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, 13 then hath the priest seen, and lo, the leprosy hath covered all his flesh, and he hath pronounced 'him who hath' the plague clean; it hath all turned white; he 'is' clean. 14 'And in the day of raw flesh being seen in him he is unclean; 15 and the priest hath seen the raw flesh, and hath pronounced him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it 'is' leprosy. 16 Or when the raw flesh turneth back, and hath been turned to white, then he hath come in unto the priest, 17 and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the plague hath been turned to white, and the priest hath pronounced clean 'him who hath' the plague; he 'is' clean.
18 'And when flesh hath in it, in its skin, an ulcer, and it hath been healed, 19 and there hath been in the place of the ulcer a white rising, or a bright white spot, very red, then it hath been seen by the priest, 20 and the priest hath seen, and lo, its appearance 'is' lower than the skin, and its hair hath turned white, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it 'is' a plague of leprosy—in an ulcer it hath broken out. 21 'And if the priest see it, and lo, there is no white hair in it, and it is not lower than the skin, and is become weak, then hath the priest shut him up seven days; 22 and if it spread greatly in the skin, then hath the priest pronounced him unclean, it 'is' a plague; 23 and if in its place the bright spot stay—it hath not spread—it 'is' an inflammation of the ulcer; and the priest hath pronounced him clean. 24 'Or when flesh hath in its skin a fiery burning, and the quickening of the burning, the bright white spot, hath been very red or white, 25 and the priest hath seen it, and lo, the hair hath turned white in the bright spot, and its appearance 'is' deeper than the skin; leprosy it 'is', in the burning it hath broken out, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it 'is' a plague of leprosy. 26 'And if the priest see it, and lo, there is no white hair on the bright spot, and it is not lower than the skin, and it is become weak, then the priest hath shut him up seven days; 27 and the priest hath seen him on the seventh day, if it spread greatly in the skin, then the priest hath pronounced him unclean; a plague of leprosy it 'is'. 28 'And if the bright spot stay in its place, it hath not spread in the skin, and is become weak; a rising of the burning it 'is', and the priest hath pronounced him clean; for it 'is' inflammation of the burning. 29 'And when a man (or a woman) hath in him a plague in the head or in the beard, 30 then hath the priest seen the plague, and lo, its appearance is deeper than the skin, and in it a thin shining hair, and the priest hath pronounced him unclean; it 'is' a scall—it 'is' a leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31 'And when the priest seeth the plague of the scall, and lo, its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then hath the priest shut up 'him who hath' the plague of the scall seven days. 32 'And the priest hath seen the plague on the seventh day, and lo, the scall hath not spread, and a shining hair hath not been in it, and the appearance of the scall is not deeper than the skin, 33 then he hath shaved himself, but the scall he doth not shave; and the priest hath shut up 'him who hath' the scall a second seven days. 34 And the priest hath seen the scall on the seventh day, and lo, the scall hath not spread in the skin, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and the priest hath pronounced him clean, and he hath washed his garments, and hath been clean. 35 'And if the scall spread greatly in the skin after his cleansing, 36 and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the scall hath spread in the skin, the priest seeketh not for the shining hair, he is unclean; 37 and if in his eyes the scall hath stayed, and black hair hath sprung up in it, the scall hath been healed—he 'is' clean—and the priest hath pronounced him clean.
38 'And when a man or woman hath in the skin of their flesh bright spots, white bright spots, 39 and the priest hath seen, and lo, in the skin of their flesh white weak bright spots, it 'is' a freckled spot broken out in the skin; he 'is' clean. 40 'And when a man's head 'is' polished, he 'is' bald, he 'is' clean;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 13:1-40
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?
Commentary on Leviticus 13:18-44
(Read Leviticus 13:18-44)
The priest is told what judgment to make, if there were any appearance of a leprosy in old sores; and such is the danger of those who having escaped the pollutions of the world are again entangled therein. Or, in a burn by accident, verse 24. The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising and breaking out of that corruption, which proves that men are unclean. Human life lies exposed to many grievances. With what troops of diseases are we beset on every side; and thy all entered by sin! If the constitution be healthy, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies. Particular note was taken of the leprosy, if in the head. If the leprosy of sin has seized the head; if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles, which support wicked practices, are embraced, it is utter uncleanness, from which few are cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps leprosy from the head.