Bible Commentaries

Leviticus 14:1. The priests having been instructed in the foregoing chapter how to judge of the leprosy, are here directed concerning the kinds and manner of those sacrifices and ceremonies which were requisite for the legal purification of the leper, after the priest judged him to be healed, in order that he might be readmitted to the civil and religious privileges of the Jewish community.

Leviticus 14:2. He shall be brought to the priest — Not to the priest’s tent or house, but to some place without the camp, or city, where the priest should appoint to meet him.

Leviticus 14:3. Healed — By God, for God alone did heal or cleanse him really, the priest only declaratively.

Leviticus 14:4. Two birds — The one to represent Christ as dying for his sins, the other to represent him as rising again for his purification or justification. Alive and clean — Allowed for food and for sacrifice. Cedar-wood — A stick of cedar, to which the hyssop and one of the birds were tied by the scarlet thread. Cedar seems to be chosen, to denote that the leper was now freed from that corruption which his leprosy had brought upon him, that kind of wood being in a manner incorruptible. Scarlet — A thread of wool of a scarlet colour, to represent both the leper’s sinfulness, and the blood of Christ, and the happy change of the leper’s colour and complexion, which before was wan and loathsome, now sprightly and beautiful. Hyssop — The fragrant smell of which signified the cure of the leper’s ill scent.

Leviticus 14:5. That one of the birds be killed — By some other man. The priest did not kill it himself, because it was not properly a sacrifice, as being killed without the camp, and not in that place to which all sacrifices were confined. In an earthen vessel — That is, over running water put in an earthen vessel. Thus the blood of the bird and the water were mixed together, partly for the convenience of sprinkling, and partly to signify Christ, who came by water and blood, 1 John 5:6. The running water, (that is, spring or river water,) by its liveliness and motion, did fitly signify the restoring of liveliness to the leper, who was in a manner dead before.

Leviticus 14:7. Into the open field — The place of its former abode, signifying the taking off that restraint which was laid upon the leper, and that he was restored to free conversation with his neighbours.

Leviticus 14:8. All his hair — Partly to discover his perfect soundness, partly to preserve him from a relapse through any relics of it which might remain in his hair or in his clothes. Out of his tent — Out of his former habitation, in some separate place, lest some of his leprosy, yet lurking in him, should break forth to the infection of his family.

Leviticus 14:9. He shall shave all his hair — Which began to grow again, and now, for more caution, is again shaved off. He shall be clean — Legally declared so to be, so as to be readmitted both to his family and the public worship.