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英文原文
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)
論大痲瘋的律法（主前1490年）
¹ 耶和華對摩西、亞倫說：
² 「人的肉皮上若長了癤子，或長了癬，或長了火斑，在他肉皮上成了大痲瘋的災病，就要將他帶到祭司亞倫或亞倫一個作祭司的子孫面前。
³ 祭司要察看肉皮上的災病；若災病處的毛已經變白，災病的現象深於肉上的皮，這便是大痲瘋的災病。祭司要察看他，定他為不潔淨。
⁴ 若火斑在他肉皮上發白，現象不深於皮，其上的毛也沒有變白，祭司就要將有災病的人關鎖七天。
⁵ 第七天，祭司要察看他；若看災病止住了，沒有在皮上發散，祭司還要將他關鎖七天。
⁶ 第七天，祭司要再察看他；若災病發暗，而且沒有在皮上發散，祭司要定他為潔淨，不過是癬；那人和衣服都要洗淨，就潔淨了。
⁷ 但他為得潔淨將身體給祭司察看以後，癬若在皮上發散開了，他就要再將身體給祭司察看。
⁸ 祭司若察看，癬若在皮上發散了，就要定他為不潔淨，是大痲瘋。
⁹ 「人有了大痲瘋的災病，就要將他帶到祭司面前。
¹⁰ 祭司要察看；若腫起處發白，毛也變白了，而且在腫起處有了紅活的肉，
¹¹ 這是肉皮上的舊大痲瘋，祭司要定他為不潔淨，不用將他關鎖，因為他是不潔淨的。
¹² 大痲瘋若在皮上四外發散，長滿了患災病者的全身皮肉，盡祭司所能察看的，從頭到腳無處不有，
¹³ 祭司就要察看；全身的肉若長滿了大痲瘋，就要定那患災病的人為潔淨：全身既然都變白了，他就潔淨了。
¹⁴ 但紅活肉顯現在他身上的時候，他便不潔淨了。
¹⁵ 祭司一看那紅活肉，就定他為不潔淨；紅活肉本是不潔淨，必是大痲瘋。
¹⁶ 紅肉若復原，又變白了，他就要到祭司那裡去。
¹⁷ 祭司要察看；災病處若變白了，祭司就要定那患災病的人為潔淨，他就潔淨了。
一、關於大痲瘋的災病，我們可以總體觀察到：1. 它更像是一種不潔而非疾病；至少律法如此看待它，因此不是由醫生而是由祭司來處理。經上說基督潔淨了長大痲瘋的人，沒有說醫治他們。我們沒有讀到有人死於大痲瘋，但它倒是將人活埋——使他們不配與除了同樣受感染的人以外的任何人交往。然而有傳統說，那想要殺摩西的法老，是頭一個患此病的人，而且死於此病。據說這病始於埃及，後來蔓延到敘利亞。摩西將自己的手放在懷中取出來長了大痲瘋時，對此病十分熟悉。2. 它是神的手直接施加的刑罰，不像其他疾病那樣出於自然原因；因此必須照神的律法來處理。米利暗的大痲瘋、基哈西的大痲瘋和烏西雅王的大痲瘋，都是特定之罪的刑罰：如果一般而言也是如此，難怪要如此小心地將它與普通疾病區分開來，免得有人被視為擔當這神不悅之特殊記號，而其實不然。3. 這是一種如今世上已不為人所知的災病；現在通常所稱的大痲瘋性質完全不同。這似乎被保留為那時代和那地方之罪人的特殊鞭笞。猶太人保留了從埃及學來的偶像崇拜習俗，因此神公正地使這病與其他一些埃及的疾病追隨他們。然而我們讀到敘利亞人乃縵是大痲瘋患者，2Ki 5:1。4. 還有其他在身體上的發出之物，很像大痲瘋卻不是，這些可以使人痛苦可憎，卻不致在禮儀上不潔。我們的身體被公正地稱為卑賤的身體——其中有如此多疾病的種子，使許多人的生命變為苦澀。5. 這事的判斷交給了祭司。長大痲瘋的人被視為被神公義烙了印，因此交給祂的僕人祭司——人們可以假定他們最認得神的記號——來判定誰是大痲瘋患者，誰不是。所有猶太人都說：「任何祭司，即使因殘疾不能在聖所供職，也可以判斷大痲瘋，只要殘疾不在眼睛。而且他可以（他們說）帶一個普通人協助他搜查，但只有祭司才能宣布判斷。」6. 它是人心因罪而受道德污染的預表——那污染是靈魂的大痲瘋，玷污良心，唯有基督能潔淨我們；因為在此祂恩典的能力無限超越律法的祭司職分——祭司只能定長大痲瘋的人為不潔（因為律法本是叫人知罪），但基督能醫治長大痲瘋的人，祂能除罪。主啊，你若肯，必能叫我潔淨了——這是祭司所不能做的，Mt 8:2。有人認為，大痲瘋所表示的不太是一般的罪，而是一種犯罪的狀態——人因此與神隔絕（他們的斑點不是神兒女的斑點），以及可恥的罪——人因此當被逐出信徒的團契。判斷自己的屬靈狀況是一件極其重要卻又極其困難的事：我們都有理由懷疑自己，因為良心知道我們有瘡和斑點，但問題是究竟潔淨還是不潔淨。人可能有癬（Le 13:6）卻仍是潔淨的：最好的人也有軟弱；但正如有確定的標誌可以辨認那是大痲瘋，照樣也有特徵可以辨認那些在苦膽之中的人；而傳道人的工作就是宣布大痲瘋的判斷，協助那些懷疑自己的人試驗自己的屬靈狀況，或赦免或保留罪。因此天國的鑰匙被說是交給了他們，因為他們要將寶貴的和下賤的分別出來，判斷誰算為潔淨、可以分享聖物，誰算為不潔淨、必須被排除在外。
二、此處設立了幾條規則來指導祭司的判斷。1. 若患處只是皮膚表面，就有希望不是大痲瘋，Le 13:4。但若深於皮，就必須宣布那人為不潔淨，Le 13:3。與恩典並存的軟弱不會深入靈魂，但內心仍順服神的律法，而且裡面的人喜歡它，Ro 7:22,25。但若情形比外表更糟，內裡也受了感染，那就危險了。2. 若患處止住了，沒有發散，就不是大痲瘋，Le 13:4,5。但若它大大發散，而且在幾次察看後繼續發散，情形就不好了，Le 13:7,8。若人沒有變得更壞，罪惡的進程被制止，敗壞被遏制，就可以指望他們會好轉；但若罪得了地盤，他們一天比一天壞，就是走下坡路了。3. 若腫起處有突出的紅活肉，祭司就不必再等了，這確實是大痲瘋，Le 13:10,11。要判斷一個人屬靈光景之敗壞，沒有比心中自高自大、靠肉體、抵擋話語的責備和聖靈的感動更確定的證據了。4. 若發出之物（無論是甚麼）從頭到腳長滿了全身的皮膚，就不是大痲瘋（Le 13:12,13）；因為這證明內臟健康強壯，本性藉此幫助自己，將負擔和有害之物排了出來。天花長得出來就有希望：照樣，若人自由承認自己的罪，不加以隱瞞，就沒有比那些遮掩自己罪惡的人更危險的了。有人從此得出結論：對放蕩不羈者比對假冒為善者更有希望。稅吏和娼妓比文士和法利賽人先進神的國。在某一方面，脾氣突然爆發雖然也夠壞了，卻不如隱藏的惡意那樣危險。另有人從此得出：我們若先審判自己，就不受審判；我們若看見並承認自己裡面沒有健康，肉體中沒有健全——是因為罪——就必在主眼前蒙恩。5. 祭司判斷時必須花時間，不可草率。若情形可疑，他必須將病人關鎖七天，然後再關七天，好使他的判斷合乎真理。這教導所有人——傳道人和百姓都一樣——不可急於論斷，也不可在時候未到之前判斷甚麼。若有些人的罪明顯先到審判，其他人的罪隨後跟著，人的善行也是如此；因此不可急促地行事，1Ti 5:22,24,25。6. 若被懷疑的人被查明為潔淨，他仍要洗衣服（Le 13:6），因為他曾被懷疑，他身上曾有足以引起懷疑的東西。連被釋放的囚犯也要跪下。我們需要被基督的血洗淨我們的斑點——即使那不是大痲瘋的斑點；因為誰能說我潔淨了沒有罪呢？雖然有些人靠恩典免了大罪。
¹⁸ 「人肉皮上若長了瘡，卻治好了，
¹⁹ 在瘡的舊處又長了白癤子，或是白中帶紅的火斑，就要給祭司察看。
²⁰ 祭司要察看；若現象窪於皮，其上的毛也變白了，祭司就要定他為不潔淨：這是由瘡中發出來的大痲瘋。
²¹ 祭司若察看，其上沒有白毛，也不窪於皮，卻是發暗，就要將他關鎖七天。
²² 若在皮上發散開了，祭司就要定他為不潔淨：這是災病。
²³ 火斑若停在原處，沒有發散，便是瘡的疤痕，祭司要定他為潔淨。
²⁴ 「人肉皮上若有了火傷，火傷的紅肉成了白中帶紅的火斑，或是全白的，
²⁵ 祭司就要察看；火斑中的毛若變白了，現象深於皮，這是由火傷中發出的大痲瘋；祭司要定他為不潔淨，這是大痲瘋的災病。
²⁶ 祭司若察看，其上沒有白毛，也不窪於皮，卻是發暗，就要將他關鎖七天。
²⁷ 到第七天，祭司要察看他；若在皮上發散開了，祭司就要定他為不潔淨：這是大痲瘋的災病。
²⁸ 火斑若停在原處，沒有在皮上發散，卻是發暗，這是火的起處，祭司要定他為潔淨，不過是火的疤痕。
²⁹ 「無論男女，若在頭上或鬍鬚上有災病，
³⁰ 祭司就要察看；這災病現象若深於皮，其間有細黃毛，就要定他為不潔淨：這是頭上或鬍鬚上的癬，是大痲瘋。
³¹ 祭司若察看癬的災病，現象不深於皮，其間也沒有黑毛，就要將他關鎖七天。
³² 第七天，祭司要察看災病；癬若沒有發散，其間也沒有黃毛，癬的現象也不深於皮，
³³ 那人就要剃去鬚髮，但他不可剃癬之處；祭司要將那長癬的再關鎖七天。
³⁴ 第七天祭司要察看那癬；癬若沒有在皮上發散，現象也不深於皮，祭司就要定他為潔淨；他要洗衣服，就潔淨了。
³⁵ 但他得潔淨以後，癬若在皮上大大發散了，
³⁶ 祭司就要察看；癬若在皮上發散了，祭司就不必找黃毛了：他是不潔淨的。
³⁷ 祭司若看癬已止住了，其上也長了黑毛，癬就痊癒了，那人便潔淨了；祭司要定他為潔淨。
祭司在此受指教：若在大痲瘋的任何跡象出現在以下情形中，當如何判斷：1. 在一個已痊癒的舊瘡或癤子上，Le 13:18等。當看似已治好的舊瘡再次發出，恐怕其中有痲瘋；那些已經脫離了世上的污穢卻又被其中的纏住制伏的人，情形正是如此危險。2. 在意外燒傷中——看來這就是此處所指，Le 13:24等。爭競和紛爭的火，往往成了那敗壞發出和爆發的契機——那敗壞向人的臉面見證他們是不潔淨的。3. 在癬頭上。在這情形中，判斷往往取決於極小的事。癬中的毛若是黑的，便是健康的記號；若是黃的，便是大痲瘋的跡象，Le 13:30-37。這些情形中的其他規則與先前提到的相同。在讀這幾種病症時，對我們來說是好的：1. 為人類生活的悲慘狀況哀嘆——人暴露在如此多的痛苦之下。我們四面被何等多的疾病群所圍困！而這一切都是因罪而來的。2. 感謝神若祂從未以這些瘡中任何一種折磨過我們：若體質健康，身體活潑輕鬆，我們就有義務用身體來榮耀神。
³⁸ 「無論男女，皮肉上若起了火斑，就是白火斑，
³⁹ 祭司就要察看；他們肉皮上的火斑若微帶灰白，這是皮上所起的白癬：那人是潔淨的。
⁴⁰ 「人頭上的髮若掉光了，他便是禿頭，他還是潔淨的。
⁴¹ 頂前若掉了頭髮，他便是頂禿，還是潔淨的。
⁴² 禿頭或頂禿之處，若有白中帶紅的災病，這就是大痲瘋，發於他的禿頭或頂禿之處。
⁴³ 祭司要察看；他禿頭或頂禿之處的災病若現象白中帶紅，像肉皮上大痲瘋的現象，
⁴⁴ 那人就是長大痲瘋，不潔淨的；祭司要定他為完全不潔淨：他的災病在頭上。
⁴⁵ 「身上有長大痲瘋災病的，他的衣服要撕裂，也要蓬頭散髮，蒙著上唇，喊叫說：『不潔淨了！不潔淨了！』
⁴⁶ 災病在他身上的日子，他便是不潔淨；他既是不潔淨，就要獨居營外。
我們在此看到：
一、白癬和禿頭不可被誤認為大痲瘋的規定，Le 13:38-41。不可將每一種缺陷都立刻當作禮儀上的不潔。以利沙因禿頭被嘲笑（2Ki 2:23）；但那是伯特利的兒童，他們不認識自己神的判斷，將此變為他的羞辱。
二、大痲瘋若出現在禿頭上，便被特別烙上印記：他的災病在頭上，他完全不潔淨，Le 13:44。若罪的痲瘋已侵襲了頭——若判斷力已經腐敗，而且那些支持惡行的邪惡原則已被接受——那就是完全的不潔，能從其中得潔淨的人很少。在信仰上健全能防止痲瘋侵襲頭部，也能保護良心免遭破壞。
三、關於被定為大痲瘋之人當如何處置的指示。當祭司經過深思熟慮、莊嚴地宣布他為不潔淨之後：
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他必須自己如此宣告，Le 13:45。他必須擺出哀悼者的姿態，喊叫說：不潔淨了！不潔淨了！大痲瘋本身不是罪，但它是神不悅的悲哀記號，是患此病者所受的沉重打擊。它使他的名受辱，使他世上的事業完全停頓，切斷他與親友的交往，判他放逐直到得潔淨，將他拒於聖所之外，實際上毀掉他在這世上所能享受的一切安慰。看來希幔或是長大痲瘋的人，或是引用了大痲瘋患者憂鬱的處境，Ps 88:8-18等。因此他必須：（1）在神大能的手下自卑——不因祭司宣布他為不潔淨而堅持自己是潔淨的，反而要稱義神，接受自己罪孽的刑罰。他必須藉著撕裂衣服、蓬頭散髮、蒙著上唇來表示這一點——這一切都是羞恥和驚惶的記號，非常有意義地表達了那當充滿悔改者內心的自我厭棄和自卑——其言語就是自我定罪。照樣，我們必須承當屬於自己的羞恥，以破碎的心稱呼自己的名字——不潔淨了！不潔淨了！——心不潔淨，生活不潔淨，因原罪而不潔淨，因本罪而不潔淨——不潔淨，因此配得永遠被排除在與神的交通之外，以及在祂裡面得福的一切盼望之外。我們都像不潔淨的人（Isa 64:6）——不潔淨，因此滅亡了，若不是無限的憐憫介入。（2）他必須警告別人當心靠近他。無論他走到哪裡，都必須向遠處看見的人喊叫：我不潔淨，不潔淨，當心不要摸我。這不是因為大痲瘋會傳染，而是因為摸了大痲瘋患者便沾染禮儀上的不潔。因此每個人都當小心避免；而大痲瘋患者自己也必須通知危險。這就是律法所能做的一切——它因肉體軟弱而無能為力；它教導大痲瘋患者喊叫不潔淨，不潔淨，但福音卻在長大痲瘋的人口中放入了另一個呼聲，Lu 17:12,13——我們在那裡看到十個長大痲瘋的人大聲呼喊：*耶穌，夫子，可憐我們吧！*律法只向我們展示我們的疾病；福音向我們展示在基督裡的幫助。
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他然後必須被趕出營外，後來到了迦南，則要被趕出他所住的城、鎮或村莊之外，獨居（Le 13:46），只與那些同樣患大痲瘋的人交往。當烏西雅王成了大痲瘋患者，他便被逐出宮殿，住在別的宮裡，2Ch 26:21。又見2Ki 7:3。這預表了福音教會中當保持的純潔——藉著莊嚴且有權柄地將那些恨惡改過的、可恥的罪人從信徒的團契中排除。你們應當把那惡人從你們中間趕出去，1Co 5:13。
⁴⁷ 「染了大痲瘋災病的衣服，無論是羊毛衣服、是麻布衣服，
⁴⁸ 無論是在經上、在緯上，是麻布的、是羊毛的，是在皮子上，或在皮子做的甚麼物件上，
⁴⁹ 或在衣服上、皮子上，經上、緯上，或在皮子做的任何物件上，若有發綠或發紅的災病，這就是大痲瘋的災病，要給祭司察看。
⁵⁰ 祭司就要察看那災病，把染了災病的物件關鎖七天。
⁵¹ 第七天，他要察看那災病；災病若在衣服上，經上、緯上，皮子上，或皮子做的任何物件上發散了，這就是蠶食的大痲瘋，是不潔淨的。
⁵² 那染了災病的衣服，或織的布、緯線，無論是羊毛的、是麻布的，或皮子做的甚麼物件，他都必須燒掉：因為這是蠹食的大痲瘋；要在火中焚燒。
⁵³ 「祭司若察看，災病沒有在衣服上、經上、緯上，或皮子做的物件上發散，
⁵⁴ 祭司就要吩咐人洗那染了災病的物件，又把它關鎖七天。
⁵⁵ 洗過以後，祭司要察看，那物件若沒有變色，災病也沒有發散，那物件就不潔淨，是透裡透外的蠹食；你要在火中焚燒。
⁵⁶ 「祭司若察看，那災病洗過以後若變暗了，就要把那災病從衣服上，或從皮子上，或從經上、從緯上撕掉。
⁵⁷ 災病若仍現在衣服上，或經上、緯上，或皮子做的任何物件上，這就是發散的災病；你必須用火焚燒那染災病的物件。
⁵⁸ 但衣服，無論是經、是緯，或皮子做的甚麼物件，你若洗過，災病若離開了，就再洗一次，便潔淨了。
⁵⁹ 「這就是大痲瘋災病的條例，是在羊毛衣服或麻布衣服上，經上或緯上，或皮子做的甚麼物件上，定為潔淨或定為不潔淨的。
這是關於衣服上大痲瘋災病的律法，無論是麻布還是羊毛。衣服上的大痲瘋，有可以辨認的跡象——顏色因之改變，衣服被蛀蝕，絨毛磨掉，而且集中在衣服的某一處，在關鎖期間擴大，洗也洗不掉——這對我們現在來說完全無法解釋。學者們承認這在以色列中是一個記號和奇事，是神的能力所施的非常刑罰，作為對某個人或家族極大不悅的記號。1. 程序與關於大痲瘋患者的大致相同。可疑的衣服不可立即燒掉——雖然或許損失不大；因為在任何情形中，判決不可僅憑猜測，而必須給祭司察看。若經搜查發現有大痲瘋的斑點（猶太人說不大於一粒豆子），就必須燒掉，或至少燒掉有斑點的那部分衣服，Le 13:52,57。若引起懷疑的原因消失了，就必須洗，然後可以使用，Le 13:58。2. 其含義也大致相同——表示罪中的極大惡性：它不但玷污罪人的良心，還在他一切的工作和享受、一切所有和所行上留下污點。在污穢不信的人，甚麼都不潔淨，Tit 1:15。我們也由此受教導要恨惡那被肉體沾染的衣服，Jude 1:23。那些使衣服服事自己的驕傲和情慾的人，可以看到衣服因此染了大痲瘋，注定被火焚燒，Isa 3:18-24。但隱藏在內心的人的裝飾是不朽壞的，1Pe 3:4。公義的袍子永不蛀蝕，也不被蟲咬。
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.
接下來論及的禮儀上的不潔，便是大痲瘋。關於大痲瘋的律法篇幅很大，規定極其詳盡；本章記述如何辨認大痲瘋，下一章則論如何潔淨長大痲瘋的人。在整個利未律法中，幾乎沒有任何一件事佔如此大的篇幅。一、此處賜下條例，使祭司能根據所顯露的症狀來判斷那人是否患了大痲瘋：1. 若是腫塊、癬或火斑，Le 13:1-17。2. 若是瘡，Le 13:18-23。3. 若是火斑發炎，Le 13:24-28。4. 若長在頭上或鬍鬚上，Le 13:29-37。5. 若是白火斑，Le 13:38,39。6. 若長在禿頭上，Le 13:40-44。二、關於如何處置長大痲瘋之人的指示，Le 13:45,46。三、關於衣服上的大痲瘋，Le 13:47-59等。