Leviticus 13 - Introduction
_THE LAWS AND TOKENS WHEREBY THE PRIED IS TO BE GUIDED IN DISCERNING THE LEPROSY IN MEN, AND IN GARMENTS._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LAWS AND TOKENS WHEREBY THE PRIED IS TO BE GUIDED IN DISCERNING THE LEPROSY IN MEN, AND IN GARMENTS._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN A MAN SHALL HAVE IN THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH, &C.— Maimonides, who may well be supposed the best judge in this case, tells us, that of these three marks, which were supposed to be prognostics of the leprosy, the first is _a bright spot,_ one species of which is an exceeding whiteness, like that of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PRONOUNCE HIM UNCLEAN— Hebrew, _shall pollute him,_ "that is," says Dr. Beaumont, "by his word he maketh him clean or unclean: and in this sense the ministers of Christ in the Gospel are said to bind and to loose sinners, when they declare them so to be by the word of God; so this Hebrew phrase... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALL NOT SHUT HIM UP— "For trial, as in the former case, Leviticus 13:5 but he shall remove him out of the camp, to dwell by himself, till he is perfectly clean." See Leviticus 13:46. There seems to be no doubt, from this state of the case, that proper medicinal means were used, as we have obse... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A LEPROSY BREAK OUT ABROAD IN THE SKIN, &C.— It may appear extraordinary, that a man, who is all over leprous, should be pronounced clean, and yet one, who is but partially leprous, should be unclean. "The difficulty contained in this passage will vanish," says Dr. Mead, "if we suppose, as it... [ Continue Reading ]
OR— _But._ Houbigant. REFLECTIONS.—We have here the treatment of the plague of leprosy. 1. In the examining of it, the priest was to use the greatest circumspection and deliberation. Rash censures, or hasty conclusions, ill become God's ministers. God lays down his rule of judgment. By the word of G... [ Continue Reading ]
SOMEWHAT REDDISH— _Very shining, exceeding bright._ See _Noldius,_ 779. See Numbers 12:10. 2 Kings 5:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
OR IF THERE BE ANY FLESH, &C.— Jameson renders this, _Again, if in the skin of the flesh there shall have been a burning of fire, and the burning, when healed, shall leave a white brightness, intensely shining,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN OR WOMAN HATH A PLAGUE UPON THE HEAD OR THE BEARD— Maimonides tells us, that in this sort of leprosy the hair on the head or beard fell off by the roots, and the place of the hair remained bare. Bishop Patrick observes, that this seems to have been that kind of disease which, Pliny says, ca... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAN WHOSE HAIR IS FALLEN OFF HIS HEAD, &C.— The sacred writer intends in these words to instruct the priest, that the loss of hair by sickness, or age, was not to be esteemed a token of leprosy.... [ Continue Reading ]
A WHITE REDDISH SORE— Houbigant constantly renders this, _partly white, and partly red,_ which is the colour of flesh infected with leprosy.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LEPER IN WHOM THE PLAGUE IS, HIS CLOTHES, &C.— When the priest discovered the symptoms of leprosy in a man, and declared him unclean, he was not only to be separated from the people, but in all respects to appear and behave as a mourner; rending his clothes, (Genesis 37:34.Job 2:12.) uncovering... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GARMENT ALSO THAT THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY IS IN— After having spoken of the leprosy in human creatures, the sacred writer proceeds to that very peculiar species of the disorder which affected _garments,_ of whatever composition, and which, Calmet thinks, may well be accounted for upon that hypothe... [ Continue Reading ]
WHETHER—IN THE WARP, OR WOOF— _The warp_ is that range of threads which are set or fixed lengthwise in the loom, and through which the weaver shoots the cross threads called the _woof;_ and I apprehend that the expression in the sacred writer means no more than the general texture of the linen or wo... [ Continue Reading ]