1Hospodin promluvil k Mojžíšovi a Áronovi: 2Když bude mít někdo na kůži svého těla otok nebo vyrážku či světlou skvrnu a může se změnit na kůži jeho těla v ránu malomocenství, ať je přiveden ke knězi Áronovi či k některému z jeho synů, kněží. 3Kněz si prohlédne ránu na kůži jeho těla. Jestliže chlupy na ráně zbělely a rána vypadá hlubší než kůže jeho těla, je to rána malomocenství. Když to kněz uvidí, prohlásí ho za nečistého. 4Jestliže světlá skvrna na kůži jeho těla je bílá, ale nevypadá hlubší než kůže a jeho chlupy nezbělely, kněz uzavře člověka postiženého touto ranou na sedm dní. 5Sedmého dne ho kněz prohlédne, a jestliže mu rána připadá stejná, nerozšířila se po kůži, kněz ho uzavře na dalších sedm dní. 6Kněz ho prohlédne opět sedmého dne, a jestliže rána je vybledlá, nerozšířila se rána po kůži, kněz ho prohlásí za čistého; je to vyrážka. On si vypere šaty a bude čistý. 7Jestliže se však vyrážka dále šíří po kůži i poté, co se ukázal knězi ke svému očištění, ukáže se knězi opět. 8Když kněz uvidí, že se vyrážka po kůži rozšířila, prohlásí ho kněz za nečistého; je to malomocenství. 9Když bude na někom rána malomocenství, ať je přiveden ke knězi. 10Kněz ho prohlédne, a když je na kůži bílý otok, který zbělel chlupy a na otoku je živé maso, 11je to chronické malomocenství na kůži jeho těla. Kněz ho prohlásí za nečistého; neuzavře ho, protože je nečistý. 12Jestliže se malomocenství rozbují dále po kůži, malomocenství pokryje celou kůži člověka postiženého ranou od hlavy až k chodidlům, všude, kam kněz dohlédne, 13a kněz vidí, že malomocenství pokrylo celé jeho tělo, prohlásí člověka postiženého ranou za čistého; celý zbělel, je čistý. 14V den, kdy by se na něm ukázalo živé maso, bude nečistý. 15Když kněz uvidí živé maso, prohlásí jej za nečistého. Živé maso je nečisté; je to malomocenství. 16Nebo když živé maso zase zbělí, přijde ke knězi, 17kněz ho prohlédne, a jestliže rána zbělí, kněz prohlásí člověka postiženého ranou za čistého; je čistý. 18Když se stane, že tělo, na jehož kůži byl vřed, se uzdraví, 19ale potom se na místě vředu objeví bílý otok nebo červenobílá světlá skvrna, ukáže se knězi. 20Kněz ho prohlédne, a jestliže to vypadá nižší než kůže a chlupy zbělely, kněz ho prohlásí za nečistého. Je to rána malomocenství rozbujelá na vředu. 21Když kněz uvidí, že chlupy na něm nejsou bílé, není to nižší než kůže a je to vybledlé, uzavře ho kněz na sedm dní. 22Jestliže se dále rozšíří po kůži, prohlásí ho kněz za nečistého; je to rána. 23Jestliže však zůstane světlá skvrna na svém místě, nerozšíří se, je to jizva vředu. Kněz ho prohlásí za čistého. 24Nebo když bude mít nějaké tělo na kůži spáleninu a na spálenině se objeví červenobílá či bílá světlá skvrna, 25kněz ji prohlédne. Jestliže chlupy na světlé skvrně zbělely a vypadá to hlubší než kůže, je to malomocenství rozbujelé na spálenině. Kněz ho prohlásí za nečistého; je to rána malomocenství. 26Jestliže kněz uvidí, že chlupy na světlé skvrně nejsou bílé, není to nižší než kůže a je to vybledlé, uzavře ho kněz na sedm dní. 27Sedmého dne jej kněz prohlédne, a jestliže se to dále rozšíří po kůži, prohlásí ho kněz za nečistého; je to rána malomocenství. 28Jestliže zůstane světlá skvrna na svém místě, nerozšíří se po kůži a je to vybledlé, je to otok na spálenině. Kněz ho prohlásí za čistého; neboť je to jizva na spálenině. 29Když bude mít muž či žena ránu na hlavě nebo na bradě, 30kněz ránu prohlédne. Jestliže to vypadá hlubší než kůže, jsou na tom chlupy nažloutlé a jemné, prohlásí ho kněz za nečistého. Je to ekzém, je to malomocenství na hlavě či bradě. 31Když kněz uvidí ránu ekzému, že nevypadá hlubší než kůže a chlupy na ní nejsou černé, uzavře kněz postiženého ranou ekzému na sedm dní. 32Sedmého dne kněz ránu prohlédne. Jestliže se ekzém nerozšířil, nejsou na něm nažloutlé chlupy a ekzém nevypadá hlubší než kůže, 33dotyčný se oholí, ale ekzém si neoholí. Kněz uzavře člověka postiženého ekzémem na dalších sedm dní. 34Sedmého dne kněz ekzém prohlédne. Jestliže se ekzém nerozšíří po kůži, nevypadá hlubší než kůže, kněz ho prohlásí za čistého. On si vypere šaty a bude čistý. 35Jestliže se však ekzém po jeho očištění rozšíří dále po kůži, 36kněz ho prohlédne. Jestliže se ekzém po kůži rozšířil, kněz si nebude všímat nažloutlých chlupů, je nečistý. 37Jestliže mu ale ekzém bude připadat stejný, vyrostly na něm černé chlupy, ekzém se uzdravil, je čistý. Kněz ho prohlásí za čistého. 38Když bude mít muž či žena na kůži svého těla světlé skvrny, bílé světlé skvrny, 39kněz to prohlédne. Jestliže jsou na kůži jeho těla světlé skvrny vybledlé, bílé, je to vyrážka rozbujelá na kůži; postižený je čistý. 40Když muž na hlavě olysá a je plešatý, je čistý. 41Jestliže na skráních vepředu olysá a je plešatý na čele, je čistý. 42Když se však objeví na lysém místě vzadu či na pleši vepředu červenobílá rána, je to malomocenství, které vyrazilo na lysém místě vzadu či na pleši vepředu. 43Kněz ho prohlédne. Jestliže má červenobílou ránu otoku na lysém místě vzadu či na pleši vepředu a vypadá to jako malomocenství na kůži těla, 44je člověkem postiženým malomocenstvím; je nečistý. Kněz ho jistě prohlásí za nečistého; na hlavě má ránu. 45Co se týče toho, kdo je postižen ranou malomocenství, jeho šaty budou roztržené, vlasy na jeho hlavě budou rozpuštěné, bude si zakrývat vous a bude volat: Nečistý, nečistý. 46Nečistý bude po všechny dny, kdy na něm bude rána. Je nečistý, bude bydlet o samotě, jeho místo k bydlení bude venku za táborem. 47Když se rána malomocenství objeví na oděvu, na oděvu vlněném či oděvu lněném, 48na tkanině či na pletenině ze lnu nebo z vlny či na kůži anebo na jakémkoliv koženém výrobku 49a bude ta rána na oděvu, na kůži, na tkanině, na pletenině či na jakémkoliv koženém předmětu zelenkavá anebo načervenalá, je to rána malomocenství, ukáže se to knězi. 50Kněz věc postiženou ranou prohlédne a uzavře ji na sedm dní. 51Sedmý den prohlédne věc postiženou ranou. Když se rána rozšířila po oděvu, tkanině či pletenině nebo po kůži a jakémkoliv výrobku, který se dělá z kůže, je to zhoubná rána malomocenství, je to nečisté. 52Spálí oděv, tkaninu či pleteninu z vlny či ze lnu či jakýkoliv předmět z kůže, na němž bude rána, neboť je to zhoubné malomocenství. Spálí se to ohněm. 53Jestliže kněz uvidí, že se rána nerozšířila po oděvu, tkanině či pletenině nebo jakémkoliv koženém předmětu, 54vydá kněz příkaz, aby se vypralo to, na čem je rána, a on to uzavře na dalších sedm dní. 55Kněz prohlédne věc postiženou ranou poté, co byla vyprána. Jestliže rána nezměnila vzhled, i když se rána nerozšířila, je to nečisté. Spálíš to ohněm. Je to zažrané, ať na líci či na rubu. 56Jestliže však kněz uvidí, že rána je vybledlá poté, co to bylo vypráno, odtrhne to z oděvu či z kůže, tkaniny nebo pleteniny. 57Jestliže se to objeví znovu na oděvu, tkanině či pletenině nebo jakémkoliv koženém předmětu a bují to, spálíš ohněm to, na čem je rána. 58Oděv, tkanina či pletenina nebo jakýkoliv kožený předmět, který vypereš a rána z nich zmizí, se vypere podruhé a bude to čisté. 59Toto je zákon o ráně malomocenství na oděvu vlněném či lněném nebo tkanině či pletenině nebo jakémkoliv koženém předmětu — jak prohlásit něco za čisté nebo nečisté.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 THE LAWS AND TOKENS IN DISCERNING LEPROSY. (Lev. 13:1-59)
When a man shall have in the skin, &c.--The fact of the following rules for distinguishing the plague of leprosy being incorporated with the Hebrew code of laws, proves the existence of the odious disease among that people. But a short time, little more than a year (if so long a period had elapsed since the exodus) when symptoms of leprosy seem extensively to have appeared among them; and as they could not be very liable to such a cutaneous disorder amid their active journeyings and in the dry open air of Arabia, the seeds of the disorder must have been laid in Egypt, where it has always been endemic. There is every reason to believe that this was the case: that the leprosy was not a family complaint, hereditary among the Hebrews, but that they got it from intercourse with the Egyptians and from the unfavorable circumstances of their condition in the house of bondage. The great excitement and irritability of the skin in the hot and sandy regions of the East produce a far greater predisposition to leprosy of all kinds than in cooler temperatures; and cracks or blotches, inflammations or even contusions of the skin, very often lead to these in Arabia and Palestine, to some extent, but particularly in Egypt. Besides, the subjugated and distressed state of the Hebrews in the latter country, and the nature of their employment, must have rendered them very liable to this as well as to various other blemishes and misaffections of the skin; in the production of which there are no causes more active or powerful than a depressed state of body and mind, hard labor under a burning sun, the body constantly covered with the excoriating dust of brick fields, and an impoverished diet--to all of which the Israelites were exposed while under the Egyptian bondage. It appears that, in consequence of these hardships, there was, even after they had left Egypt, a general predisposition among the Hebrews to the contagious forms of leprosy--so that it often occurred as a consequence of various other affections of the skin. And hence all cutaneous blemishes or blains--especially such as had a tendency to terminate in leprosy--were watched with a jealous eye from the first [GOOD, Study of Medicine]. A swelling, a pimple, or bright spot on the skin, created a strong ground of suspicion of a man's being attacked by the dreaded disease.
then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, &c.--Like the Egyptian priests, the Levites united the character of physician with that of the sacred office; and on the appearance of any suspicious eruptions on the skin, the person having these was brought before the priest--not, however, to receive medical treatment, though it is not improbable that some purifying remedies might be prescribed, but to be examined with a view to those sanitary precautions which it belonged to legislation to adopt.
3 the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh, &c.--The leprosy, as covering the person with a white, scaly scurf, has always been accounted an offensive blemish rather than a serious malady in the East, unless when it assumed its less common and malignant forms. When a Hebrew priest, after a careful inspection, discovered under the cutaneous blemish the distinctive signs of contagious leprosy, the person was immediately pronounced unclean, and is supposed to have been sent out of the camp to a lazaretto provided for that purpose. If the symptoms appeared to be doubtful, he ordered the person to be kept in domestic confinement for seven days, when he was subjected to a second examination; and if during the previous week the eruption had subsided or appeared to be harmless, he was instantly discharged. But if the eruption continued unabated and still doubtful, he was put under surveillance another week; at the end of which the character of the disorder never failed to manifest itself, and he was either doomed to perpetual exclusion from society or allowed to go at large. A person who had thus been detained on suspicion, when at length set at liberty, was obliged to "wash his clothes," as having been tainted by ceremonial pollution; and the purification through which he was required to go was, in the spirit of the Mosaic dispensation, symbolical of that inward purity it was instituted to promote.
7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin--Those doubtful cases, when they assumed a malignant character, appeared in one of two forms, apparently according to the particular constitution of the skin or of the habit generally. The one was "somewhat dark" [
Lev 13:6] --that is, the obscure or dusky leprosy, in which the natural color of the hair (which in Egypt and Palestine is black) is not changed, as is repeatedly said in the sacred code, nor is there any depression in the dusky spot, while the patches, instead of keeping stationary to their first size, are perpetually enlarging their boundary. The patient laboring under this form was pronounced unclean by the Hebrew priest or physician, and hereby sentenced to a separation from his family and friends--a decisive proof of its being contagious.
9 if the rising be white--This BRIGHT WHITE leprosy is the most malignant and inveterate of all the varieties the disease exhibits, and it was marked by the following distinctive signs: A glossy white and spreading scale, upon an elevated base, the elevation depressed in the middle, but without a change of color; the black hair on the patches participating in the whiteness, and the scaly patches themselves perpetually enlarging their boundary. Several of these characteristics, taken separately, belong to other blemishes of the skin as well; so that none of them was to be taken alone, and it was only when the whole of them concurred that the Jewish priest, in his capacity of physician, was to pronounce the disease a malignant leprosy. If it spread over the entire frame without producing any ulceration, it lost its contagious power by degrees; or, in other words, it ran through its course and exhausted itself. In that case, there being no longer any fear of further evil, either to the individual himself or to the community, the patient was declared clean by the priest, while the dry scales were yet upon him, and restored to society. If, on the contrary, the patches ulcerated and quick or fungous flesh sprang up in them, the purulent matter of which, if brought into contact with the skin of other persons, would be taken into the constitution by means of absorbent vessels, the priest was at once to pronounce it an inveterate leprosy. A temporary confinement was them declared to be totally unnecessary, and he was regarded as unclean for life [DR. GOOD]. Other skin affections, which had a tendency to terminate in leprosy, though they were not decided symptoms when alone, were: "a boil" (
Lev 13:18-
Lev 13:23); "a hot burning,"--that is, a fiery inflammation or carbuncle (
Lev 13:24-
Lev 13:28); and "a dry scall" (
Lev 13:29-
Lev 13:37), when the leprosy was distinguished by being deeper than the skin and the hair became thin and yellow.
38 If a man . . . or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots--This modification of the leprosy is distinguished by a dull white color, and it is entirely a cutaneous disorder, never injuring the constitution. It is described as not penetrating below the skin of the flesh and as not rendering necessary an exclusion from society. It is evident, then, that this common form of leprosy is not contagious; otherwise Moses would have prescribed as strict a quarantine in this as in the other cases. And hereby we see the great superiority of the Mosaic law (which so accurately distinguished the characteristics of the leprosy and preserved to society the services of those who were laboring under the uncontagious forms of the disease) over the customs and regulations of Eastern countries in the present day, where all lepers are indiscriminately proscribed and are avoided as unfit for free intercourse with their fellow men.
40 bald . . . forehead bald--The falling off of the hair, when the baldness commences in the back part of the head, is another symptom which creates a suspicion of leprosy. But it was not of itself a decisive sign unless taken in connection with other tokens, such as a "sore of a reddish white color" [
Lev 13:43]. The Hebrews as well as other Orientals were accustomed to distinguish between the forehead baldness, which might be natural, and that baldness which might be the consequence of disease.
45 the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, &c.--The person who was declared affected with the leprosy forthwith exhibited all the tokens of suffering from a heavy calamity. Rending garments and uncovering the head were common signs of mourning. As to "the putting a covering upon the upper lip," that means either wearing a moustache, as the Hebrews used to shave the upper lip [CALMET], or simply keeping a hand over it. All these external marks of grief were intended to proclaim, in addition to his own exclamation "Unclean!" that the person was a leper, whose company every one must shun.
46 he shall dwell alone; without the camp--in a lazaretto by himself, or associated with other lepers (
2Kgs 7:3,
2Kgs 7:8).
47 The garment . . . that the . . . leprosy is in--It is well known that infectious diseases, such as scarlet fever, measles, the plague, are latently imbibed and carried by the clothes. But the language of this passage clearly indicates a disease to which clothes themselves were subject, and which was followed by effects on them analogous to those which malignant leprosy produces on the human body--for similar regulations were made for the rigid inspection of suspected garments by a priest as for the examination of a leprous person. It has long been conjectured and recently ascertained by the use of a lens, that the leprous condition of swine is produced by myriads of minute insects engendered in their skin; and regarding all leprosy as of the same nature, it is thought that this affords a sufficient reason for the injunction in the Mosaic law to destroy the clothes in which the disease, after careful observation, seemed to manifest itself. Clothes are sometimes seen contaminated by this disease in the West Indies and the southern parts of America [WHITLAW, Code of Health]; and it may be presumed that, as the Hebrews were living in the desert where they had not the convenience of frequent changes and washing, the clothes they wore and the skin mats on which they lay, would be apt to breed infectious vermin, which, being settled in the stuff, would imperceptibly gnaw it and leave stains similar to those described by Moses. It is well known that the wool of sheep dying of disease, if it had not been shorn from the animal while living, and also skins, if not thoroughly prepared by scouring, are liable to the effects described in this passage. The stains are described as of a greenish or reddish color, according, perhaps, to the color or nature of the ingredients used in preparing them; for acids convert blue vegetable colors into red and alkalis change then into green [BROWN]. It appears, then, that the leprosy, though sometimes inflicted as a miraculous judgment (
Num 12:10;
2Kgs 5:27) was a natural disease, which is known in Eastern countries still; while the rules prescribed by the Hebrew legislator for distinguishing the true character and varieties of the disease and which are far superior to the method of treatment now followed in those regions, show the divine wisdom by which he was guided. Doubtless the origin of the disease is owing to some latent causes in nature; and perhaps a more extended acquaintance with the archćology of Egypt and the natural history of the adjacent countries, may confirm the opinion that leprosy results from noxious insects or a putrid fermentation. But whatever the origin or cause of the disease, the laws enacted by divine authority regarding it, while they pointed in the first instance to sanitary ends, were at the same time intended, by stimulating to carefulness against ceremonial defilement, to foster a spirit of religious fear and inward purity.
