Leviticus 14:2

Translation
King James Version
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
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KJV (with Strong's)
This shall be the law H8451 of the leper H6879 in the day H3117 of his cleansing H2893: He shall be brought H935 unto the priest H3548:
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Complete Jewish Bible
"This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted with tzara'at on the day of his purification. He is to be brought to the cohen,
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Berean Standard Bible
“This is the law for the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest.
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American Standard Version
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest:
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World English Bible Messianic
“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest,
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Geneva Bible (1599)
This is the law of the leper in the day of his clensing: that is, he shall be brought vnto the Priest,
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Young's Literal Translation
`This is a law of the leper, in the day of his cleansing, that he hath been brought in unto the priest,
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See also
Luke 17:14Luke 5:12Luke 5:14Mark 1:40Mark 1:44Numbers 6:9Matthew 8:2
In the KJVVerse 3,114 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 14:2 initiates the intricate legal framework for the ceremonial purification of an individual afflicted with tsara'at, a severe skin condition often translated as "leprosy." This verse establishes the foundational requirement that the person, once healed, must be presented to the priest, underscoring the priest's indispensable role as the authorized mediator and adjudicator in matters of ritual purity and reintegration into the Israelite community.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 14:2 stands at the threshold of a comprehensive legal section spanning Leviticus 14:1-32, which meticulously details the multi-stage ritual for the cleansing and restoration of a person afflicted with tsara'at. This chapter directly follows Leviticus 13, which exhaustively outlines the diagnostic procedures for various skin diseases, mildew in clothing, and even houses, and the subsequent declaration of uncleanness by the priest. While chapter 13 focuses on identification and isolation, chapter 14 pivots to the process of reintegration, emphasizing that physical healing alone was insufficient; a prescribed religious ritual was essential for full restoration to communal and cultic life. The subsequent verses in chapter 14 detail specific sacrifices, washings, and anointings, all culminating in the individual's re-entry into the camp.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, tsara'at (צָרַעַת) was not merely a physical ailment but carried profound social and religious implications. While it may have included what we now identify as Hansen's disease, the biblical term encompassed a broader range of severe, often divinely inflicted, skin conditions (e.g., Numbers 12:10 concerning Miriam; 2 Kings 5:27 concerning Gehazi). An individual declared unclean due to tsara'at was ritually defiled and required to live outside the camp, separated from the community and the sanctuary (Leviticus 13:45-46). This separation was not merely for public health but primarily for ceremonial purity, as uncleanness rendered one unfit to participate in the worship of a holy God. The priest's role was paramount, acting not as a physician but as a religious authority, responsible for both diagnosing uncleanness and overseeing the rituals for cleansing and declaring purity, thereby facilitating the individual's return to God's covenant community.
  • Key Themes: The entire book of Leviticus is saturated with the theme of God's holiness and the necessity for His people to maintain ritual and moral purity to dwell in His presence. Tsara'at represented a profound state of impurity, making the afflicted person unfit for communal worship and requiring strict separation. The cleansing rituals, initiated by this verse, underscore the meticulous standards of purity required to approach a holy God. The indispensable role of the priest in both diagnosing tsara'at and overseeing the cleansing rituals highlights the theme of Mediation. The Israelite could not simply declare themselves clean; they required a divinely appointed mediator to facilitate their return to fellowship with God and the community. This foreshadows the ultimate need for a perfect mediator to address the deeper impurity of sin. While tsara'at caused isolation, the laws in Leviticus 14 provide a pathway for Restoration and Reintegration. This demonstrates God's gracious provision for His people to be brought back into full covenant relationship, emphasizing His desire for reconciliation and the healing of brokenness, both physical and spiritual.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Law (Hebrew, tôwrâh', H8451): This word signifies instruction, teaching, or divine directive. In this context, it refers to the specific, divinely ordained regulations and procedures that God gave to Israel through Moses. It highlights that the cleansing process for tsara'at was not a human invention but a sacred, mandatory ordinance from God, emphasizing its authority and the necessity of strict adherence.
  • Leper (Hebrew, tsâraʻ', H6879): This word is the primitive root verb from which the noun "leper" (מְצֹרָע, metzora') is derived. It literally means "to scourge" or "to be stricken with leprosy." In this context, it refers to the individual afflicted with tsara'at, emphasizing the severe, divinely-inflicted nature of the skin condition and the resulting state of ritual uncleanness and social isolation. The "law of the leper" is thus the ordinance concerning the one who has been afflicted and is now in a state of recovery, ready for the process of reintegration.
  • Cleansing (Hebrew, ṭohŏrâh', H2893): This noun, related to the verb "to be clean" (taher), denotes the act or state of purification. It is a ceremonial, not medical, term. The "day of his cleansing" refers to the specific day when the prescribed rituals would commence to remove the ritual impurity associated with tsara'at, thereby making the individual ceremonially clean and eligible to rejoin the community and participate in worship.

Verse Breakdown

  • "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing:" This opening clause functions as a formal legal pronouncement, introducing the specific divine instruction that follows. It establishes the context: the moment when a person previously afflicted with tsara'at is ready to transition from a state of ritual impurity and isolation back to purity and communal participation. The phrase "day of his cleansing" points to a specific, designated time for the commencement of the purification rites, indicating a structured and deliberate process.
  • "He shall be brought unto the priest:" This is the immediate, non-negotiable first step in the cleansing process. It underscores the absolute necessity of priestly mediation. The afflicted individual does not simply declare themselves clean or return to the camp; they must be physically presented to the priest. This highlights the priest's unique role as the divinely appointed arbiter of purity and impurity, the one authorized to examine the individual, confirm their recovery, and initiate the complex rituals required for their full restoration. This act of being "brought" also implies a degree of humility and submission to the divine protocol.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 14:2 primarily employs Legal Stipulation and Prescriptive Language. The verse functions as a direct command, laying down a foundational rule for a specific ritual process. The use of "shall be" and "shall be brought" conveys the mandatory nature of these instructions, emphasizing their divine authority and the strict adherence required. There is also an element of Symbolism inherent in the very act described: the physical presentation of the healed individual to the priest symbolizes the necessary mediation for restoration to a holy God and community. The priest, acting as God's representative, is the essential conduit for moving from a state of defilement to one of purity, foreshadowing the need for a mediator in all matters of sin and reconciliation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 14:2, as the entry point to the tsara'at cleansing ritual, powerfully illustrates several core theological themes. It underscores the profound importance of purity within the covenant community, where physical and ritual uncleanness served as a tangible representation of spiritual defilement and separation from a holy God. The elaborate process for cleansing and reintegration highlights God's provision for restoration, demonstrating His desire for His people to live in full fellowship with Him and one another, even after experiencing conditions that rendered them unclean. The centrality of the priest in this process emphasizes the necessity of mediation for approaching a holy God and receiving His declaration of cleanness. This Old Testament shadow points to the ultimate reality of our need for a perfect mediator to cleanse us from the uncleanness of sin.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Leviticus 14:2, though detailing an ancient ritual, offers profound insights into the nature of sin, holiness, and restoration. The isolation of the metzora' vividly portrays the alienating power of sin, which separates us from God and from one another. Just as the metzora' could not simply declare himself clean but required a priestly declaration and prescribed rituals, so too we cannot cleanse ourselves from sin. We are utterly dependent on a divine initiative and a mediator to bring us back into fellowship. This verse reminds us that true restoration—whether from spiritual brokenness or relational estrangement—often requires humility, submission to a process, and the involvement of those appointed by God to guide us. It challenges us to consider what "uncleanness" might be separating us from God or others today and to seek the path of true cleansing and reconciliation.

Questions for Reflection

  • What aspects of the metzora's isolation resonate with the experience of sin in our own lives or in society?
  • How does the necessity of being "brought unto the priest" illustrate our dependence on a mediator for spiritual cleansing and restoration?
  • In what ways might we be tempted to declare ourselves "clean" or "healed" without truly undergoing God's prescribed process of purification and repentance?

FAQ

What was tsara'at and why was it so significant in ancient Israel?

Answer: Tsara'at (צָרַעַת) was a broad term in the Old Testament referring to various severe skin conditions, as well as mildew in clothing and houses. It was not solely what we call Hansen's disease (leprosy) today, though it likely included it. Its significance lay less in its medical nature and more in its profound ritual and theological implications. It rendered an individual ceremonially unclean, requiring them to live outside the camp, separated from the community and the sanctuary (Leviticus 13:45-46). This separation symbolized the defiling nature of sin and its capacity to alienate individuals from a holy God and His people. The meticulous laws surrounding tsara'at underscored the absolute holiness of God and the necessity of purity for fellowship with Him.

Why was the priest, and not a doctor, central to the cleansing process?

Answer: The priest's role in the tsara'at cleansing was not medical, but ceremonial and theological. In ancient Israel, the priests were not physicians in the modern sense; their primary function was to mediate between God and the people, to teach God's laws, and to administer the rituals of the tabernacle/temple. The tsara'at affliction was seen as a state of ritual impurity, often associated with divine judgment or a deep spiritual defilement. Therefore, the priest, as God's appointed representative, was the only one authorized to diagnose the condition, declare an individual unclean, and, crucially, to oversee the precise rituals for their ceremonial cleansing and reintegration into the holy community. This highlights that the issue was fundamentally one of spiritual and communal standing before God, not merely physical health.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 14:2, with its focus on the metzora' being brought to the priest for cleansing, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The tsara'at of the Old Testament, which led to isolation and ritual uncleanness, serves as a powerful type of sin, which likewise defiles and separates humanity from a holy God. Just as the metzora' could not cleanse himself but required the priest's intervention, so too humanity, marred by sin, is utterly incapable of self-purification. Jesus, our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), perfectly fulfills the priestly role. Unlike the Levitical priests who could only declare a person clean after a physical healing, Jesus possesses the divine authority to both heal the physical affliction and, more importantly, to forgive sins and declare spiritual cleansing (Matthew 8:2-3; Mark 2:5-11). Through His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus offers a once-for-all purification that truly cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:13-14). He is the one to whom we are "brought" by faith, and through His perfect mediation, we are not merely declared clean but are truly made clean, fully restored to fellowship with God and His redeemed community (Ephesians 2:13).

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Commentary on Leviticus 14 verses 1–9

Here, I. It is supposed that the plague of the leprosy was not an incurable disease. Uzziah's indeed continued to the day of his death, and Gehazi's was entailed upon his seed; but Miriam's lasted only seven days: we may suppose that it often wore off in process of time. Though God contend long, he will not contend for ever.

II. The judgment of the cure, as well as that of the disease, was referred to the priest. He must go out of the camp to the leper, to see whether his leprosy was healed, Lev 14:3. And we may suppose the priest did not contract any ceremonial uncleanness by coming near the leper, as another person would. It was in mercy to the poor lepers that the priests particularly had orders to attend them, for the priests' lips should keep knowledge; and those in affliction have need to be instructed both how to bear their afflictions and how to reap benefit by them, have need of the word, in concurrence with the rod, to bring them to repentance; therefore it is well for those that are sick if they have these messengers of the Lord of hosts with them, these interpreters, to show unto them God's uprightness, Job 33:23. When the leper was shut out, and could not go to the priests, it was well that the priests might come to him. Is any sick? Let him send for the elders, the ministers, Jam 5:14. If we apply it to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw from those who walk disorderly, that they may be ashamed, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren, Th2 3:15. And also that when God by his grace has brought those to repentance who were shut out of communion for scandal, they ought with tenderness, and joy, and sincere affection, to be received in again. Thus Paul orders concerning the excommunicated Corinthian that when he had given evidences of his repentance they should forgive him, and comfort him, and confirm their love towards him, Co2 2:7, Co2 2:8. And ministers are entrusted by our Master with the declarative power of loosing as well as binding: both must be done with great caution and deliberation, impartially and without respect of persons, with earnest prayer to God for directions, and a sincere regard to the edification of the body of Christ, due care being always taken that sinners may not be encouraged by an excess of lenity, nor penitents discouraged by an excess of severity. Wisdom and sincerity are profitable to direct in this case.

III. If it was found that the leprosy was healed, the priest must declare it with a particular solemnity. The leper or his friends were to get ready two birds caught for this purpose (any sort of wild birds that were clean), and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop; for all these were to be used in the ceremony. 1. A preparation was to be made of blood and water, with which the leper must be sprinkled. One of the birds (and the Jews say, if there was any difference, it must be the larger and better of the two) was to be killed over an earthen cup of spring water, so that the blood of the bird might discolour the water. This (as some other types) had its accomplishment in the death of Christ, when out of his pierced side there came water and blood, Joh 19:34. Thus Christ comes into the soul for its cure and cleansing, not by water only, but by water and blood, Jo1 5:6. 2. The living bird, with a little scarlet wool, and a bunch of hyssop, must be fastened to a cedar stick, dipped in the water and blood, which must be so sprinkled upon him that was to be cleansed, Lev 14:6, Lev 14:7. The cedar-wood signified the restoring of the leper to his strength and soundness, for that is a sort of wood not apt to putrefy. The scarlet wool signified his recovering a florid colour again, for the leprosy made him white as snow. And the hyssop intimated the removing of the disagreeable scent which commonly attended the leprosy. The cedar the stateliest plant, and hyssop the meanest, are here used together in this service (see Kg1 4:33); for those of the lowest rank in the church may be of use in their place, as well as those that are most eminent, Co1 12:2. Some make the slain bird to typify Christ dying for our sins, and the living bird Christ rising again for our justification. The dipping of the living bird in the blood of the slain bird intimated that the merit of Christ's death was that which made his resurrection effectual for our justification. He took his blood with him into the holy place, and there appeared a lamb as it had been slain. The cedar, scarlet wool, and hyssop, must all be dipped in the blood; for the word and ordinances, and all the operations of the Spirit, receive their efficacy for our cleansing from the blood of Christ. The leper must be sprinkled seven times, to signify a complete purification, in allusion to which David prays, Wash me thoroughly, Psa 51:2. Naaman was directed to wash seven times, Kg2 5:10. 3. The living bird was then to be let loose in the open field, to signify that the leper, being cleansed, was now no longer under restraint and confinement, but might take his liberty to go where he pleased. But this being signified by the flight of a bird towards heaven was an intimation to him henceforward to seek the things that are above, and not to spend this new life to which God had restored him merely in the pursuit of earthly things. This typified that glorious liberty of the children of God to which those are advanced who through grace are sprinkled from an evil conscience. Those whose souls before bowed down to the dust (Psa 44:25), in grief and fear, now fly in the open firmament of heaven, and soar upwards upon the wings of faith and hope, and holy love and joy. 4. The priest must, upon this, pronounce him clean. It was requisite that this should be done with solemnity, that the leper might himself be the more affected with the mercy of God to him in his recovery, and that others might be satisfied to converse with him. Christ is our priest, to whom the Father has committed all judgment, and particularly the judgment of the leprosy. By his definitive sentence impenitent sinners will have their everlasting portion assigned them with the unclean (Job 36:14), out of the holy city; and all that by his grace are cured and cleansed shall be received into the camp of the saints, into which no unclean thing shall enter. Those are clean indeed whom Christ pronounces so, and they need not regard what men say of them. But, though Christ was the end of this law for righteousness, yet being in the days of his flesh made under the law, which as yet stood unrepealed, he ordered those lepers whom he had cured miraculously to go and show themselves to the priest, and offer for their cleansing according to the law, Mat 8:4; Luk 17:14. The type must be kept up till it was answered by its antitype. 5. When the leper was pronounced clean, he must wash his body and his clothes, and shave off all his hair (Lev 14:8), must still tarry seven days out of the camp, and on the seventh day must do it again, Lev 14:9. The priest having pronounced him clean from the disease, he must make himself as clean as ever he could from all the remains of it, and from all other defilements, and he must take time to do this. Thus those who have the comfort of the remission of their sins, by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon their consciences, must with the utmost care and caution cleanse themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and thoroughly purge themselves from their old sins; for every one that hath this hope in him will be concerned to purify himself.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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