A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Leviticus · Chapter 14 – Chapter 15
CHAP. XIV.
Verſ. 2. THis ſhall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleanſing, &c.]
The ſolemn rites for cleanſing the leper were for two ends ſo ordained of God: 1. To ſhew how the Lord abhorred the ſpirituall uncleanneſſe of ſinne, ſince the leper might not after his pollution be received again into the camp, though healed, without a ſacrifice of reconciliation were firſt offered up for him: 2. That the leper might teſtifie his thankfulneſſe to God who had removed ſo heavie a judgement from him; whence is that of Chriſt to the leper he healed, Matth. 8. 4. And Jeſus ſaid unto him, See thou tell no man, but go thy way, ſhew thy ſelf to the prieſt▪ and offer the gift that Moſes commanded for a teſtimony to them.
Verſ. 3. And behold, if the plague of the leproſie be healed in the leper.]
When God had healed the leproſie, then the prieſt was to pronounce him clean: and ſo it is God onelyonly that forgives ſinnes; the miniſter is onelyonly to pronounce according to that which God hath done, nor can abſolve any whom God hath not abſolved.
Verſ. 4. Then ſhall theprieſt command to take, &c. two birds alive, and, clean, & cedar-wood, and ſcarlet, and hyſop.]
The birds muſt be clean birds, to wit, either doves or turtles commonly uſed in ſacrifices, or ſparrows (as ſome tranſlate the word here) or any other clean fowls, ſuch as all are ſave thoſe excepted Levit. 11. 13. &c. OnelyOnly they muſt not be of a tame kind▪ but ſuch as uſed to fly in the open field, verſ. 7. The cedar which the prieſt here was injoyned to take, was a cedar-ſtick, which was to be a handle for the ſprinkle: and it was to be of cedar-wood (as moſt conceive) becauſe the nature of this wood is, that it corrupts not, but preſerveth other things from putrefaction; and ſo hereby was ſignified the perfect healing of the leproſie, which before corrupted and putrified the body. Yet I rather think there was a reſpect had (as in the ſcarlet) to the reddiſh colour of it, which made it the more ſuitable for this work, the chief drift whereof was to ſignifie the cleanſing of the ſinner by the bloud of Chriſt: The ſcarlet was a ſcarlet thred or lace, uſed to bind the ſprinkle to the cedar-ſtick: And the hyſop was appointed for the ſprinkle, being fit for that uſe; and withall the fragrant ſmell of this herb might ſignifie that the evil ſavour of the leproſie was gone away.
Verſ. 5. And the prieſt ſhall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen veſſell over running water.]
That is, over an earthen veſſell that hath running water in it. And as the bloud of the killed bird ſignified the bloud of Chriſt, ſo the earthen veſſell the baſeneſſe and infirmity of the miniſters, by whom this bloud is preſented unto men in the preaching of the Goſpel, 2. Cor. 4. 7. But we have this treaſure in earthen veſſels, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of us. Now becauſe the bloud of the bird of it ſelf would not have ſufficed to dip the living bird and the ſprinkle in, therefore it was mixed with water; but it muſt be the pureſt and moſt cleanſing water, running water, that is, ſpring water, becauſe it ſignified the cleanſing of the ſinner by Chriſts bloud, who came not by water onelyonly, but by water and bloud, 1. Joh. 5. 6.
Verſ. 7. And he ſhall ſprinkle upon him that is to be cleanſed, &c.]
The ſprinkling of this bloud ſignified the applying of Chriſts bloud to the cleanſing of the ſinner, which is therefore called the bloud of ſprinkling that ſpeaketh better things then that of Abel, Hebr. 12. 24. Why it was done ſeven times, ſee the note upon Levit. 4. 6.
And ſhall let the living bird looſe into the open field.]
The letting of the living bird looſe figured the deliverance of Chriſt from death, Who though he was crucified through weakneſſe, yet he liveth by the power of God, 2. Cor. 13. 4. being put to death in the fleſh, but quickned in the ſpirit, 1. Pet. 3. 18. and of all ſuch as are cleanſed from their ſinnes by his bloud: and therefore particularly it repreſented the condition of the leper now cleanſed, who being civilly dead and buried, was now as the bird let looſe to live amongſt his fellows, and reſtored again to the communion of Saints. And why was this? by virtue of the bloud of Chriſt, wherein figuratively he was dipped.
Verſ. 8. And he that is to be cleanſed ſhall waſh his clothes, &c.]
That no part of the filth iſſuing from his leproſie might remain upon him he was to waſh both his garments and his fleſh; and becauſe waſhing could not ſufficiently cleanſe the hair of his body, therefore all the hair of his body muſt be clean ſhaved off: and this was done the firſt day of his cleanſing; which ſignified how exactly every one that hath hope of being cleanſed by Chriſt muſt labour to purifie himſelf even as he is pure, 1, John 3. 3.
And after that he ſhall come into the camp, and ſhall tarry abroad out of his tent ſeven dayes.]
That is, after he hath the firſt time waſhed himſelf and ſhaved off his hair, he ſhall be admitted into the camp, town or citie, but yet he ſhall not go into his tent or dwelling-houſe, but ſhall tarry abroad, to wit, in ſome place or houſe appointed for that purpoſe, where he was to continue for ſeven dayes apart by himſelf; which was, I conceive, becauſe as yet he was not perfectly cleanſed, and therefore was not familiarly to converſe with others as formerly, no not with them of his own family.
Verſ. 9. And it ſhall be on the ſeventh day, that he ſhall ſhave all the hair off his head.]
The reiteration of theſe ceremonies the ſecond time on the ſeventh day may imply how exactly carefull we ſhould be to cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of ſinne, and withall how hardly we are brought either to hate ſinne, or acknowledge Gods mercy as we ſhould do.
Verſ. 10. And on the eighth day he ſhall take two he-lambs without blemiſh, and one ew-lamb, &c.]
The two he-lambs were the one for a treſpaſſe-offering, verſe 12. the other for a burnt-offering, as is evident, verſe 19, 20. See alſo Levit. 1. 10. The ew-lamb was for a ſinne-offering, Levit. 4. 32.
And three tenth deals of fine flowre for a meat-offering mingled with oyl, and one log of oyl.]
Theſe three tenth deals were three homers or pottles, three tenth parts of an ephah or buſhell, as is before noted upon Exod. 29. 40. and the log of oyl is commonly thought to be half a pint: the three tenth deals of fine flowre were for acceſſory meat-offerings for the three ſacrifices afore mentioned. Indeed in the fifteenth of Numbers meat-offerings are appointed onelyonly for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, nor do we any where reade of a meat-offering that was to be joyned either with ſinne-offering or treſpaſſe-offering. And beſides, where an offering of fine flowre is injoyned for a ſinne-offering, Levit. 5. 11. to wit, to be offered apart by it ſelf, not as acceſſory to any other ſacrifice, they were forbidden to put any oyl upon it, whereas theſe are appointed to be mingled with oyl: And therefore it ſeems theſe ſacrifices for the cleanſing of the leper had peculiar rites, and were not in all things performed according to the ordinary way of other ſacrifices.
Verſ. 12. And wave them for a wave-offering]
See the notes upon Exodus 29. 24.
Verſ. 1…. And he ſhall ſlay the lamb in the place, &c.]
See the note upon Levit. 1. 11. and upon Levit. 7. 7.
Verſ. 14. And the priest ſhall put it upon the tip of the right ear, &c.]
Hereby was ſignified that by virtue of Chriſts bloud the leper was now reſtored to his former freedome of entercourſe and commerce with others; as alſo that the whole man was to be renewed and conſecrated to Gods ſervice. See the note upon Exod. 29. 20.
Verſ. 15. And the pr…eſt ſhall take ſome of the log of oyl.]
The oyl in the hand of the prieſt fignified the ſpirit by Chriſt conveyed unto us.
Verſ. 16. And ſprinkle of the oyl with his finger, &c.]
Figuring our conſecra…ion to Gods ſervice by the ſame ſpirit.
Verſ. 17. And the reſt of the oyl that is in his hand ſhall the prieſt put upon the tip of the right ear, &c.]
This ſignified the ſanctification of the whole man by the ſame ſpirit.
Ʋpon the bloud of the trespaſſe-offering.]
That is, upon the very ſame place where the bloud was ſprinkled.
Verſ. 20. And the priest ſhall offer the burnt-offering.]
To wit, that other helamb mentioned, verſ. 10. Now by theſe rites the lepers were to profeſſe their thankfulneſſe to God in and through Chriſt, as for the cure of their leproſie, ſo alſo for the remiſſion of their ſinnes (which had brought that judgement upon them) and for their ſanctification by his ſpirit.
Verſ. 31. And the other for a burnt-offering with the meat-offering.]
That is, the meat-offering that was to accompany the turtle dove or young pigeon offered for the burnt-offering: whereby it appears that even the ſmaller burnt-offerings of turtle doves had alſo their meat-o…ferings as well as the greater of lambs, &c.
Verſ. 36. Then the prieſt ſhall command that they all empty the houſe, &c.]
The prieſt muſt before he goeth into the houſe, to view the place in the houſe ſuſpected of leproſie, command all that are in the houſe to come forth; and the reaſon is given, that all that are in the houſe be not made unclean. Whereby it is evident that though the houſe had indeed the plague of leproſie, yet the inhabitants that were in the houſe were not rendred unclean thereby, till the prieſt had pronounced it to be a leproſie: but then all that came i…to the houſe were thereby unclean. And ſo it ſeems therefore it was with men too that were infected with leproſie. No man was unclean by being in the company of a leprous perſon till the prieſt had pronounced him to be a leper.
Verſ. 40. And they ſhall caſt them into an unclean place without the citie.]
That by the uncleanneſſe of the place they may be known to be unclean things, that ſo …o…emay be defiled thereby.
Verſ. 41. And he ſhall cauſe the houſe to be ſcraped, &c.]
To wit, leſt the plague of leproſie ſhould be in any other part of the walls of the houſe, and being hidden under the plaiſter ſhould not be diſcovered.
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 3. WHether his fleſh runne with his iſſue, or his fleſh be ſtopped from his iſſue, it is his uncleanneſſe.]
That is, he ſhall for it be counted unclean. The iſſue here ſpoken of which rendred men unclean is that which we call the running of the reins. Now becauſe this diſeaſe men have in a different manner (for ſometime their ſeed being of a thinne ſubſtance runs continually from them, and ſometimes again being of a thicker ſubſtance it ſlows not ſo freely forth, bu… ſtops in the paſſage, and ſo putrifies the place through which it ſhould paſſe) in both theſe caſes they are declared to be unclean. Now though by this legall pollution they were taught the filthineſſe of all ſinne whatſoever, yet more eſpecially I conceive it was to ſignifie that originall corruption and filthineſſe of our nature, which is conveyed unto us in our firſt conception, by that very ſeed and ſubſtance whereof we are made.
Verſ. 4. Every bed whereon he lyeth that hath the iſſue is unclean.]
Theſe laws following ſhew the contagion of ſi…ne, which defileth not onelyonly men themſelves, but every thing beſides which a wicked man hath to do with: for unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Tit. 1. 15.
Verſ. 12. And every veſſ…ll of wood ſhall be rinſed in water.]
That is, of wood, or any other ſuch ſtrong matter, as ſilver, copper, braſſe, &c.
Verſ. 16. And if any mans ſeed of copulation go out, &c.]
This is not meant of the iſſue foreſpoken of, nor when a man lyeth with a woman, whereof verſ. 18. but of the ſeed of the healthfull, iſſuing by reaſon of nightly dreams, or any ſuch accident, whereof ſee Deut. 23. 10.
Verſ. 19. And wh…ſoever toucheth her ſhall be unclean, &c.]
To wit, every one that is of years of diſcretion, and ſo fit to be ordered by this law. For it is not likely that infants that lay in the arms and ſucked on the breaſts of their mothers, when they were in this condition, were rendred unclean thereby.
Verſ. 24. And if any man lie with her at all, &c.]
To wit, ignorantly: for if he did it preſumptuouſly, not pollution but cutting off was his puniſhment, Levit. 20. 18. And if a man ſhall lie with a woman having her ſickneſſe, and ſhall uncover her nakedneſſe, he hath diſcovered her fountain, and he hath uncovered the fountain of her bloud, aud both of them ſhall b… cut off from among the people. Yet ſome conceive that this place is onelyonly meant of lying in the ſame bed with a woman, and not of carnall copulation.