Leviticus 14:2

KJV

This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:

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}:

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,

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.

American Standard Version

This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest:

Commentary

### 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](/leviticus/14-1-32 "Leviticus 14:1-32 - Laws for Cleansing from Tsara'at"), 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](/leviticus/13 "Leviticus 13 - Laws Concerning Tsara'at"), 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](/numbers/12-10 "Numbers 12:10 - Miriam's Tsara'at") concerning Miriam; [2 Kings 5:27](/2_kings/5-27 "2 Kings 5:27 - Gehazi's Tsara'at") 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](/leviticus/13-45-46 "Leviticus 13:45-46 - Isolation of the Leper")). 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](/leviticus/1 "Leviticus - Laws of Holiness") 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](/leviticus/14 "Leviticus 14 - Laws for Cleansing from Tsara'at") 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'_):** 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'_):** 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'_):** 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.

* [Leviticus 13:45-46](/leviticus/13-45-46 "The Isolation of the Leper")
* [Hebrews 9:13-14](/hebrews/9-13-14 "The Superiority of Christ's Blood")
* [Matthew 8:2-4](/matthew/8-2-4 "Jesus Cleanses a Leper")

### 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](/leviticus/13-45-46 "The Law of the Leper's Isolation")). 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](/hebrews/4-14 "Jesus, Our Great High Priest")), 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](/matthew/8-2-3 "Jesus Cleanses a Leper"); [Mark 2:5-11](/mark/2-5-11 "Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic")). 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](/1_john/1-7 "Cleansing by Jesus' Blood"); [Hebrews 9:13-14](/hebrews/9-13-14 "The Blood of Christ Purifies")). 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](/ephesians/2-13 "Brought Near by the Blood of Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Luke 17:14

And when he saw [them], he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

Luke 5:12

¶ And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on [his] face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Luke 5:14

And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Mark 1:40

¶ And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Mark 1:44

And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Numbers 6:9

And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

Matthew 8:2

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.