131 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying, 2 'When a man hath in the skin of his flesh a rising, or scab, or bright spot, and it hath become in the skin of his flesh a leprous plague, then he hath been brought in unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests; 3 and the priest hath seen the plague in the skin of the flesh, and the hair in the plague hath turned white, and the appearance of the plague 'is' deeper than the skin of his flesh—it 'is' a plague of leprosy, and the priest hath seen him, and hath pronounced him unclean. 4 'And if the bright spot is white in the skin of his flesh, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and its hair hath not turned white, then hath the priest shut up 'him who hath' the plague seven days. 5 'And the priest hath seen him on the seventh day, and lo, the plague hath stood in his eyes, the plague hath not spread in the skin, and the priest hath shut him up a second seven days. 6 'And the priest hath seen him on the second seventh day, and lo, the plague is become weak, and the plague hath not spread in the skin—and the priest hath pronounced him clean, it 'is' a scab, and he hath washed his garments, and hath been clean. 7 'And if the scab spread greatly in the skin, after his being seen by the priest for his cleansing, then he hath been seen a second time by the priest; 8 and the priest hath seen, and lo, the scab hath spread in the skin, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it 'is' leprosy. 9 'When a plague of leprosy is in a man, then he hath been brought in unto the priest, 10 and the priest hath seen, and lo, a white rising in the skin, and it hath turned the hair white, and a quickening of raw flesh 'is' in the rising,— 11 an old leprosy it 'is' in the skin of his flesh, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; he doth not shut him up, for he 'is' unclean. 12 'And if the leprosy break out greatly in the skin, and the leprosy hath covered all the skin of 'him who hath' the plague, from his head even unto his feet, to all that appeareth to the eyes of the priest,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 13:1-12
Commentary on Leviticus 13:1-17
(Read Leviticus 13:1-17)
The plague of leprosy was an uncleanness, rather than a disease. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. Common as the leprosy was among the Hebrews, during and after their residence in Egypt, we have no reason to believe that it was known among them before. Their distressed state and employment in that land must have rendered them liable to disease. But it was a plague often inflicted immediately by the hand of God. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were punishments of particular sins; no marvel there was care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper. The judgment of it was referred to the priests. And it was a figure of the moral pollutions of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse. The priest could only convict the leper, (by the law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he can take away sin. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state. We all have cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious of sores and spots; but whether clean or unclean is the question. As there were certain marks by which to know it was leprosy, so there are marks of such as are in the gall of bitterness. The priest must take time in making his judgment. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in censures, nor to judge anything before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so do men's good works. If the person suspected were found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes, because there had been ground for the suspicion. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though not leprosy spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin?