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Leviticus 14:2

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

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}:

"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,

“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.

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

Commentary

Leviticus 14:2 (KJV) introduces the detailed regulations for the ceremonial cleansing of a person who has recovered from leprosy, outlining the initial step of being presented to the priest.

Context

This verse is the beginning of a comprehensive passage (Leviticus 14:1-32) detailing the elaborate ritual process required for someone previously diagnosed with a severe skin condition, often translated as "leprosy" (Hebrew: tsara'at), to be declared clean and restored to the community. The preceding chapter (Leviticus 13) describes how the priest diagnoses various skin afflictions and determines uncleanness. This chapter focuses on the steps for reversing that state and reintegrating the individual into Israelite society and worship. The priest's role was central to both diagnosis and declaration of cleansing.

Key Themes

  • Ceremonial Purity: The passage emphasizes the importance of ceremonial purity within the Israelite covenant community, where uncleanness excluded individuals from full participation.
  • Restoration: The law provided a pathway for those who had been isolated due to uncleanness to be restored to fellowship with God and their neighbors.
  • Role of the Priest: The priest acted as the mediator and authority figure, responsible for examining, declaring clean, and overseeing the purification rites, highlighting the structured access to God under the Old Covenant law.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "leper" or "leprosy" is tsara'at (צָרַעַת). While sometimes encompassing what we know as Hansen's disease, it was a broader term in the Old Testament covering a variety of skin afflictions, as well as mildew in clothing and houses. The condition rendered a person ceremonially unclean, requiring separation from the camp (see Leviticus 13:46). The process described in chapter 14 was not a medical cure but a religious declaration of recovery and reintegration.

Reflection

Leviticus 14:2 underscores the meticulous nature of the Old Testament law concerning ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness. For the Israelite, recovery from a condition like tsara'at was not just a physical event but required a religious process overseen by the priest to signify restoration. While these specific rituals are not practiced today, they serve as powerful object lessons about the separation caused by sin and the need for a mediator and a process of purification to be restored to fellowship with a holy God. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is presented as our Great High Priest, through whom we receive spiritual cleansing and restoration from the uncleanness of sin, allowing us to draw near to God (see Hebrews 10:22).

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 17:14 (6 votes)

    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 (5 votes)

    ¶ 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 (5 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

    ¶ 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 (4 votes)

    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 (3 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

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