Leviticus 13:1

The following chapter is a very long chapter on one subject: leprosy. It could be that several different types of skin problems were all called leprosy. The important thing to know is that in the Bible leprosy is symbolic of sin. In this passage one thing that is noticeable is that the Israelites had to carefully examine every possibility of leprosy to make sure that it was taken care of. This symbolizes the fact that every Christian should analyze his or her own life very carefully to make sure no sin is present. It says in First Corinthians 11:31-32, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Every sin must be repented of. Do not let any sin go unconfessed. How else will you grow in Christ? The Bible says in Leviticus 13:1-59, “And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,[2] When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or a bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:[3] And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.[4] If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:[5] And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:[6] And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.[7] But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:[8] And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.[9] When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;[10] And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;[11] It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.[12] And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;[13] Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.[14] But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.[15] And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.[16] Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;[17] And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.[18] The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,[19] And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;[20] And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.[21] But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:[22] And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.[23] But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.[24] Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;[25] Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.[26] But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:[27] And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.[28] And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.[29] If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;[30] Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.[31] And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:[32] And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;[33] He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:[34] And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.[35] But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;[36] Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.[37] But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.[38] If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;[39] Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.[40] And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.[41] And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.[42] And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.[43] Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;[44] He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.[45] And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.[46] All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.[47] The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;[48] Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;[49] And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:[50] And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:[51] And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.[52] He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.[53] And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;[54] Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:[55] And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.[56] And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:[57] And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.[58] And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.[59] This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.”

It is interesting that Jesus had an incident in His life on earth where He healed a man with leprosy. It says in Matthew 8:2-4, “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. [3] And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.[4] And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” What a contrast between all the requirements of the law in regards to leprosy and how easily the Lord Jesus healed the leprosy. The law is a task master and a very hard task master. Grace is easy because it comes simply by faith in Christ. The other thing to notice about what Jesus said and did in Matthew is that Jesus did everything. In Leviticus, as we are reading, the priests did everything. The priests and what they did for leprosy is mentioned over and over in Leviticus chapters 13 and 14. Of course, Jesus is the great high priest. Jesus replaced the priests. In the New Testament order of things, there is no more need for any priest because of the work of Christ. When Jesus died on the cross and presented His own blood for sin, Jesus did the work of a priest once for all. When Jesus sent the healed man to go to the priests and tell them what happened, it was a testimony that Jesus (the priest after the order of Melchisedec) was present.

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