Leviticus — Chapter 14

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1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:

3And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold,

4Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive

5And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird

7And 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.

8And 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 shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

9But 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.

10And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour

11And the priest that maketh

12And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them

13And 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

14And the priest shall take

15And the priest shall take

16And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that

17And of the rest of the oil that

18And the remnant of the oil that

19And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:

20And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21And if he

22And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.

24And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them

25And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take

26And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:

27And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger

28And the priest shall put of the oil that

29And the rest of the oil that

30And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;

31Even such as he is able to get, the one

32This

33And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

34When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;

35And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me

36Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go

37And he shall look on the plague, and, behold,

38Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:

39And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold,

40Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague

41And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:

42And they shall take other stones, and put

43And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered;

44Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold,

45And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry

46Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.

47And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.

48And if the priest shall come in, and look

49And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

50And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:

51And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:

52And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

53But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.

54This

55And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,

56And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:

57To teach when

1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest:

3and the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look; and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper,

4then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

5And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.

6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

7And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let go the living bird into the open field.

8And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.

9And 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, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

10And on the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.

11And the priest that cleanseth him shall set the man that is to be cleansed, and those things, before Jehovah, at the door of the tent of meeting.

12And the priest shall take one of the he-lambs, and offer him for a trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave-offering before Jehovah:

13and he shall kill the he-lamb in the place where they kill the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, in the place of the sanctuary: for as the sin-offering is the priest`s, so is the trespass-offering: it is most holy:

14and the priest shall take 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.

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

16and 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 before Jehovah:

17and of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put 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, upon the blood of the trespass-offering:

18and the rest of the oil that is in the priest`s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah.

19And the priest shall offer the sin-offering, and make atonement for him that is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness: and afterward he shall kill the burnt-offering;

20and the priest shall offer the burnt-offering and the meal-offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21And if he be poor, and cannot get so much, then he shall take one he-lamb for a trespass-offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth part [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering, and a log of oil;

22and two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin-offering, and the other a burnt-offering.

23And on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tent of meeting, before Jehovah:

24and the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before Jehovah.

25And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass-offering; and the priest shall take of the blood of the trespass-offering, and 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.

26And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand;

27and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Jehovah:

28and the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand 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, upon the place of the blood of the trespass-offering:

29and the rest of the oil that is in the priest`s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Jehovah.

30And he shall offer one of the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to get,

31even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, with the meal-offering: and the priest shall make atonement for him that is to be cleansed before Jehovah.

32This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to get [that which pertaineth] to his cleansing.

33And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

34When ye are come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;

35then he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, There seemeth to me to be as it were a plague in the house.

36And the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goeth in to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:

37and he shall look on the plague; and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and the appearance thereof be lower than the wall;

38then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.

39And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house;

40then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which the plague is, and cast them into an unclean place without the city:

41and he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the mortar, that they scrape off, without the city into an unclean place:

42and they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

43And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken out the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;

44then the priest shall come in and look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.

45And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.

46Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.

47And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.

48And if the priest shall come in, and look, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered; then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.

49And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

50and he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:

51and he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:

52and he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

53but he shall let got the living bird out of the city into the open field: so shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean.

54This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and for a scall,

55and for the leprosy of a garment, and for a house,

56and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot;

57to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

1The Lord spoke to Moses:

2“This is the law of the diseased person on the day of his purification, when he is brought to the priest.

3The priest is to go outside the camp and examine the infection. If the infection of the diseased person has been healed,

4then the priest will command that two live clean birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, and some twigs of hyssop be taken up for the one being cleansed.

5The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered into a clay vessel over fresh water.

6Then he is to take the live bird along with the piece of cedar wood, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the twigs of hyssop, and he is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over the fresh water,

7and sprinkle it seven times on the one being cleansed from the disease, pronounce him clean, and send the live bird away over the open countryside.

8“The one being cleansed must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days.

9When the seventh day comes, he must shave all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, all his hair—and he must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and so be clean.

10“On the eighth day he must take two flawless male lambs, one flawless yearling female lamb, three-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a grain offering mixed with olive oil, and one log of olive oil,

11and the priest who pronounces him clean will have the man who is being cleansed stand along with these offerings before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.

12“The priest is to take one male lamb and present it for a guilt offering along with the log of olive oil and present them as a wave offering before the Lord.

13He must then slaughter the male lamb in the place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered, in the sanctuary, because, like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy.

14Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

15The priest will then take some of the log of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand.

16Then the priest is to dip his right forefinger into the olive oil that is in his left hand, and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times before the Lord.

17The priest will then put some of the rest of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering,

18and the remainder of the olive oil that is in his hand the priest is to put on the head of the one being cleansed. So the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord.

19“The priest must then perform the sin offering and make atonement for the one being cleansed from his impurity. After that he is to slaughter the burnt offering,

20and the priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest is to make atonement for him and he will be clean.

21“If the person is poor and does not have sufficient means, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering for a wave offering to make atonement for himself, one-tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,

22and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, which are within his means. One will be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

23“On the eighth day he must bring them for his purification to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent before the Lord,

24and the priest is to take the male lamb of the guilt offering and the log of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.

25Then he is to slaughter the male lamb of the guilt offering, and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

26The priest will then pour some of the olive oil into his own left hand,

27and sprinkle some of the olive oil that is in his left hand with his right forefinger seven times before the Lord.

28Then the priest is to put some of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering,

29and the remainder of the olive oil that is in the hand of the priest he is to put on the head of the one being cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord.

30“He will then make one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, which are within his means,

31a sin offering and the other a burnt offering along with the grain offering. So the priest is to make atonement for the one being cleansed before the Lord.

32This is the law of the one in whom there is a diseased infection, who does not have sufficient means for his purification.”

33The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

34“When you enter the land of Canaan which I am about to give to you for a possession, and I put a diseased infection in a house in the land you are to possess,

35then whoever owns the house must come and declare to the priest, ‘Something like an infection is visible to me in the house.’

36Then the priest will command that the house be cleared before the priest enters to examine the infection so that everything in the house does not become unclean, and afterward the priest will enter to examine the house.

37He is to examine the infection, and if the infection in the walls of the house consists of yellowish green or reddish eruptions, and it appears to be deeper than the surface of the wall,

38then the priest is to go out of the house to the doorway of the house and quarantine the house for seven days.

39The priest must return on the seventh day and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the walls of the house,

40then the priest is to command that the stones that had the infection in them be pulled and thrown outside the city into an unclean place.

41Then they shall scrape the house all around on the inside, and the plaster which they have scraped off must be dumped outside the city into an unclean place.

42They are then to take other stones and replace those stones, and he is to take other plaster and replaster the house.

43“If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after he has pulled out the stones, scraped the house, and it is replastered,

44the priest is to come and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the house, it is a malignant disease in the house. It is unclean.

45He must tear down the house, its stones, its wood, and all the plaster of the house, and take all of it outside the city to an unclean place.

46Anyone who enters the house all the days the priest has quarantined it will be unclean until evening.

47Anyone who lies down in the house must wash his clothes. Anyone who eats in the house must wash his clothes.

48“If, however, the priest enters and examines it, and the infection has not spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest is to pronounce the house clean because the infection has been healed.

49Then he is to take two birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, and some twigs of hyssop to purify the house,

50and he is to slaughter one bird into a clay vessel over fresh water.

51He must then take the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.

52So he is to purify the house with the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the live bird, the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, and the scrap of crimson fabric,

53and he is to send the live bird away outside the city into the open countryside. So he is to make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.

54“This is the law for all diseased infections, for scall,

55for the diseased garment, for the house,

56for the swelling, for the scab, and for the bright spot,

57to teach when something is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law for dealing with infectious disease.”

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest,

3and the priest shall go out of the camp. The priest shall examine him, and behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper,

4then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.

5The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.

6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.

7He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.

8“He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.

9It 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. He shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his body in water, then he shall be clean.

10“On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without defect, and one ewe lamb a year old without defect, and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.

11The priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed, and those things, before Yahweh, at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

12“The priest shall take one of the male lambs, and offer him for a trespass offering, with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh.

13He shall kill the male lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy.

14The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

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

16The priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Yahweh.

17The priest shall put some of the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering.

18The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, and the priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh.

19“The priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness: and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering;

20and the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21“If he is poor, and can’t afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil;

22and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23“On the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, before Yahweh.

24The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh.

25He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

26The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand;

27and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Yahweh.

28Then the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering.

29The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Yahweh.

30He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to afford,

31even such as he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Yahweh.”

32This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.

33Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

34“When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of your possession,

35then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of plague in the house.’

36The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean. Afterward the priest shall go in to inspect the house.

37He shall examine the plague; and behold, if the plague is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and it appears to be deeper than the wall;

38then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.

39The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house,

40then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the plague, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city:

41and he shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped all over, and they shall pour out the mortar, that they scraped off, outside of the city into an unclean place.

42They shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

43“If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house, after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered;

44then the priest shall come in and look; and behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew in the house. It is unclean.

45He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house’s mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean place.

46“Moreover he who goes into the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening.

47He who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48“If the priest shall come in, and examine it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the house, after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.

49To cleanse the house he shall take two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.

50He shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.

51He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.

52He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet;

53but he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field. So shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean.”

54This is the law for any plague of leprosy, and for an itch,

55and for the destructive mildew of a garment, and for a house,

56and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot;

57to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean. This is the law of leprosy.

Summary
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Summary

God prescribes the cleansing ritual for healed lepers — involving blood, water, oil, and sacrifice — restoring them to community and worship.

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Leviticus is the third book of the Pentateuch, written during the wilderness period (approximately 1445-1405 BC). Hebrew title: "Vayikra" — "And He called." God speaks from the newly completed Tabernacle, giving Israel instructions for worship, sacrifice, and holy living.
Historical Context: Chapter 14 is the counterpart to chapter 13. Where chapter 13 dealt with the DIAGNOSIS of leprosy and the declaration of uncleanness, chapter 14 deals with the CLEANSING of the healed leper and his restoration to the community. This is one of the most richly typological chapters in Leviticus — the cleansing ritual is saturated with pictures of Christ's redemptive work. The two-bird ceremony (vv.4-7) parallels the two-goat ceremony of the Day of Atonement (chapter 16): one dies, one goes free — death and resurrection, substitution and release. The blood applied to the ear, thumb, and toe (v.14) mirrors the priestly consecration of chapter 8 — the cleansed leper is restored to a status parallel to a priest. The cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop (v.4) appear together at the cross (the wooden cross, the scarlet blood, the hyssop that lifted the sponge — John 19:29). The chapter also addresses "leprosy" in houses (vv.33-53) — sin that infects not just persons but environments and institutions. The entire chapter moves from exclusion to restoration, from death to life, from outside the camp to full participation in worship. It is the gospel in ceremonial form.
The Law of the Leper's Cleansing — The Priest Goes Out (vv.1-3): The LORD speaks to Moses (v.1). "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing" (v.2). The leper is brought to the priest (v.2). Critical detail: "the priest shall go forth OUT OF THE CAMP" (v.3). The priest goes to where the leper is — outside the camp. The leper cannot come in; the priest must go out. The priest examines: if the leprosy is healed (v.3). Note: the healing has ALREADY occurred before the ceremony begins. The ritual does not heal — it declares clean what God has already healed. The priest going outside the camp = Christ leaving heaven's glory to come to where sinners dwell (Hebrews 13:12; Philippians 2:5-8).
The Two-Bird Ceremony (vv.4-7): The priest commands: take two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop (v.4). One bird is killed in an earthen vessel over running (living) water (v.5). The living bird, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop are dipped in the blood of the killed bird mixed with the running water (v.6). The priest sprinkles the leper seven times and pronounces him clean (v.7). The living bird is released into the open field (v.7). The typology: TWO BIRDS — one dies, one lives. The killed bird = Christ's death. The living bird = Christ's resurrection. The living bird is dipped in the blood of the dead bird — resurrection is connected to death; the risen Christ still bears the marks of crucifixion. The living bird released into the open field = the ascension; freedom; life released into the heavens. CEDAR WOOD — durable, incorruptible wood. The cross. SCARLET — the color of blood, of royalty, of sin (Isaiah 1:18). HYSSOP — the lowly plant used to apply blood (Exodus 12:22; Psalm 51:7; John 19:29). EARTHEN VESSEL — humanity; the body of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:7). RUNNING WATER — living water; the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39). SEVEN TIMES — divine completeness. The cleansing is total and perfect.
The Leper's Washing and Waiting (vv.8-9): The cleansed person washes clothes, shaves ALL hair, bathes in water — he is clean (v.8). He may enter the camp but must stay outside his tent seven days (v.8). On the seventh day: shave ALL hair again — head, beard, eyebrows, everything (v.9). Wash clothes, bathe — he is clean (v.9). The complete shaving = removal of everything that grew during the period of disease. The old life is stripped away entirely. A new beginning — like a newborn, hairless and fresh.
The Eighth-Day Offerings (vv.10-20): On the eighth day (new beginnings): two male lambs without blemish, one ewe lamb (first year, without blemish), three-tenths ephah of fine flour mixed with oil (grain offering), and one log of oil (v.10). The priest presents the man and offerings before the LORD at the Tabernacle entrance (v.11). The GUILT/TRESPASS offering — one male lamb waved before the LORD with the oil (v.12). Killed in the holy place where sin and burnt offerings are killed — it is most holy (v.13). BLOOD APPLICATION: the priest puts blood of the guilt offering on the tip of the RIGHT EAR, the thumb of the RIGHT HAND, and the great toe of the RIGHT FOOT of the one being cleansed (v.14). This is IDENTICAL to the priestly consecration (Leviticus 8:23-24). The cleansed leper receives the same treatment as a newly consecrated priest. Ear = hearing consecrated to God. Hand = work consecrated to God. Foot = walk consecrated to God. OIL APPLICATION: oil poured into the priest's left hand (v.15). Right finger dips in oil, sprinkles seven times before the LORD (v.16). Oil placed on the right ear, right thumb, right great toe — ON TOP OF the blood (v.17). Blood first, then oil. Atonement first, then the Spirit. The cross before Pentecost. Remaining oil poured on the head (v.18) — anointing, like a king or priest. Atonement made (v.18). SIN OFFERING offered — atonement for uncleanness (v.19). BURNT OFFERING and GRAIN OFFERING offered (v.20). Atonement complete — "he shall be clean" (v.20). The full range: guilt offering (for specific trespass), sin offering (for the condition of uncleanness), burnt offering (total consecration), grain offering (dedication of daily life). Complete restoration.
Provision for the Poor (vv.21-32): If poor — one male lamb for guilt offering (still required — the blood on ear/thumb/toe cannot be reduced), one-tenth ephah flour with oil, one log of oil, and two turtledoves or pigeons (one for sin offering, one for burnt offering) (vv.21-22). Brought on the eighth day (v.23). Same procedure: wave offering (v.24), blood on ear/thumb/toe (v.25), oil sprinkled seven times (v.27), oil on ear/thumb/ toe on top of blood (v.28), oil on head (v.29), birds offered (vv.30-31). Atonement made (v.31). Summary: "This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing" (v.32). Poverty does not prevent restoration. The essential elements (blood, oil, ear/thumb/toe) remain unchanged regardless of wealth.
Leprosy in Houses (vv.33-53): God speaks to Moses and Aaron (v.33). "When ye be come into the land of Canaan" — this is future legislation for the Promised Land (v.34). Remarkable: "I PUT the plague of leprosy in a house" (v.34) — God claims sovereignty over this. The homeowner reports to the priest (v.35). The house is emptied before examination — to prevent everything inside from becoming unclean (v.36). The priest examines: greenish or reddish spots deeper than the surface in the walls (v.37). Quarantine seven days (v.38). Seventh day: if spread — remove affected stones, cast them outside the city in an unclean place (vv.39-40). Scrape the house inside, pour scrapings in an unclean place (v.41). Replace stones and plaster (v.42). If it returns after repair — "fretting leprosy" / "persistent leprous disease"; unclean (vv.43-44). Break down the entire house — stones, timber, plaster — carry outside the city (v.45). Anyone entering during quarantine — unclean until evening (v.46). Sleeping or eating in it — wash clothes (v.47). If NOT spread after replastering — pronounce clean; healed (v.48). CLEANSING CEREMONY for the house: same two-bird ceremony as for the person — two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, hyssop (v.49). One bird killed over running water in earthen vessel (v.50). Dip cedar, hyssop, scarlet, and living bird in blood and water; sprinkle house seven times (v.51). House cleansed (v.52). Living bird released outside the city into open country (v.53). Atonement made for the house (v.53). Sin infects environments, not just individuals. Institutions, families, churches, and cultures can become "leprous" — and the same remedy applies: blood, death, resurrection, and release.
Summary of All Leprosy Laws (vv.54-57): This is the law for all cases of tsara'at: the itch/scall, leprosy in garments, leprosy in houses, swelling, eruption, and bright spot (vv.54-56). Purpose: "To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy" (v.57). The entire section (chapters 13-14) exists to teach discernment — when something is diseased and when it is whole.

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the two-bird ceremony as a picture of Christ's death and resurrection. He notes that the priest going outside the camp pictures Christ coming to where sinners are. He highlights the blood on ear/thumb/ toe as identical to priestly consecration — the cleansed leper is restored to priestly status. He connects cedar, scarlet, and hyssop to the cross.
  • Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "The Cleansing of the Leper" "Two birds — one killed, one set free. Here is the gospel in a picture. One dies — that is Christ on the cross. One lives and flies away into the open field, dipped in the blood of the slain — that is Christ risen, ascending, bearing the marks of His death into the heavens. The living bird carries the blood upward and outward — so Christ carries His atoning blood into the presence of God and applies it to the farthest reaches of creation. And the leper? He is sprinkled seven times — perfectly, completely cleansed. Then blood on his ear — he hears differently now. Blood on his thumb — he works differently now. Blood on his toe — he walks differently now. And oil on top of the blood — the Spirit comes where the blood has been. No blood, no oil. No cross, no Pentecost. No atonement, no anointing. But where the blood is applied, the oil follows. Always."

Reflection

  • 1. "The priest shall go forth out of the camp" (v.3). The leper cannot come to God — God comes to the leper. Christ did not wait for sinners to clean themselves up and come to Him. He went OUTSIDE THE CAMP — to where the unclean dwell. He came to you in your uncleanness. Have you understood the initiative of grace? You did not find God; He came looking for you.
  • 2. Two birds — one dies, one flies free (vv.4-7). This is the gospel: death AND resurrection. Christ died for your sin AND rose for your justification (Romans 4:25). The living bird carries the blood into the open field — your freedom is purchased by His death and guaranteed by His life. Are you living in the freedom the living bird represents? Or are you still acting like someone trapped in the camp of the unclean?
  • 3. Blood on ear, thumb, and toe (v.14). Your hearing, your work, and your walk all belong to God through the blood of Christ. What are you listening to? What are your hands doing? Where are your feet going? The blood claims all three.
  • 4. Oil ON TOP OF blood (v.17). The Spirit's work always rests on the foundation of Christ's atonement. You cannot have the Spirit's power without the cross. You cannot have Pentecost without Calvary. Are you seeking spiritual experience apart from the gospel? The oil only goes where the blood has already been.
  • 5. The cleansed leper receives the SAME treatment as a consecrated priest (v.14; cf. 8:23-24). In Christ, you are not merely forgiven — you are made a priest. "Ye are a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). Your restoration is not to second-class citizenship but to priestly service. The leper who was outside the camp now stands at the Tabernacle entrance before the LORD. That is your position in Christ.