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The next ceremonial uncleanness is that of the leprosy, concerning which the law was very large and particular; we have the discovery of it in this chapter, and the cleansing of the leper in the next. Scarcely any one thing in all the levitical law takes up so much room as this. I. Rules are here given by which the priest must judge whether the man had the leprosy or no, according as the symptom was that appeared. 1. If it was a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot, Le 13:1-17. 2. If it was a bile, Le 13:18-23. 3. If it was in inflammation, Le 13:24-28. 4. If it was in the head or beard, Le 13:29-37. 5. If it was a bright spot, Le 13:38,39. 6. If it was in a bald head, Le 13:40-44. II. Direction is given how the leper must be disposed of, Le 13:45,46. III. Concerning the leprosy in garments, Le 13:47-59, etc.
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The Law Concerning Leprosy (1490 BC)
关于大麻风的律法（主前 1490 年）
¹ 耶和华对摩西、亚伦说，
² "人的肉皮上若长了疖子，或长了癣，或起了火斑，在肉皮上如同大麻风的灾病；就要将他带到祭司亚伦面前，或亚伦一个作祭司的子孙面前；
³ 祭司要察看肉皮上的灾病：若灾病处的毛已经变白，灾病的现象又深于肉皮的本来之肉，这就是大麻风的灾病；祭司要察看他，定他为不洁净。
⁴ 若火斑在他肉皮上发白，现象不深于肉皮的本来之肉，其上的毛也没有变白；祭司就要将有灾病的人隔离七天；
⁵ 第七天祭司要察看他：看哪，若灾病的现象照旧，又没有在皮上发散；祭司还要将他隔离七天；
⁶ 第七天祭司要再察看他：看哪，若灾病发暗，又没有在皮上发散，祭司就要定他为洁净：这不过是癣；他要洗衣服，便洁净了。
⁷ 但癣若在皮上大大发散，在他被祭司察看定为洁净之后，他还要再被带到祭司面前；
⁸ 祭司若察看，看哪，癣在皮上发散了，祭司就要定他为不洁净：这是大麻风。
⁹ "人若有了大麻风的灾病，就要将他带到祭司面前；
¹⁰ 祭司要察看他：看哪，若疖子发白，又使毛变白，并且在疖子里有活的红肉；
¹¹ 这是他肉皮上旧的大麻风，祭司要定他为不洁净，不必将他隔离：因为他是不洁净的。
¹² 大麻风若在皮上大大发散，从头到脚、凡祭司眼所能见之处都遮满了有灾病之人的全身皮肤；
¹³ 祭司就要察看：看哪，若大麻风遮满了他全身的肉，他就要定有灾病的人为洁净：全身既变白，他就洁净了。
¹⁴ 但红肉几时显在他身上，他几时就不洁净。
¹⁵ 祭司看见了红肉，就要定他为不洁净：因为红肉是不洁净的：这是大麻风。
¹⁶ 红肉若复原，又变白了，他就要到祭司面前；
¹⁷ 祭司要察看他：看哪，若灾病已变白；祭司就要定有灾病的人为洁净：他就洁净了。 \
I. 关于大麻风的灾病，我们可以从总体上观察到，1. 这与其说是一种病，不如说是一种不洁；至少律法是如此看待的，所以管理此事的不是医生，而是祭司。经上论到基督是说洁净大麻风病人，不是说医治他们。我们并未读到有人死于大麻风，它倒是把人活埋了，使人不能与任何人来往——除了与自己一样被感染的人以外。不过有一传说，说想要杀摩西的法老，乃是头一个患此病的人，并且死于这病。据说这病起于埃及，后传到叙利亚。摩西把手放在怀里、再抽出来成了大麻风的时候，对这病已十分熟悉。2. 这是一种直接从神手中降下的灾罚，并非像别的疾病那样来自天然的原因；所以必须照神的律法来处理。米利暗、基哈西和乌西雅王的大麻风，都是因特别的罪而受的刑罚：若普遍都是如此，那么如此慎重地把这病与普通病症分别出来，便不足为奇了——好叫只有那些确实在神不悦的特别记号之下的人，才被人看为如此。3. 这是如今世上已不再为人所知的灾病；现在通常称为大麻风的，其性质完全不同。这似乎是被保留作为当时和当地罪人之特别刑杖的。犹太人保留了他们在埃及所学的偶像崇拜风俗，所以神公义地使这病和埃及的另一些病症跟随他们。然而我们也读到叙利亚的乃缦是大麻风病人（王下 5:1）。4. 还有一些身体上的肿溃，与大麻风很相似，却不是它，能使人疼痛可憎，却并不致礼仪上的不洁。我们的身体正当地被称为卑贱的身体，其中含有许多疾病的种子，使许多人的生命因此成为苦涩。5. 这病的判断是交托给祭司的。大麻风病人被视为被神的公义所加的耻辱印记，所以这事便留给他的仆人祭司——可以推定他们最认识他的印记——来宣告谁是大麻风病人，谁不是。犹太人一致说："任何祭司，即使因残疾不能在圣所供职，也可以担任大麻风的审判者，只要那残疾不在他的眼睛上。而且他可以（他们说）带一个普通人协助他查验，但必须由祭司来宣告判断。" 6. 这病预表了人的心灵因罪而受的道德污染——这就是灵魂的大麻风，能玷污良心；只有基督能洁净我们脱离它；因为在此基督恩典的大能远超律法之祭司职分的——祭司只能定大麻风病人为有罪（因为律法是叫人知罪），但基督能医治大麻风病人，他能除去罪。"主啊，你若肯，必能叫我洁净了"——这是祭司所不能作的（太 8:2）。有人以为，大麻风与其说预表一般的罪，不如说预表一种犯罪的状态——人因此与神隔绝（他们的斑点不是神儿女的斑点），以及可耻的罪——人因这样的罪当被拒于信徒的相交之外。判断我们属灵光景是一件重要却困难的事：我们都有理由怀疑自己，因为我们自觉有疮有斑，但问题是洁净还是不洁净。一个人可能有癣（利 13:6）而仍是洁净的：最好的人也有其软弱；但正如有一些凭据可以认定那是大麻风，照样也有一些记号表明人在苦胆之中；而传道人的工作，就是宣告大麻风的判断，并帮助那些怀疑自己的人试验自己的属灵光景，或赦免或留下罪。因此天国的钥匙被说成是交托给他们的，因为他们当分别贵重的和卑贱的，并判断谁配作洁净的人领受圣物，谁因不洁净当被拒于圣物之外。
II. 此处立下了一些规则，祭司的判断必须受其引导。1. 若疮只在皮上，便有希望它不是大麻风（利 13:4）。但若深于皮，这人就要被定为不洁净（利 13:3）。那与恩典并存的软弱并不深及灵魂，内心仍然服事神的律法，并且里面的人以之为乐（罗 7:22、25）。但情形若实际上比表面更糟，里头也被感染，那便是危险的。2. 若疮照旧，并不发散，这就不是大麻风（利 13:4、5）。但若它大大发散，并且在几次察看之后仍继续发散，情形就不好了（利 13:7、8）。若人不变得更坏，他的罪行被制止，败坏被遏制，便可希望他会变好；但若罪占了上风，他每况愈下，他就是在走下坡路。3. 若疖子里有凸起的红肉，祭司便不必再等候，这必是大麻风（利 13:10、11）。一个人的属灵光景是否败坏，再没有比他的心自高自大、信靠肉体、抵挡话语的责备和圣灵的感动更确凿的证据了。4. 无论是什么溃出之物，若遮满了全身皮肤，从头到脚，这就不是大麻风（利 13:12、13）；因为这是脏腑康健有力的证据，而本性藉此帮助自己，把那累赘有害之物排挤出来。天花出得透，便有指望：照样，人若自由认罪、不加遮掩，便没有比那遮掩己罪的人更可比拟的危险。有人由此推论，对于放荡的人比对于假冒为善的人更有盼望。税吏和娼妓比文士和法利赛人先进天国。在一方面，激情的突然爆发虽然不好，却不如隐藏的怀恨那样危险。另有人由此推论，我们若审判自己，就不受审判；我们若看见并承认*"我们里头……没有良善，肉体之中没有健康"（因罪的缘故），便必在主眼前蒙恩。* 5. 祭司当从容判断，不可急促。若情形可疑，他当把病人隔离七天，然后再七天，使他的判断按着真理。这教导众人——无论是传道人还是百姓——不可急促定罪，也不可*"在时候以前"审判任何事。若有些人的罪明显走在前面受审*，别人的罪便随后跟来，人的善工也是这样；所以什么也不要*"急促地行"（提前 5:22、24、25）。6. 若被怀疑的人被定为洁净，他仍要洗他的衣服*（利 13:6），因为他曾处在嫌疑之下，而且他里头确实存在足以引起嫌疑的东西。就是被开释的囚犯也要下跪谢罪。我们虽然不是大麻风的斑点，也需要基督的血洗净我们的斑污；因为谁能说，我洁净无罪？虽然有些人靠着恩典免了大罪。
¹⁸ "人若在肉皮上——连那肉皮也是——生过疮，已经痊愈；
¹⁹ 在疮原处起了白色的疖子，或是白中带红的火斑，就要给祭司察看；
²⁰ 祭司察看的时候，看哪，若现象比皮深，其上的毛也变白了；祭司就要定他为不洁净：这是由疮中生出的大麻风灾病。
²¹ 祭司若察看，看哪，其中没有白毛，现象也不深于皮，只是发暗；祭司就要将他隔离七天；
²² 若在皮上大大发散，祭司就要定他为不洁净：这是灾病。
²³ 火斑若留在原处，没有发散，这是疮的痕迹；祭司要定他为洁净。
²⁴ "或是人的肉皮上有火伤之处，那烫伤的活肉上起了白中带红，或是全白的火斑；
²⁵ 祭司就要察看：看哪，若火斑处的毛变白了，现象又比皮深；这是由烫伤中生出的大麻风：所以祭司要定他为不洁净：这是大麻风的灾病。
²⁶ 但祭司若察看，看哪，火斑中没有白毛，也不比别的肉皮深，只是发暗；祭司就要将他隔离七天；
²⁷ 到第七天祭司要察看他：若在皮上大大发散，祭司就要定他为不洁净：这是大麻风的灾病。
²⁸ 火斑若留在原处，没有在皮上发散，只是发暗；这是烫伤的肿起，祭司要定他为洁净：因为这是烫伤的炎症。
²⁹ "无论男女，若在头上或胡须上有了灾病；
³⁰ 祭司就要察看那灾病：看哪，若现象深于皮，其中又有黄细的毛；祭司就要定他为不洁净：这是头疥，就是头上或胡须上的大麻风。
³¹ 祭司若察看头疥的灾病，看哪，现象不深于皮，其中又没有黑毛；祭司就要将有头疥灾病的人隔离七天；
³² 第七天祭司要察看那灾病：看哪，头疥没有发散，其中没有黄毛，现象也不深于皮；
³³ 他就要将那人剃去头发，但不可剃头疥之处；祭司还要将有头疥的人再隔离七天；
³⁴ 第七天祭司要察看头疥：看哪，头疥若没有在皮上发散，现象也不深于皮；祭司就要定他为洁净：他要洗衣服，便洁净了。
³⁵ 但头疥若在他洁净之后在皮上大大发散；
³⁶ 祭司就要察看他：看哪，若头疥在皮上发散，祭司不必找黄毛；他就是不洁净的。
³⁷ 但头疥若照旧，并且其中长了黑毛；头疥已痊愈，他是洁净的；祭司要定他为洁净。 \
此处指教祭司，若大麻风的迹象出现在以下情形中，当如何判断：1. 在已痊愈的旧疮或疖子上（利 13:18 等）。当看来已经痊愈的旧疮再度溃出，便可怕其中有大麻风；那些已经脱离世上污秽、却又其中被缠住制服的人，正是这样危险。2. 在意外的烫伤上，看来这是此处所指的（利 13:24 等）。争竞不和的烫伤，常成为那败坏发作、溃出的缘由，向人的脸面见证他们是不洁净的。3. 在头疥上。而在这情形中，判断往往取决于极小的事。头疥中的毛若为黑色，便是康健的记号；若为黄色，便是大麻风的迹象（利 13:30-37）。这些情形的其他规则，与先前所记相同。在读到这些各种各样的病症时，对我们有益的是，1. 为人生的可悲光景哀叹——人生如此暴露在许多苦楚之中。我们四面被多少疾病的大军围困！而这一切都是因罪而进入的。2. 若神从未用这些疮 afflict 我们，便当感谢神：身体若康健活泼安逸，我们便有责任用我们的身体荣耀神。
³⁸ "无论男女，若在肉皮上起了火斑，就是白色的火斑；
³⁹ 祭司就要察看：看哪，他们肉皮上的火斑若发暗白色；这是皮上起的斑点；他是洁净的。
⁴⁰ "人若头上的头发掉了，成为秃头；他仍是洁净的。
⁴¹ 顶前的头发若掉了，成了顶门秃；他仍是洁净的。
⁴² 秃头或是顶门秃上若有了白中带红的疮；这是在秃头或顶门秃上生发的大麻风。
⁴³ 祭司就要察看：看哪，若疮的疖子在秃头或顶门秃上发白带红，正如大麻风在肉皮上显现的样子；
⁴⁴ 他就是大麻风病人，他是不洁净的；祭司要定他为完全不洁净；他的灾病是在头上。
⁴⁵ "身上有灾病的大麻风病人，他的衣服要撕裂，也要蓬头散发，蒙着上唇，喊叫说：'不洁净了！不洁净了！'
⁴⁶ 灾病在他身上的日子，他就不洁净；他是不洁净的：他必独居营外。 \
我们在此有——
I. 规定斑点皮肤或秃头都不可误认为大麻风（利 13:38-41）。并非每一种缺陷都当立即被定为礼仪上的玷污。以利沙曾因他的秃头被人讥笑（王下 2:23）；但那是伯特利的儿童——他们不认识他们神的判断——把它变成他的羞辱。
II. 大麻风若显在秃头上，便盖上一个特别的印记：他的灾病在头上，他完全不洁净（利 13:44）。大麻风之罪若抓住了头，判断力若已败坏，并采纳了那些支持并助长恶行的邪恶原则，这便是完全不洁，能得洁净的人极少。在真道上坚固，便能保守头免受大麻风之害，并拯救良心免遭破坏。
III. 关于被定为大麻风之人当如何处置的指示。当祭司经过深思熟虑之后庄严地宣告他为不洁净——
1. 他自己也当如此宣告（利 13:45）。他必须取悲哀的姿势，喊叫说：不洁净了！不洁净了！ 大麻风本身不是罪，但它是神不悦的可悲记号，对身处其中的人是痛苦的 affliction。它使他的名声受辱，使他在世上的事业全然停顿，使他断绝与亲友的来往，定他被放逐直到痊愈，把他拒于圣所之外，实际上是毁掉他在世上所能得的一切安慰。看来希幔或是一位大麻风病人，或是指着大麻风病人的忧郁光景而言（诗 88:8-18 等）。所以他当：(1.) 在神大能的手下自卑，不坚持自己是洁净的——祭司既已宣告他不洁净，他就要称义神，并接受他罪孽的刑罚。他当以撕裂衣服、露头和捂上唇来表明这事——这都是羞耻和满面惭愧的记号，十分有力地表明那种自恨、自卑之情——这情当充满悔改者的心，其言语便是自审。这样，我们当承担属于自己的羞耻，以破碎的心称呼我们自己的名——不洁净了！不洁净了！——心不洁净，生活不洁净，因原有的败坏而不洁净，因实际的过犯而不洁净——不洁净，因此永远被拒于与神的相交和在他里面得福的一切盼望之外。我们都像不洁之人（赛 64:6）——不洁，因此灭亡了，若不是无限的怜悯介入。(2.) 他当警告别人小心不要挨近他。他无论往哪里去，都要向远处所看见的人喊叫："我不洁净了，不洁净了，小心不要挨近我。" 并非大麻风会传染，乃是因摸大麻风病人便沾染了礼仪上的不洁。所以人人都当小心防备；而大麻风病人自己也当发出危险的警告。这就是律法所能作的一切，因为它因肉体而软弱；它教导大麻风病人喊叫不洁净了，不洁净了*，但福音却把另一种呼声放在大麻风病人的口中（路 17:12、13），在那里我们看见十个大麻风病人大声喊着说："耶稣，夫子，可怜我们吧。" 律法只是向我们显明我们的病；福音向我们显明我们在基督里的帮助。
2. 他便要被关在营外，后来他们到了迦南，便要被关在他所住的城、镇或村外，独居（利 13:46），只与那些像他一样的大麻风病人为伴。乌西雅王成了大麻风病人之后，便被逐出王宫，住在隔离的房屋里（代下 26:21）。又见王下 7:3。这预表福音教会中当保持的纯洁，就是藉着庄严而有权柄地把那些不愿悔改的可耻罪人拒于信徒的相交之外。"你们应当把那恶人从你们中间赶出去"（林前 5:13）。
⁴⁷ "染了大麻风灾病的衣服，无论是羊毛的衣服，是麻布的衣服；
⁴⁸ 无论是在经上、在纬上；是麻布的、是羊毛的；是在皮子上，或是在任何皮子作的物件上；
⁴⁹ 若在衣服上、皮子上，经上、纬上，或任何皮子作的物件上，有了发绿或发红的灾病；这就是大麻风的灾病，要给祭司察看；
⁵⁰ 祭司要察看那灾病，把有灾病的物件隔离七天；
⁵¹ 第七天他要察看那灾病：若灾病在衣服上，无论在经上、在纬上，或在皮子上，或在任何皮子作的物件上发散了；这是蚕食的大麻风；这是不洁净的。
⁵² 那衣服，无论经或纬，是羊毛的是麻布的，或是任何皮子作的物件，他都要焚烧：因为这是蚕食的大麻风；要在火中焚烧。
⁵³ "祭司若察看，看哪，灾病没有在衣服上，无论在经上、在纬上、或在任何皮子作的物件上发散；
⁵⁴ 祭司就要吩咐人洗有灾病的那物件，并要把它再隔离七天；
⁵⁵ 洗过之后，祭司要察看那灾病：看哪，若灾病没有变色，也没有发散；这是不洁净的；你要用火焚烧；这是无论里外都蚕食的。
⁵⁶ "祭司若察看，看哪，灾病在洗过之后发暗了；他就要从衣服上，或皮子上，或经上，或纬上把它撕去；
⁵⁷ 若灾病仍在衣服上显现，或在经上、在纬上、或在任何皮子作的物件上；这是发散的灾病：你要用火焚烧那有灾病的物件。
⁵⁸ "你所洗的衣服，无论是经、是纬，或是任何皮子作的物件，灾病若已离去，就要再洗一次，便洁净了。
⁵⁹ 这是关于羊毛或麻布衣服上大麻风灾病的律法，无论是在经上、纬上、或任何皮子作的物件上，用以定为洁净或不洁净。 \
这是关于衣服上大麻风灾病的律法，无论是麻布的还是羊毛的。衣服上的大麻风，具有可辨认的迹象——颜色因之而改变、衣服被蚕食、绒毛磨损，且发生在衣服某一特别部位，并在隔离期间增加，又不能藉洗涤除去——这件事对我们如今来说完全无法解释。博学者承认这是以色列中的一件神迹奇事，是神的大能所加的非常之刑罚，作为对某人或某家大大不悦的记号。1. 其过程与关于大麻风病人的大体相同。被疑有污染的衣服不立即焚烧，虽然其损失也许不大；因为在任何情形下都不可仅凭猜测便下判语，必须给祭司察看。若查验后发现确有大麻风的斑点（犹太人说不过一粒豆大），便当焚烧，或至少把衣服上有斑点的部分焚烧（利 13:52、57）。若嫌疑的原因已经消失，便当洗净，然后可以使用（利 13:58）。2. 其含义也大体相同，为要表明罪中的极大恶毒：它不仅玷污罪人的良心，还给他一切的职业和享受、他所有的一切和所作的一切带来污点。在污秽不信的人，什么都不洁净（多 1:15）。我们由此受教，当憎恶甚至被肉体玷污的衣服（犹 1:23）。那些使衣服服事他们的骄傲和情欲的人，可以看见衣服因此染上大麻风，注定被焚烧（赛 3:18-24）。但心里隐藏的人那不朽的装饰（彼前 3:4），公义的外袍永不蚕食、也不被虫蛀。
英文原文
The Law Concerning Leprosy (1490 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
² 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:
³ 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.
⁴ If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:
⁵ And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:
⁶ 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.
⁷ But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:
⁸ And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.
⁹ When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
¹⁰ 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;
¹¹ 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.
¹² And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
¹³ 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.
¹⁴ But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
¹⁵ And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.
¹⁶ Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;
¹⁷ And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh, who sought to kill Moses, was the first that ever was struck with this disease, and that he died of it. It is said to have begun first in Egypt, whence it spread into Syria. It was very well known to Moses, when he put his own hand into his bosom and took it out leprous. 2. That it was a plague inflicted immediately by the hand of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were all the punishments of particular sins: and, if generally it was so, no marvel there was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper, that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary token of divine displeasure but those that really were so. 3. That it is a plague not now known in the world; what is commonly called the leprosy is of a quite different nature. This seems to have been reserved as a particular scourge for the sinners of those times and places. The Jews retained the idolatrous customs they had learnt in Egypt, and therefore God justly caused this with some others of the diseases of Egypt to follow them. Yet we read of Naaman the Syrian, who was a leper, 2Ki 5:1. 4. That there were other breakings-out in the body which did very much resemble the leprosy, but were not it, which might make a man sore and loathsome and yet not ceremonially unclean. Justly are our bodies called vile bodies, which have in them the seeds of so many diseases, by which the lives of so many are made bitter to them. 5. That the judgment of it was referred to the priests. Lepers were looked upon as stigmatized by the justice of God, and therefore it was left to his servants the priests, who might be presumed to know his mark best, to pronounce who were lepers and who were not. All the Jews say, "Any priest, though disabled by a blemish to attend the sanctuary, might be a judge of the leprosy, provided the blemish were not in his eye. And he might" (they say) "take a common person to assist him in the search, but the priest only must pronounce the judgment." 6. That it was a figure of the moral pollution of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse us; for herein the power of his grace infinitely transcends that of the legal priesthood, that the priest could only convict the leper (for by the law is the knowledge of sin), but Christ can cure the leper, he can take away sin. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, which was more than the priests could do, Mt 8:2. Some think that the leprosy signified, not so much sin in general as a state of sin, by which men are separated from God (their spot not being the spot of God's children), and scandalous sin, for which men are to be shut out from the communion of the faithful. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state: we have all cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious to ourselves of sores and spots, but whether clean or unclean is the question. A man might have a scab (Le 13:6) and yet be clean: the best have their infirmities; but, as there were certain marks by which to know that it was a leprosy, so there are characters of such as are in the gall of bitterness, and the work of ministers is to declare the judgment of leprosy and to assist those that suspect themselves in the trial of their spiritual state, remitting or retaining sin. And hence the keys of the kingdom of heaven are said to be given to them, because they are to separate between the precious and the vile, and to judge who are fit as clean to partake of the holy things and who as unclean must be debarred from them.
II. Several rules are here laid down by which the judgment of the priest must be governed. 1. If the sore was but skin-deep, it was to be hoped it was not the leprosy, Le 13:4. But, if it was deeper than the skin, the man must be pronounced unclean, Le 13:3. The infirmities that consist with grace do not sink deep into the soul, but the mind still serves the law of God, and the inward man delights in it, Ro 7:22,25. But if the matter be really worse than it shows, and the inwards be infected, the case is dangerous. 2. If the sore be at a stay, and do not spread, it is no leprosy, Le 13:4,5. But if it spread much abroad, and continue to do so after several inspections, the case is bad, Le 13:7,8. If men do not grow worse, but a stop be put to the course of their sins and their corruptions be checked, it is to be hoped they will grow better; but if sin get ground, and they become worse every day, they are going downhill. 3. If there was proud raw flesh in the rising, the priest needed not to wait any longer, it was certainly a leprosy, Le 13:10,11. Nor is there any surer indication of the badness of a man's spiritual state than the heart's rising in self-conceit, confidence in the flesh, and resistance of the reproofs of the word and strivings of the Spirit. 4. If the eruption, whatever it was, covered all the skin from head to foot, it was no leprosy (Le 13:12,13); for it was an evidence that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is hope in the small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely confess their sins, and hide them not, there is no danger comparable to theirs that cover their sins. Some gather this from it, that there is more hope of the profane than of hypocrites. The publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before scribes and Pharisees. In one respect, the sudden breakings-out of passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as malice concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged; if we see and own that there is no health in us, no soundness in our flesh, by reason of sin, we shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord. 5. The priest must take time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter looked suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then seven days more, that his judgment might be according to truth. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so men's good works; therefore let nothing be done suddenly, 1Ti 5:22,24,25. 6. If the person suspected was found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes (Le 13:6), because he had been under the suspicion, and there had been in him that which gave ground for the suspicion. Even the prisoner that is acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though they be not leprosy-spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin? though there are those who through grace are innocent from the great transgression.
¹⁸ The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
¹⁹ And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be showed to the priest;
²⁰ 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.
²¹ But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
²² And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
²³ But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
²⁴ 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;
²⁵ Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
²⁶ 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:
²⁷ 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.
²⁸ And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.
²⁹ If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;
³⁰ 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.
³¹ 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:
³² And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;
³³ He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:
³⁴ And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
³⁵ But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;
³⁶ Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.
³⁷ But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
The priest is here instructed what judgment to make if there was any appearance of a leprosy, either, 1. In an old ulcer, or bile, that has been healed, Le 13:18, etc. When old sores, that seemed to be cured, break out again, it is to be feared there is a leprosy in them; such is the danger of those who, having escaped the pollutions of the world, are again entangled therein and overcome. Or, 2. In a burn by accident, for this seems to be meant, Le 13:24, etc. The burning of strife and contention often proves the occasion of the rising up and breaking out of that corruption which witnesses to men's faces that they are unclean. 3. In a scall-head. And in this commonly the judgment turned upon a very small matter. If the hair in the scall was black, it was a sign of soundness; if yellow, it was an indication of a leprosy, Le 13:30-37. The other rules in these cases are the same with those mentioned before. In reading of these several sorts of ailments, it will be good for us, 1. To lament the calamitous state of human life, which lies exposed to so many grievances. What troops of diseases are we beset with on every side! and they all entered by sin. 2. To give thanks to God if he has never afflicted us with any of these sores: if the constitution is healthful, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies.
³⁸ If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;
³⁹ 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.
⁴⁰ And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
⁴¹ And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
⁴² 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.
⁴³ Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
⁴⁴ He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
⁴⁵ 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.
⁴⁶ 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.
We have here,
I. Provisos that neither a freckled skin nor a bald head should be mistaken for a leprosy, Le 13:38-41. Every deformity must not forthwith be made a ceremonial defilement. Elisha was jeered for his bald head (2Ki 2:23); but it was the children of Bethel, that knew not the judgments of their God, who turned it to his reproach.
II. A particular brand set upon the leprosy if at any time it did appear in a bald head: The plague is in his head, he is utterly unclean, Le 13:44. If the leprosy of sin have seized the head, if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles which countenance and support wicked practices, be embraced, it is an utter uncleanness, from which few are ever cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps the leprosy from the head, and saves conscience from being shipwrecked.
III. Directions what must be done with the convicted leper. When the priest, upon mature deliberation, had solemnly pronounced him unclean,
1. He must pronounce himself so, Le 13:45. He must put himself into the posture of a mourner and cry, Unclean, unclean. The leprosy was not itself a sin, but it was a sad token of God's displeasure and a sore affliction to him that was under it. It was a reproach to his name, put a full stop to his business in the world, cut him off from conversation with his friends and relations, condemned him to banishment till he was cleansed, shut him out from the sanctuary, and was, in effect, the ruin of all the comfort he could have in this world. Heman, it would seem, either was a leper or alludes to the melancholy condition of a leper, Ps 88:8-18, etc. He must therefore, (1.) Humble himself under the mighty hand of God, not insisting upon his cleanness when the priest had pronounced him unclean, but justifying God and accepting the punishment of his iniquity. He must signify this by rending his clothes, uncovering his head, and covering his upper lip, all tokens of shame and confusion of face, and very significant of that self-loathing and self-abasement which should fill the hearts of penitents, the language of which is self-judging. Thus must we take to ourselves the shame that belongs to us, and with broken hearts call ourselves by our own name, Unclean, unclean—heart unclean, life unclean, unclean by original corruption, unclean by actual transgression—unclean, and therefore worthy to be for ever excluded from communion with God, and all hope of happiness in him. We are all as an unclean thing (Isa 64:6)—unclean, and therefore undone, if infinite mercy do not interpose. (2.) He must give warning to others to take heed of coming near him. Wherever he went, he must cry to those he saw at a distance, "I am unclean, unclean, take heed of touching me." Not that the leprosy was catching, but by the touch of a leper ceremonial uncleanness was contracted. Every one therefore was concerned to avoid it; and the leper himself must give notice of the danger. And this was all that the law could do, in that it was weak through the flesh; it taught the leper to cry, Unclean, unclean, but the gospel has put another cry into the lepers' mouths, Lu 17:12,13, where we find ten lepers crying with a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. The law only shows us our disease; the gospel shows us our help in Christ.
2. He must then be shut out of the camp, and afterwards, when they came to Canaan, out of the city, town, or village, where he lived, and dwell alone (Le 13:46), associating with none but those that were lepers like himself. When king Uzziah became a leper, he was banished from his palace, and dwelt in a separate house, 2Ch 26:21. And see 2Ki 7:3. This typified the purity which ought to be preserved in the gospel church, by the solemn and authoritative exclusion of scandalous sinners, that hate to be reformed, from the communion of the faithful. Put away from among yourselves that wicked person, 1Co 5:13.
⁴⁷ The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
⁴⁸ Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
⁴⁹ 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 showed unto the priest:
⁵⁰ And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
⁵¹ 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.
⁵² He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
⁵³ And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;
⁵⁴ Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
⁵⁵ 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.
⁵⁶ 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:
⁵⁷ 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.
⁵⁸ And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
⁵⁹ 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.
This is the law concerning the plague of leprosy in a garment, whether linen or woollen. A leprosy in a garment, with discernible indications of it, the colour changed by it, the garment fretted, the nap worn off, and this in some one particular part of the garment, and increasing when it was shut up, and not to be got out by washing is a thing which to us now is altogether unaccountable. The learned confess that it was a sign and a miracle in Israel, an extraordinary punishment inflicted by the divine power, as a token of great displeasure against a person or family. 1. The process was much the same with that concerning a leprous person. The garment suspected to be tainted was not to be burnt immediately, though, it may be, there would have been no great loss of it; for in no case must sentence be given merely upon a surmise, but it must be shown to the priest. If, upon search, it was found that there was a leprous spot (the Jews say no bigger than a bean), it must be burnt, or at least that part of the garment in which the spot was, Le 13:52,57. If the cause of the suspicion was gone, it must be washed, and then might be used, Le 13:58. 2. The signification also was much the same, to intimate the great malignity there is in sin: it not only defiles the sinner's conscience, but it brings a stain upon all his employments and enjoyments, all he has and all he does. To those that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Tit 1:15. And we are taught hereby to hate even the garments spotted with the flesh, Jude 1:23. Those that make their clothes servants to their pride and lust may see them thereby tainted with a leprosy, and doomed to the fire, Isa 3:18-24. But the ornament of the hidden man of the heart is incorruptible, 1Pe 3:4. The robes of righteousness never fret nor are moth-eaten.
下一种礼仪上的不洁，便是大麻风的不洁；论此的律例篇幅极大而十分详尽；本章论及其辨察之法，下一章则论及麻风患者的洁净礼。利未记全律法中，几乎没有任何一件事比这事占据更多的篇幅。I. 此处给出律例，使祭司可据所显之症状判断人是否患了大麻风。1. 若是肿块、疮痂或发亮的斑点（利13:1-17）。2. 若是火疖（利13:18-23）。3. 若是发炎之处（利13:24-28）。4. 若长在头上或胡须上（利13:29-37）。5. 若是火斑（利13:38,39）。6. 若长在秃头处（利13:40-44）。II. 又指示当如何处置那患麻风之人（利13:45,46）。III. 论及衣物上的麻风（利13:47-59等）。