Leviticus 14:1-57

Leviticus

*Worship the *LORD in the Beauty of *Holiness

Leviticus

Gordon Churchyard

This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

Words in boxes are from the Bible, except for the words in brackets (…).

Chapter 14

Section 3 More about diseases of the skin and *mildew in buildings, 14:1-57

v1 The *LORD said (this) to Moses.

v2 ‘These are the rules for a person with a disease (of the skin). (Someone must) bring him to the priest, when it is the time to make him *clean.

v3 The priest must go outside the camp to look at him carefully. The person may be healthy again after his bad skin disease.

v4 Then the priest must order someone to bring two *clean birds that are alive. (He must also bring) some *cedar wood, red string and *hyssop. They are for the person (that the priest will) make *clean.

v5 Then the priest must order someone to kill one of the birds. (That person) must do it over fresh water that is in a *clay pot.

v6 (The priest) must then put the bird that is alive into the blood of the dead bird. (The blood) is in the fresh water (in the pot). He must also put the *cedar wood, the red string and the *hyssop into the water (that is in the pot).

v7 (The priest) must splash the person who has the bad disease of the skin 7 times. Then (the priest) must say that the person is *clean. Then (the priest) must allow the bird that is still alive to go free in an open field.

v8 The person (who wants) to be *clean must wash his clothes. He must shave off all his hair. He must bathe himself with water. Then he will be *clean. After this, he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for 7 days.

v9 On the 7^th day, he must shave off all his hair (again). (This means the hair on) his head, his beard, his *eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and he must bathe himself in water. Then he will be *clean.

v10 On the 8^th day, he must bring (to the priest) two male *lambs and a female *lamb. (The female *lamb) must be one year old. Each (*lamb) must be perfect. He must also bring about 7 litres of *finest flour that he has mixed with *oil. (The flour and *oil) are for a *corn offering. (He must bring) about ½ litre of *oil.

v11 The priest will offer the man and his gifts to the *LORD, at the entrance of the *meeting tent. He will say that the man is *clean.

v12 Then the priest must take one of the male *lambs and he must offer it (to the *LORD) as a *guilt offering. He must also (offer) the *oil (with it). He must wave them in front of the *LORD as a *wave offering.

v13 Then he must kill the *lamb in the holy place. (It is the place) where he kills the *sin offering and the *whole offering. The *guilt offering belongs to the priest, like the *sin offering. It is very holy.

v14 The priest must take some of the blood of the *guilt offering. He must put it on the right ear of the person that he is making *clean. (He must also put it) on the *thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot.

v15 The priest must then take some of the *oil. He must put it onto his own left hand.

v16 He must put his right first finger into the *oil in his (left) hand. With (this) finger, he must splash some of (the *oil) in front of the *LORD 7 times.

v17 Some of the *oil will remain in the priest’s hand. He must put it onto the right ear of the person whom he is making *clean. Also (he must put it) on that person’s right *thumb and on the big toe of his right foot. (The priest must put it) over the blood of the *guilt offering.

v18 Some *oil will remain on the priest’s hand. He must put it onto the head of the person that he is making *clean. So the priest will make *atonement for that person in front of the *LORD.

v19 Then the priest must kill the *sin offering. This will make *atonement for the person that (the priest) is making *clean. Then, the priest must kill the *whole offering.

v20 He must offer it (to the *LORD) on the *altar. (He must also offer) the *corn offering. This will make *atonement for the person (that he is making *clean). Then, (that person) will be *clean.

v21 But that person may be poor. He may not be able to afford these (animals). Then he must bring one male *lamb for a *guilt offering. (The priest) will wave it (in front of the *LORD). This will make *atonement for him. He must also offer two litres of the best flour. He must mix it with *oil for a *corn offering. (He must bring) about ½ litre of *oil.

v22 (He must also offer) two *doves or two young *pigeons, which he can afford. (One bird) will be a *sin offering, (the other bird) will be a *whole offering.

v23 On the 8^th day, he must bring these things to the priest, at the entrance of the *meeting tent in front of the *LORD. (They are the things) that will make him *clean.

v24 The priest must take the *lamb and the *oil and he must wave them in front of the *LORD. (The *lamb is) the *guilt offering. (Together they are) the *wave offering.

v25 The priest must kill the *lamb for a *guilt offering. He must take some of its blood. He must put it on the right ear of the person whom he is making *clean. (The priest) must also put it on (that person’s) right *thumb and on the big toe of his right foot.

v26 The priest must pour some of the *oil into his own left hand.

v27 With the first finger of his right hand, (the priest) must splash some of that *oil 7 times in front of the *LORD.

v28 (The priest) must take some of the *oil from his hand. He must put it onto the same places where he put the blood of the *guilt offering. (The places are these).

• The right ear of the person whom he is making *clean.

• His right *thumb.

• The big toe of his right foot.

v29 Some of the *oil will remain in the priest’s hand. He must put it onto the head of the person whom he is making *clean. This will make *atonement for him in front of the *LORD.

v30 Then the priest must kill the *doves or the young *pigeons, whichever the person can afford.

v31 One will be a *sin offering and the other one will be a *whole offering. (The priest will also offer) the *corn offering. In this way, the priest will make *atonement in front of the *LORD. This will be on behalf of the person that (the priest) is making *clean.’

v32 These are the rules for anyone who has a bad disease of the skin. They are for the person who cannot afford the usual *offerings in order to become *clean.

v33 The *LORD said (this) to Moses and Aaron.

v34 ‘I will give you (the *Israelites) the country that is called *Canaan for your own possession. When you enter (that country), I may put a *mildew in a house. (The *mildew) may spread.

v35 Then the owner of the house must go to the priest. He must say (this to the priest). “I have seen something in my house that looks like *mildew.”

v36 Then the priest must order (the man) to empty the house. So, (the priest) cannot say that any of the things in the house are not *clean. Next, (the priest) must go into the house and he must look carefully at the *mildew.

v37 (The priest) must look carefully at the *mildew (on the walls). There may be red or green places (in the *mildew). They may appear to be deeper than the surface of the walls.

v38 Then the priest must go out of the house. He must close the entrance to the house for 7 days.

v39 On the 7^th day, the priest must go into the house again. He must look carefully at the *mildew. If it has spread on the walls, v40 he must give an order. “Tear out all the stones with *mildew on them. Throw them outside the town into a place that is *unclean.”

v41 (The priest) must tell people to take the surface off all the walls inside the house. They must put all the material that they take off into the *unclean place outside the town.

v42 Then they must take other stones to replace (the stones that had *mildew). And they must use new *clay to make a new surface (of the walls) in the house.

v43 The *mildew may appear again in the house, after they tore out the stones. Also, (it may appear again) after they have replaced the old surfaces of the walls.

v44 Then the priest must go and he must look carefully at the *mildew. (He must see if) it has spread in the house. If so, it is a *mildew that destroys (things). The house is *unclean.

v45 They must pull down the house. They must take all its stones out of the town to an *unclean place. (They must also take) the wood from it and the surfaces (of the walls).

v46 (People should not go) into the house while it is closed. Anybody who does that will be *unclean until the evening.

v47 Anybody who sleeps in the house must wash his clothes. Also, anybody who eats in the house must wash his clothes.

v48 But the priest must look at the house after the walls have new surfaces. If the *mildew has not spread, then the house is *clean. (The priest) must declare this, because the *mildew has gone.

v49 (The priest) must take two birds, some *cedar wood, red wool and *hyssop. These are to make the house *clean.

v50 (The priest) must kill one of the birds over fresh water. (The water must be) in a *clay pot.

v51 Then (the priest) must take the *cedar wood, the *hyssop, the red wool and the bird that is alive. He must put them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water. Then he must splash the house 7 times.

v52 He will make the house *clean. (To do that, he will use) the bird’s blood, the fresh water, and the bird that is alive. (Also, he will use) the *cedar wood, the *hyssop and the red wool.

v53 Then (the priest) must let the bird that is alive go free into the open fields outside the town. In this way, he will make *atonement for the house. It will be *clean.’

v54 These are the rules for bad diseases of the skin, or for an *itch.

v55 (They are also the rules) for *mildew in clothes or in a house.

v56 (They are also the rules) for a lump, a sore place or a bright spot.

v57 They help (the priest) to decide whether something is *clean or *unclean. They are the rules for diseases of the skin and for *mildew.

Notes

This chapter tells a person who has been ill what to do. This person has had one of the skin diseases in chapter 13. The priest had declared that this person was *unclean. So this person left his home to live outside the camp. But now he is well again. His skin disease has gone. So this chapter describes the things that he must do next. This is how he (or she) can start to live normally again!

This chapter also includes rules for when a *mildew grows on the walls of an house. The people would not have houses until they left the desert to enter the country called Canaan, verse 34.

Verses 1-3 The priest must go outside the camp. The person with the disease could not enter the camp until the priest had declared him to be well.

Verses 4-7 *Clay is a type of earth from which people make pots. *Hyssop is a plant. The priest used it to splash the blood of the bird onto the person who had the skin disease. All the things that the priest used for this ceremony had a red colour. Red, of course, is the colour of blood. For Christians, this reminds them of the blood of Jesus. Only by Jesus’ death can we be free from *sin. For the *Jews, this would remind them of the blood of *sacrifices. The priests would splash that blood on everything in God’s house to make those things *clean and ready for service.

One of the birds had to die. But the other one can go free. This is an important principle in the Book of Leviticus. There has to be a death so that someone or something can go free. And this is also an important principle for people who love Jesus. Because of Jesus’ death, they can also go free!

Verses 8-9 The person had to shave his hair and to wash his body. This was to show that his previous state, with the disease, had ended. During the next week, the person could live in the camp, but he could not go back home. After 7 days, he shaved and he bathed again. Then he was completely *clean.

Verses 10-13 A *lamb is a young sheep. The *oil is from a plant, not fuel *oil. The person had to offer several different kinds of *offerings. There is a *guilt offering (verse 12), a *sin offering (verse 19), a *whole offering (verse 19), and a *corn offering (verse 20).

Verses 14-20 The ear, the *thumb and the toe mean these things.

• The ear means what you hear from God.

• The *thumb means what you do for God.

• The toe means where your feet go for God.

Read the note on Leviticus 8:24.

These rules were very much like the rules for the *ordination of priests. Of course, the person who had the disease did not become a priest. But that person did join God’s people again. And all God’s people were like priests, because God wanted them all to be holy. They did not have the special duties or the rights of priests. They did not make the *sacrifices or enter God’s holy tent. But it was still their duty to serve God.

For Christians, the blood reminds them of Jesus’ blood. And the *oil reminds them of the Holy Spirit. When someone becomes a Christian, Jesus’ blood (his death) frees that person from *sin. But God does not just forgive that person. He also sends his Holy Spirit into that person’s life. And so God changes that person’s life completely.

*Atonement means ‘make at-one’. In other words, people who were enemies are now united as friends. They are one with (united as friends with) each other! People were God’s enemies, but now they can be friends of God. And this person, who had the disease, has now become a friend of God. Before this, he had to separate himself from God’s people and from God’s house because of his disease. But after this ceremony, he could *worship with God’s people again. He could go to the entrance of God’s house again. Now God accepted him as a friend.

Verses 21-32 Poor people would be unable to afford the usual *offerings. But birds were not expensive. So the poor person still gave a *guilt offering, a *sin offering, a *whole offering and a *corn offering. Perhaps the person was poor because of his disease. Perhaps he was unable to work because he was ill. Read the note on verses 14-20 for ideas on ear, *thumb and toe.

Verses 33-36 *Mildew is something that grows on walls as well as on clothes. *Canaan is the country that the *Israelites went into. They did this after Moses died. We also call that country the *Promised Land. God had promised to give that country to the *Israelites. But that country was not perfect. There were problems like *mildew that could destroy the homes. The people had to be careful and they had to look for the start of any problem. Perhaps if they removed any material with *mildew on it, it would not spread.

Perhaps these rules would also help people to understand the nature of *sin. People have to be careful of *sin. They should examine their own lives, behaviour and attitudes carefully. And they should deal with *sin as soon as they recognise it.

Verses 37-42 The people had no towns or houses at this time! During Moses’ life, they lived in tents in a camp. These rules were for the time after the *Israelites entered *Canaan.

The priest had to examine the house carefully. If the *mildew was just on the surface of the walls, it was not a serious problem. But if it was deeper, the priest would not allow anyone to enter the house for 7 days. Then he would examine the house again. If the *mildew had not spread, he followed the ceremony in verses 48-53. And then people could return to the house. But if it had spread, the priest told the owner to remove everything with *mildew on it. And the owner had to rebuild the house’s wall.

Verses 43-47 If the *mildew then returned, the problem was very serious. People must destroy the house if its stones have *mildew! Again, these rules were for the time when the *Israelites were living in their own country.

Verses 48-53 The ceremony for the house is similar to the ceremony for the person who had the skin disease. The rules about property in the *Promised Land are important. This is because there is a relationship between the *covenant and the land.

Something to do

1. Read Psalms 51:7. Compare the use of *hyssop here and in Leviticus 14:4-7.

2. Read John 19:29, where again people use *hyssop.

3. Think about these things.

• What you hear from God.

• What you do for God.

• Where you go for God.

4. Read Romans 4:25. Consider whether there is a situation like the ‘two birds’ here. One bird dies, but the other bird flies away!

worship ~ to praise someone (usually God). You tell him that you believe him to be very, very great. Also, you love him and you will obey him.
LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.
holiness ~ the quality of somebody who is holy, or very, very good.

holy ~ very, very good; only God is really holy. Or, a description of something that belongs to God.
mildew ~ a disease that may grow on plants. There are similar diseases that affect clothes and even buildings.
clean ~ suitable for God or for God’s people. A clean person could go to God’s house to worship him.

worship ~ to praise someone (usually God). You tell him that you believe him to be very, very great. Also, you love him and you will obey him.
cedar ~ a tree.
hyssop ~ a type of plant.
clay ~ a type of earth that people use to make pots.
eyebrow ~ the line of hair that is above each eye.
lamb ~ a young sheep.'finest flour ~ in Leviticus, the best quality flour. People put it through the mill until it was like powder.
oil ~ a type of oil that comes from an oily fruit called the olive. People used this oil in their food and they burnt it in lamps.'corn offering ~ a gift of grain to the LORD. See the explanation in the note called ‘The 5 sacrifices’ near the beginning of this commentary.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

sacrifice ~ something that people burned on an altar for God; or to burn on an altar for God. People also gave sacrifices to false gods.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.

altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

'meeting tent ~ the special tent where God met with Moses. The priests could enter it to worship; they burnt sacrifices on the altar in front of it.

worship ~ to praise someone (usually God). You tell him that you believe him to be very, very great. Also, you love him and you will obey him.

sacrifice ~ something that people burned on an altar for God; or to burn on an altar for God. People also gave sacrifices to false gods.

altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.

'guilt offering ~ an offering by someone who is responsible for certain wrong acts. See the explanation in the note called ‘The 5 sacrifices’ near the beginning of this commentary.

offering ~ gift.

sacrifice ~ something that people burned on an altar for God; or to burn on an altar for God. People also gave sacrifices to false gods.

altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.

'wave offering ~ a gift that the priest waves in front of the LORD.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.
sin ~ to do wrong things; not to obey God’s rules. Or, the things we do when we sin. Evil thoughts, words and deeds are all sin, whether we do them on purpose or not.'whole offering ~ an offering that the priests burned completely on the altar. See the explanation in the note called ‘The 5 sacrifices’ near the beginning of this commentary.

offering ~ gift.

altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

sacrifice ~ something that people burned on an altar for God; or to burn on an altar for God. People also gave sacrifices to false gods.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.
thumb ~ the thumb is next to the 4 fingers on a person’s hand.
atonement ~ another word for what happens when God forgives us. After God forgives us, we are ‘at one’ with him. In other words, we are united as friends (or have friendly relations) with him.
altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.
dove ~ a type of bird that has a gentle character.
pigeon ~ a type of bird which has a gentle character.
offering ~ gift.
Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.
Canaan ~ the old name for the countries afterwards called Israel and Judah.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.
unclean ~ unsuitable for God or for God’s people. When someone was unclean, that person was unable to worship at God’s house.

worship ~ to praise someone (usually God). You tell him that you believe him to be very, very great. Also, you love him and you will obey him.
itch ~ a problem with the skin that makes us want to rub it or to scratch it.
clay ~ a type of earth that people use to make pots.
hyssop ~ a type of plant.
Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.
sacrifice ~ something that people burned on an altar for God; or to burn on an altar for God. People also gave sacrifices to false gods.

altar ~ a special table where the priests burned incense, grain and animals.

incense ~ a material that gives a good smell when people burn it.
ordination ~ the ceremony to appoint a man to be a priest.
atonement ~ another word for what happens when God forgives us. After God forgives us, we are ‘at one’ with him. In other words, we are united as friends (or have friendly relations) with him.
worship ~ to praise someone (usually God). You tell him that you believe him to be very, very great. Also, you love him and you will obey him.
mildew ~ a disease that may grow on plants. There are similar diseases that affect clothes and even buildings.'Promised Land ~ Canaan, that is, the country that God promised to the Israelites. It was the land that he promised to Abraham.

Canaan ~ the old name for the countries afterwards called Israel and Judah.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.
covenant ~ the special promise or agreement that God made with the Jews.

Jews ~ another word for the Israelites.

Israelites ~ the LORD’s people whom Moses led out of Egypt. Afterwards, they lived in the countries called Judah and Israel.

LORD ~ a special name for God. In the Hebrew Bible it translates YHWH. YHWH probably means ‘he is always alive’. So the word LORD (which means ‘master’) is not a proper translation.

Judah ~ the name of the southern part of the country where the Jews went to live.

Israel ~ the name of the country where the Jews went to live, especially the northern part of that country.

Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke.