Leviticus 13:13
the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean.
the priest shall examine him,

Priests were responsible for applying God’s laws of cleanliness and determining whether a person could remain within the camp. Their examination protected the community while ensuring that no one was excluded without cause.

Lev 14:3-4 The priest is to go outside the camp to examine him,…
Mrk 1:44 See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself…

and if the disease has covered his entire body,

A person whose skin was entirely white from the condition was treated differently from one showing active, raw sores. The absence of open flesh indicated that the condition was no longer considered an active source of uncleanness.

Exo 4:6-7 Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside…
Num 12:10-12 As the cloud lifted from above the Tent,…

he is to pronounce the infected person clean.

The priest’s ruling restored the person to normal participation in Israel’s worship and community life. Cleanness was not merely a medical judgment but a status that allowed fellowship within the holy camp.

Lev 14:7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed…
Lev 14:20 and offer it on the altar, with the grain offering…

Since it has all turned white, he is clean.

What might appear most severe outwardly could, under God’s law, indicate that the person was no longer ceremonially unclean. The ruling required careful obedience rather than conclusions based on appearance alone.

2Ki 5:27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you……
2Ki 5:14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan…
Mrk 1:42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
- The prophet and leader of the Israelites, who received the laws from God on Mount Sinai.

2. Aaron
- The brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel, responsible for carrying out the laws concerning leprosy.

3. The Israelites
- The people of God who were given the laws to follow as they journeyed through the wilderness.

4. The Priest
- The individual responsible for examining and diagnosing skin diseases according to the laws given by God.

5. The Camp
- The place where the Israelites lived during their journey in the wilderness, where those with skin diseases were isolated.
Teaching Points
Understanding Holiness and Purity
The laws concerning leprosy highlight the importance of holiness and purity in the community of God's people. They serve as a reminder of the need for spiritual cleanliness and separation from sin.

The Role of the Priest
The priest acts as a mediator between God and the people, pointing to the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who intercedes on our behalf.

The Nature of Sin and Its Consequences
Leprosy, as a physical ailment, symbolizes the deeper spiritual issue of sin, which separates us from God and requires divine intervention for cleansing.

Community Responsibility and Care
The isolation of those with leprosy underscores the community's responsibility to maintain purity while also caring for those who are afflicted, reflecting the balance of justice and mercy.

Faith and Obedience
The laws require faith and obedience from the Israelites, teaching us the importance of trusting God's instructions even when they are difficult to understand.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the role of the priest in Leviticus 13:13 foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ as our High Priest?

2. In what ways does the concept of purity in Leviticus relate to our spiritual lives today?

3. How can we apply the principles of community care and responsibility found in this passage to our modern church communities?

4. What does the process of examining and diagnosing leprosy teach us about the nature of sin and its impact on our lives?

5. How do the accounts of leprosy in the New Testament (e.g., Jesus healing the lepers) fulfill and expand upon the laws given in Leviticus 13?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 14
This chapter provides the procedures for the cleansing of a leper, showing the continuation of the laws concerning skin diseases.

Numbers 12
The account of Miriam's leprosy and her subsequent isolation, illustrating the application of these laws.

Luke 17:11-19
The healing of the ten lepers by Jesus, demonstrating the fulfillment of the law through Christ.

Matthew 8:1-4
Jesus heals a leper and instructs him to show himself to the priest, connecting the Old Testament law with New Testament grace.

2 Kings 5
The healing of Naaman the leper, showing God's power and mercy beyond the Israelite community.
LeprosyJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 13:1-59
The Diagnosis of Sin as Illustrated in the LeprosyR.M. Edgar Leviticus 13:1-59
The Priest's AdjudicationJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 13:1-59
A Diseased NatureJ. Spencer.Leviticus 13:2-46
Avoidance of False SuspicionBp. Babington.Leviticus 13:2-46
Discipline in the ChurchA. Willet, D. D.Leviticus 13:2-46
Disease and SinJ. Cumming, D. D.Leviticus 13:2-46
If the Plague be Turned into WhiteA. A. Bonar.Leviticus 13:2-46
LeprosyJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Leviticus 13:2-46
Leprosy and Six HereditaryJ. W. Bardsley.Leviticus 13:2-46
Leprosy, a Special Type of SinS. H. Kellogg, D. D.Leviticus 13:2-46
Leprous Outcasts in EnglandLeviticus 13:2-46
Ministers Must Seek to Produce Conviction of SinLeviticus 13:2-46
Sin as a DiseaseA. Willet, D. D.Leviticus 13:2-46
Sin May be Invisible to Human EyesBiblical TreasuryLeviticus 13:2-46
Sinners Ought to be Willing to Know Their True StateSword and Trowel.Leviticus 13:2-46
The Cleansing of the LeperSpurgeon, Charles HaddonLeviticus 13:2-46
The Difficulty of Knowing Aright One's True Spiritual StateSword and Trowel.Leviticus 13:2-46
The Gospel of the LeprosyS. Mather.Leviticus 13:2-46
The Importance of Attending to the Disease of SinH. W. Beecher.Leviticus 13:2-46
The Leper DiseasedJ. C. Philpot.Leviticus 13:2-46
The Power of One SinLeviticus 13:2-46
The Separating Influences of SinJ. W. Bardsley, M. A.Leviticus 13:2-46
People
Aaron, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Behold, Body, Clean, Consider, Covered, Covereth, Disease, Examination, Examine, Flesh, Infection, Leper's, Leprosy, Plague, Priest, Pronounce, Pronounced, Sees, Sore
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 13:1-46

     5298   doctors

Leviticus 13:2-23

     5136   body

Library
Journey to Jerusalem. Ten Lepers. Concerning the Kingdom.
(Borders of Samaria and Galilee.) ^C Luke XVII. 11-37. ^c 11 And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. [If our chronology is correct, Jesus passed northward from Ephraim about forty miles, crossing Samaria (here mentioned first), and coming to the border of Galilee. He then turned eastward along that border down the wady Bethshean which separates the two provinces, and crossed the Jordan into Peræa, where we soon
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Heals a Leper and Creates Much Excitement.
^A Matt.VIII. 2-4; ^B Mark I. 40-45; ^C Luke V. 12-16. ^c 12 And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities [it was a city of Galilee, but as it was not named, it is idle to conjecture which city it was], behold, ^b there cometh { ^a came} ^b to him a leper [There is much discussion as to what is here meant by leprosy. Two diseases now go by that name; viz., psoriasis and elephantiasis. There are also three varieties of psoriasis, namely, white, black and red. There are also three varieties
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Of the Character of the Unregenerate.
Ephes. ii. 1, 2. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. AMONG all the various trusts which men can repose in each other, hardly any appears to be more solemn and tremendous, than the direction of their sacred time, and especially of those hours which they spend in the exercise of public devotion.
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

The Third Commandment
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.' Exod 20: 7. This commandment has two parts: 1. A negative expressed, that we must not take God's name in vain; that is, cast any reflections and dishonour on his name. 2. An affirmative implied. That we should take care to reverence and honour his name. Of this latter I shall speak more fully, under the first petition in the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name.' I shall
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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