The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 35 – Section 37
SECT. XXXV.
THirdly, Laws concerning Leproſie, and the different kinds thereof. (1.) Aaron and his Sons were appointed Judges to diſcern whither it be a Leproſie in man, or any other thing. (2ly,) The ſigns or tokens whereby they were to judge of Leproſie growing upon a man, were firſt a white bright ſpot riſing in the skin. 2. If the natural colour of the hair were changed. 3. If it were in ſight deeper than the skin, the nature of that Diſeaſe being to eat and conſume the fleſh. 4. If the Scab did ſpread in the skin. But if theſe ſigns did not concur, then the Prieſt ſhall ſhut the man up ſeven days for further trial, and ſeven days after that, and if the malady ſpread not in the skin, the Prieſt ſhall pronounce him clean. (3ly, The evident ſigns or tokens of an infectious Leproſie were theſe: 1. If it were a white riſing. 2. If it had turned the hair in it white. 3. If there was a quick raw fleſh in the riſing, then it was the Leproſie, and the Prieſt ſhall pronounce him unclean, and ſhall not ſhut him up to make any further proof or trial of it. But if the Leproſie have covered all his fleſh, he ſhall pronounce him clean, becauſe the ſtrength of nature having expelled the inward Corruption, and ſpread it all over his body, it proved not then Infectious, except there were here and there any raw fleſh appearing; and if ſo, that was a ſign that the poiſon of the Diſeaſe was not wholly driven out, and in that caſe he ſhall be pronounced unclean; but yet if this raw fleſh afterwards turned again to white, like the reſt of his body, then he ſhall be pronounced clean. (4ly,) The ſigns of a Leproſie ſpringing out of a Boil healed, or the Scab of an healed Sore, or a fiery Inflammation, of which the Prieſt was to judge much after the Rules before given. (5ly,) Signs of Leproſie in the Head or Beard; the Leproſie of the other parts was notified by a white Hair, this of the Head and Beard by a yellow thin hair; black hair was a ſign of ſoundneſs and ſtrength of nature. (6ly,) The Leper was to rend his Clothes (to expreſs his great ſorrow for his ſins, that had provoked God to ſend that Judgment upon him,) and put a covering or muſter upon his upper Lip, [ſee Ezek. 24.17. and Mich. 3.7.] and to cry Ʋnclean, Ʋnclean, as bewailing his Condition, and giving warning to others to avoid him; And He was to dwell alone (t)As Miriam was put out of the Camp, Numb. 12.14. This was during their journying in the Wilderneſs; when they were ſetled in Canaan the Lepers were ſhut out of the Cities, 2 Kings 7.3. at leaſt were confined to a houſe by themſelves, (though Kings) as Azariah, 1 Kings 15.5. 2 Chron. 26.21. yet upon neceſſary occaſions they were permitted to come into the Streets and High-ways, obſerving a due diſtance, that they might neither give offence, nor others take offence from them. See Luke 17.1, 12.without the Camp. (7ly,) Directions are given for diſcerning when the Leproſie had infected Garments, (u)Haec Lepra nobis (Deo gratias) incomperta eſt & quae parietes adium perrepſit, Ch. 14. v. 34.and Skins, (x)This argued a ſtrong and ſtrange Infection either of the Air or breath of the Leper, which is ſo much the ſitter to ſet forth the Infection of Sin, whereof Leproſie is both an effect and type.and for burning thoſe that were deeply infected.
Levit. 13. whole Chapter.
Fourthly, Laws are given concerning the cleanſing of a Leper, and the ſolemn Rites and Ceremonies that are to be uſed therein. 1. The Prieſt was to take two live Sparrows, and with a Scarlet-thread or lace (ſee Heb. 9.19.) to bind a ſprinkler of Hyſſop to a Cedar-ſtick, and to kill one of the Birds over an Earthen-Veſſel that had running-water in it, and to dip the other living Bird, and the ſprinkler in it, and ſo to ſprinkle him that was to be cleanſed ſeven times, and ſo pronounce him clean, and then to let the living Bird fly away, and ſo the cleanſed perſon was to waſh himſelf, and his Clothes, and to ſhave off his hair, and then to be admitted into the Camp, Town or City, but to continue apart by himſelf in ſome place or houſe appointed for the purpoſe ſeven days; and on the ſeventh day he was to reiterate and repeat theſe Ceremonies again. And on the eighth day (if he were a rich man) he was to offer two He-Lambs, one for a Treſpaſs-Offering, verſ. 12. the other for a Burnt-Offering, verſ. 19, 20. and an Ewe-Lamb for a Sin-Offering, and three Omers or Pottles of fine Flower as acceſſory Meat-Offerings to the three Sacrifices afore-mentioned, mingled with a Log or half a pint of Oil. And the Prieſt was to put ſome of the blood of the Treſpaſs-Offering upon the tip of his right Ear, and Thumb of his right Hand, and great toe of his right Foot, and to do the ſame with the Oil upon the ſame parts where the blood was ſprinkled, and to pour the remainder of the Oil upon his Head, after He had ſprinkled ſome of it with his Finger ſeven times before the Tabernacle, and ſo the Prieſt ſhall make atonement for him. If he were poor, his cleanſing for the form and manner of it was to be the ſame, only the matter of his offering was to be leſs, and of leſs value.
Levit. 13. from 1. to 33.
Laſtly, Laws are given concerning the Leproſie that might happen to be in an houſe, (y)Aedes non habebant ante ingreſſum in Canaan. Hanc Lepram & veſtium & domorum non naturae, ſed Dei immiſſioni tribuunt, volunt que ; eo fine incuſſam, ut ab his veluti admoniti reſipiſcerent. Muiſ.and the ſigns and marks whereby it might be known to be in the walls thereof, viz. hollow ſtrakes, greeniſh or reddiſh, which in ſight are lower than the wall; and if it ſpread in the walls of the houſe, then it is a fretting Leproſie. For the cleanſing of it, the Houſe was to be ſcraped within round about, and that which was ſcraped off was to be carried out of the City into an unclean place, and the ſtones were to be pulled out, and new ones put in, and the walls to be new plaiſtered. And if the Plague came again, and brake out in the Houſe after this, then the Prieſt was to pronounce it to be a fretting Leproſie, and the Houſe to be broken down, and Stones, and Timber, and all carried out of the City into an unclean place. The manner of cleanſing of it, if the Plague were healed and ſtopped, was with Birds and running-water, and a ſprinkler of Hyſſop tied with a Scarlet-thread to a Cedar-ſtick as before.
Levit. 14. from 33. to the end.
SECT. XXXVI.
FIfthly, Laws concerning the Ceremonial uncleanneſs in men, by reaſon of their Iſſues, either thorow weakneſs and diſeaſe, or in their ſleep, and how they make other things and perſons unclean; and concerning the way of their cleanſing by waſhing their Clothes, and bathing their Fleſh, and on the eighth day offering two young Pigeons, one for a Sin-Offering, and the other for a Burnt-Offering. Alſo concerning the uncleanneſs of women in their Flowers, and how they make other things and perſons (z)'Tis not like the Infants that lay in the arms, and ſuckled on the Breaſts of their Mothers (when they were in this condition) or thoſe that performed a neceſſary and charitable miniſtration to them (when they were in this condition) were thereby rendred unclean.unclean, and the way of their cleanſing by the like Sacrifices.
Levit. 15. whole Chapter.
SECT. XXXVII.
ON the 14th day of this month at evening the Paſsover was celebrated according to Gods expreſs Command.(a)It ſeems they would not have kept this Paſsover without ſpecial warrant, becauſe by the firſt Inſtitution they ſeem bound only to keep it in the Land of Canaan, Exod. 12.25. and after this we find not that they kept any till they came into the Land, Joſhua, Ch. 5. And now they kept it according to all the Rites of it, excepting thoſe ſpecial Rites which belonged only to the firſt Paſsover in Egypt, as ſprinkling of the door-poſts, and the eating of it ſtanding, &c. On which day it ſeems ſome of the people complained to Moſes and Aaron that they could not keep the Feaſt at that time with the reſt of their Brethren, becauſe they were become unclean by touching a dead body; and by a Law given, Levit. 7.20. (ſince the firſt inſtitution of that Paſsover) if they medled with holy things, they were to be cut off. Hereupon a Law (b)And by warrant (it ſeems) of this Law in Hezekiah's time there was a Paſsover kept on the 14th day of the ſecond month, when there were other occaſions than thoſe here mentioned, that diſabled them from keeping it at the uſual time.was made, That all ſuch perſons that were ſo defiled, or were in a journey, or poſſibly under any other unavoidable hindrance, ſhould keep their Paſsover on the 14th day of the ſecond month, becauſe they could not keep it on the day appointed.
Numb. 9. from 1. to the 15.