Leviticus 13 - Introduction

Lev. 13–14: The Laws Relating to Leprosy

The leprosy is the most terrible of all the disorders to which the body of man is subject. There is no disease in which hope of recovery is so nearly extinguished. From a commencement slight in appearance, with but little pain or inconvenience, often in its earlier stage insidiously disappearing and reappearing, it goes on in its strong but sluggish course, generally in defiance of the efforts of medical skill, until it reduces the patient to a mutilated cripple with dulled or obliterated senses, the voice turned to a croak, and with features of ghastly deformity. When it reaches some vital part it generally occasions what seem like the symptoms of a distinct disease (most often dysentery), and so puts an end to the life of the sufferer.

It was an all but universal impression that the leprosy, above all other diseases, came upon man as an irresistible stroke of superhuman power, either in the way of punishment for personal sin or of an affliction with some definite purpose. This natural suggestion was confirmed and realized upon several occasions in the history of the Israelites. A stroke of leprosy was the mark of the divine displeasure at the slow faith of Moses Exodus 4:6, at the contumacy of Miriam Numbers 12:10, at the dishonesty of Gehazi 2 Kings 5:27, and at the impious presumption of Uzziah 2 Chronicles 26:19. One of the denunciations against Joab, on account of the death of Abner, was that his children should be lepers 2 Samuel 3:29.

It is now considered by all the best authorities that the Hebrew word for the disease does not denote the disease which is more properly called the leprosy (see Leviticus 13:12), but that which is known to physicians as the elephantiasis: the origin of which is ascribed to an animal poison generated in or received into the blood, and accumulated therein probably by a process analogous to fermentation. This poison primarily affects either the skin, or the nerves and nervous centers. In this way, two forms of elephantiasis are distinguished, the “Tuberculated,” and the “anaesthetic” or “non-tuberculated,” of which the former is the more common.

Medical skill appears to have been more completely foiled by elephantiasis than by any other malady. The anaesthetic form alone seems to be in some degree amenable to remedies and regimen.

The question as to whether elephantiasis is contagious or not, is one of most unique interests in connection with the Levitical law. Many facts tend to prove that, as a rule, it was not; but that under certain circumstances (e. g. when the ulcers are running) contagion might be developed.