean; hence it was necessary that the priest should go out and inspect him, and, if healed, offer for him the sacrifices required, in order to his re-admission to the camp. As the priest alone had authority to declare a person clean or unclean, it was necessary that the healed person should show himself to the priest, that he might make a declaration that he was clean and fit for civil and religious society, without which, in no case could he be admitted: hence, when Christ cleansed the lepers, Matt. viii. 2-4, he commanded them to go and shew themselves to the priest, &c.

Verse 4. Two birds alive and clean, &c.] Whether these birds were sparrows, or turtle-doves, or pigeons, we know not; probably any kind of clean bird, or bird proper to be eaten, might be used on this occasion, though it is more likely that turtle-doves or pigeons were employed, because these appear to have been the only birds offered in sacrifice. Of the cedar

wood, hyssop, clean bird, and scarlet wool or fillet, were made an aspergillum, or instrument to sprinkle with. The cedar-wood served for the handle, the hyssop and living bird were attached to it by means of the scarlet wool or crimson fillet. The bird was so bound to this handle as that its tail should be downwards, in order to be dipped into the blood of the bird that had been killed. The whole of this made an instrument for the sprinkling of this blood, and when this business was done, the living bird was let loose, and permitted to go whithersoever it would. In this ceremony, according to some rabbins, "the living bird signified that the dead flesh of the leper was restored to soundness; the cedar-wood, which is not easily corrupted, that he was healed of his putrefaction; the scarlet thread, wool, or fillet, that he was restored to his good complexion; and the hyssop, which was purgative and odoriferous, that the disease was completely removed, and the bad scent that accompanied it entirely gone." Ainsworth, Dodd, and others, have given many of these rabbinical conceits. Of all these purifications, and their accompanying circumstances, we may safely say, because authorised by the New Testament so to do, that they pointed out the purification of the

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d

e

7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean; and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. 8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and f shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. 9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes; also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

on the occasion.

shall present the man that is
to be made clean, and those
things, before the LORD, at the
door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.

A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr.

2. Abib or Nisan.

12 And the priest shall take one he-lamb, and offer him for a trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and 'wave them for a waveoffering before the LORD.

m

13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, in the holy place: for " as the sin-offering is the priest's, so is the trespassoffering: it is most holy.

14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass-offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:

15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:

10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb h of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. 11 And the priest that maketh him clean before the LORD:

a Hebr. ix. 13. b 2 Kings v. 10, 14.- c Heb. the upon face of the field. d Ch. xiii, 6. Le Ch. xi. 25.- Numb. Matt. viii. 4. Mark i. 44. Luke v. 14. h Heb. the daughter of her year. Ch. ii. 1. Numb. xv.

xii. 15.

soul through the atonement and Spirit of Christ; but to run analogies between the type and the thing typified is difficult and precarious. The general meaning and design we sufficiently understand; the particulars are not readily ascertainable, and consequently of little importance; had they been otherwise, they would have been pointed out.

16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times

4. 15. * Ch. v. 2, 18. vi. 6, 7.- Exod. xxix. 24.
Exod. xxix. 11. Ch. i. 5, 11. iv. 4, 24.-
- Ch. vii. 7.
Ch. ii. 3. vii. 6. xxi. 22.- -P Exod. xxix. 20. Ch. viii. 23.

were intended to represent the death and resurrection of Christ, by which an atonement was made to purify the soul from its spiritual leprosy. The bird let loose bears a near analogy to the scape-goat. See chap. xvi.

Verse 8. And shave off all his hair] That the water by which he was to be washed should reach every part of his body, that he might be cleansed from whatever defilement might remain on any part of the surface of his body. The Egyptian priests shaved the whole body every third day, to prevent all manner of defilement. Verse 10. Two he-lambs] One for a trespass-of

Verse 5. Over running water.] Literally, living, that is, spring water. The meaning appears to be this: Some water (about a quarter of a log, an eggshell and a half full, according to the rabbins) was taken from a spring, and put into a clean earthen ves-fering, ver. 12, the other for a burnt-offering, ver. 19, 20. sel, and they killed the bird over this water, that the blood might drop into it; and in this blood and water mixed they dipped the instrument before described, and sprinkled it seven times upon the person who was to be cleansed. The living or spring water was chosen because it was purer than what was taken from pits or wells, the latter being often in a putrid or corrupt state; for in a ceremony of purifying or cleansing, every thing must be as pure and perfect as possible.

Verse 7. Shall let the living bird loose] The Jews teach that wild birds were employed on this occasion, no tame or domestic animal was used. Mr. Ainsworth piously conjectures that the living and dead birds

One ewe-lamb] This was for a sin-offering, ver. 19. Three tenth deals] Three parts of an ephah, or three omers; see all these measures explained Exod. xvi. 16. The three tenth deals of flour were for a minchah, meat or gratitude offering, ver. 20. The sin-offering was for his impurity; the trespass-offering for his transgression; and the gratitude-offering for his gracious cleansing. These constituted the offering which each was ordered to bring to the priest; see Matt. viii. 4.

Verse 12. Wave-offering] See Exod. xxix. 27, and chap. vii., where the reader will find an ample account of all the various offerings and sacrifices used among the Jews.

CHAP. XIV.

Verse 21. And if he be poor-he shall take one lamb] There could be no cleansing without a sacri- Verse 34. When ye be come into the land-and 1 fice. On this ground the apostle has properly ob- put the plague of leprosy] It was probably from this served that all things under the law are purged with text that the leprosy has been generally considered blood; and that without shedding of blood there is no to be a disease inflicted immediately by God himself; remission. Even if the person be poor, he must pro- but it is well known that in scripture God is frevide one lamb; this could not be dispensed with :- quently represented as doing what, in the course of so every soul to whom the word of divine revelation his providence, he only permits or suffers to be done.

LEVITICUS.

is in the house be not made un-into the house all the while that

Different uncleannesses,

CHAP. XV.

Verse 53. He shall let go the living bird] This might as well be called the scape-bird, as the goat, in chap. xvi., is called the scape-goat. The rites are similar in both cases, and probably had nearly the same meaning.

We have already taken occasion to observe (see the end of the preceding chapter) that the leprosy was strongly emblematical of sin; to which we may add here, 1. That the leprosy was a disease generally acknowledged to be incurable by any human means; and therefore the Jews did not attempt to cure it. What is directed to be done here was not in order to cure the leper, but to declare him cured and fit for society. In like manner the contagion of sin, its guilt and its power, can only be removed by the hand of God; all means, without his especial influence, can be of no avail.

2. The body must be sprinkled and washed, and a sacrifice offered for the sin of the soul, before the leper could be declared to be clean. To cleanse the spiritual leper, the Lamb of God must be slain, and the sprinkling of his blood be applied. Without the shedding of this blood there is no remission.

3. When the leper was cleansed, he was obliged to show himself to the priest, whose province it was to pronounce him clean, and declare him fit for intercourse with civil and religious society. When a sinner is converted from the error of his ways, it is the business, as it is the prerogative, of the ministers of Christ, after having duly acquainted themselves with every circumstance, to declare the person converted from sin to holiness, to unite him with the people of God, and admit him to all the ordinances which belong to the faithful.

and laws respecting them.

by the law to offer a gift unto the Lord for his healing, as a proof of his gratitude, and an evidence of his obedience. When a sinner is restored to the divine favour, he should offer continually the sacrifice of a grateful heart, and, in willing obedience, show forth the virtues of Him who has called him from darkness and wretchedness to marvellous light and happiness.

Reader, such was the leprosy, its destructive nature and consequences, and the means of removing it; such is the spiritual evil represented by it, such its consequences, and such the means by which alone it can be removed. The disease of sin, inflicted by the devil, can only be cured by the power of God. 1. Art thou a leper? Do the spots of this spiritual infection begin to appear on thee? 2. Art thou young, and only entering into the ways of the world and sin? Stop! bad habits are more easily conquered to-day than they will be to-morrow. 3. Art thou stricken in years, and rooted in transgression? How kind is thy Maker to have preserved thee alive so long! Turn from thy transgressions, humble thy soul before him, confess thine iniquity, and implore forgiveness. Seek, and thou shalt find. Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! 4. Hast thou been cleansed, and hast not returned to give glory to God? hast not continued in the truth, serving thy Maker and Saviour with a loving and obedient heart? How cutting is that word, Were there not TEN cleansed? but where are the NINE? Thou art probably one of them. Be confounded at thy ingratitude, and distressed for thy backsliding; and apply a second time for the healing efficacy of the great Atonement. Turn, thou backslider; for he is married unto thee, and will heal thy backslidings, and

4. When the leper was cleansed, he was obliged will love thee freely. Amen. So be it, Lord Jesus!

CHAPTER XV.

Laws concerning uncleanness of men, ness, accidental and casual, 16-18. 27. Mode of cleansing, 28-30.

preceding cases, 31-33.

A. M. 2514.

B. C. 1490.

An. Exod. Isr. 2.

Abib or Nisan.

1-12. Mode of cleansing, 13-15. Of uncleanLaws concerning the uncleanness of women, 19Recapitulation of the ordinances relative to the

a

AND the LORD spake unto * When any man hath a run

Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,

ning issue out of his flesh, be-
cause of his issue he is unclean.
3 And this shall be his un-

A. M. 2514.
B. C. 1490.
An. Exod. Isr.
2.
Abib or Nisan.

a Ch. xxii. 4. Numb. v. 2. 2 Sam. iii. 29. Matt. ix. 20. Mark v. 25. Luke viii, 43.- b Or, running of the reins.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV.

Verse 2. When any man hath a running issue] The cases of natural uncleanness, both of men and women, mentioned in this chapter, taken in a theological point of view, are not of such importance to us as to render a particular description necessary, the letter of the text being, in general, plain enough. The disease mentioned in the former part of this chapter appears to some to have been either the consequence of a very bad infection, or of some criminal indulgence; for they find that it might be communi

cated in a variety of ways, which they imagine are here distinctly specified. On this ground the person was declared unclean, and all commerce and connexion with him strictly forbidden. The Septuagint Version renders hazzab, the man with the issue, by

yovopovns, the man with a gonorrhea, no less than nine times in this chapter; and that it means what in the present day is commonly understood by that disorder, taken not only in its mild but in its worst sense, they think there is little room to doubt. Hence they infer that a disease which is supposed to be