Buber-Rosenzweig Translation OT (1929)

1ER redete zu Mosche und zu Aharon, sprechend: 2Ein Mensch, wenn an der Haut seines Fleisches ein Mal oder ein Grind oder ein Fleck ist, und es wird an der Haut seines Fleisches zu einem Aussatzschaden, werde er zu Aharon dem Priester oder zu einem seiner Söhne, der Priester, gebracht. 3Besieht der Priester den Schaden an der Haut des Fleisches: das Haar in dem Schaden hat sich zu Weiß gewandelt, und für die Sicht ist der Schade tiefer als die Haut seines Fleisches, Aussatzschade ists - besiehts der Priester, makle er ihn. 4Ists aber ein weißer Fleck an der Haut seines Fleisches und für die Sicht nicht tiefer als die Haut, und das Haar dran hat sich nicht zu Weiß gewandelt, schließe der Priester den Schaden ein Tagsiebent ein. 5Und besieht ihn der Priester am siebenten Tag: da ist der Schade für seine Augen zum Stillstand gekommen, nicht gebreitet hat sich der Schade an der Haut, schließe ihn der Priester zum andernmal ein Tagsiebent ein. 6Und besieht ihn der Priester am siebenten Tag zum andernmal: da ist der Schade verblaßt, und nicht gebreitet hat sich der Schade an der Haut, reine ihn der Priester, eine Grindstelle ists, er wasche seine Kleider und ist rein. 7Breitet aber in die Breite sich die Grindstelle an der Haut, nachdem er vom Priester zu seiner Reinigung besehen ist, und wird er dann zum andernmal dem Priester zu besehen gegeben, 8besieht dann der Priester: da hat sich die Grindstelle an der Haut gebreitet, makle ihn der Priester, Aussatz ists. 9Wenn ein Aussatzschade an einem Menschen ist, werde er zum Priester gebracht. 10Besieht der Priester: da ist ein weißes Mal an der Haut und es hat das Haar zu Weiß gewandelt, und ein Aufleben lebenden Fleisches ist an dem Mal, 11ein veralteter Aussatz ists an der Haut seines Fleisches, der Priester makle ihn, er schließe ihn nicht ein, denn maklig ist er. 12Sproßt und sproßt aber der Aussatz an der Haut, daß der Aussatz die ganze Schadenhaut überzieht von seinem Kopf bis zu seinen Füßen, den ganzen Sehbereich der Augen des Priesters, 13besieht der Priester: da hat der Aussatz sein ganzes Fleisch überzogen, reine er den Schaden, es hat sich ganz zu Weiß gewandelt, rein ist er. 14Des Tags aber, wo sich darin lebendes Fleisch sehen läßt, wird er maklig, 15sieht der Priester das lebende Fleisch, makle er ihn, das lebende Fleisch, maklig ist es, Aussatz ists. 16Doch wenn das lebende Fleisch zurücktrat und verwandelte sich zu Weiß, und er kam zum Priester, 17und der Priester besieht ihn: da hat sich der Schade zu Weiß verwandelt, reine der Priester den Schaden, er ist rein. 18Fleisch, wenn daran an seiner Haut eine Schwäre war, und sie heilte, 19und an der Stelle der Schwäre ist ein weißes Mal oder ein weißrötlicher Fleck, lasse er sich vom Priester besehen, 20und besieht der Priester: da ist es für die Sicht eingesunken gegen die Haut, und sein Haar hat sich zu Weiß gewandelt, makle ihn der Priester, Aussatzschade ists, in der Schwäre aufgesproßt. 21Besieht es aber der Priester: da ist kein weißes Haar dran, und nicht ist es eingesunken gegen die Haut, und es verblaßt, schließe ihn der Priester ein Tagsiebent ein. 22Breitete es sich in die Breite dann an der Haut, makle ihn der Priester, Schade ists, 23bestand aber an seinem Platz der Fleck und breitete sich nicht, ists die Narbe der Schwäre, der Priester reine ihn. 24Oder Fleisch, wenn an seiner Haut eine Brandwunde von Feuer ist, und das Neuaufleben auf der Brandwunde wird ein weißrötlicher oder weißer Fleck, 25und der Priester besieht es: da hat sich das Haar an dem Fleck zu Weiß verwandelt, und für die Sicht ists tiefer als die Haut, Aussatz ists, in der Brandwunde aufgesproßt, der Priester makle ihn, Aussatzschade ists. 26Besieht ihn aber der Priester: da ist kein weißes Haar an dem Fleck, und nicht ist er eingesunken gegen die Haut, und er verblaßte, schließe ihn der Priester ein Tagsiebent ein. 27Und besieht ihn der Priester am siebenten Tag: breitete er sich in die Breite an der Haut, makle ihn der Priester, Aussatzschade ists, 28bestand aber an seinem Platz der Fleck und breitete sich nicht an der Haut, und er verblaßte, Mal der Brandwunde ists, der Priester reine ihn, denn Narbe der Brandwunde ists. 29Ein Mann oder ein Weib, bei dem ein Schade ist am Kopf oder am Bart, 30und der Priester besieht den Schaden: da ist er für die Sicht tiefer als die Haut, und goldfarbnes dünnes Haar ist daran, makle ihn der Priester, Räude ists, Aussatz des Kopfes oder des Bartes ists.. 31Wenn der Priester den Räudeschaden besieht, und da ist er für die Sicht nicht tiefer als die Haut und schwarzes Haar ist nicht daran, schließe der Priester den Räudeschaden ein Tagsiebent ein; 32besieht der Priester die Räude am siebenten Tag: da hat sich die Räude nicht gebreitet und nicht ist goldfarbnes Haar daran geworden, und für die Sicht ist die Räude nicht tiefer als die Haut, 33lasse er sich scheren, aber die Räude beschere er nicht, dann schließe der Priester die Räude ein Tagsiebent zum andernmal ein.. 34Und besieht der Priester die Räude am siebenten Tag; da hat sich die Räude nicht an der Haut gebreitet, und für die Sicht ist sie nicht tiefer als die Haut, reine ihn der Priester, er wasche seine Kleider und ist rein. 35Breitet sich aber die Räude in die Breite an der Haut nach seiner Reinigung, 36und besiehts der Priester: da hat sich die Räude an der Haut gebreitet, braucht der Priester nicht nach dem goldfarbenen Haar zu suchen, maklig ist er. 37Bestand aber die Räude für seine Augen, und schwarzes Haar ist daran gewachsen, geheilt ist die Räude, rein ist er, der Priester reine ihn. 38Ein Mann oder ein Weib, wenn an der Haut ihres Fleisches Flecken sind, weiße Flecken, 39und der Priester besieht: da sind an der Haut ihres Fleisches blaßweiße Flecken, Glanzer ists, der an der Haut sproßte, rein ist er. 40Jemand, dem der Kopf kahlt, der ist ein Glatziger, rein ist er. 41Kahlt ihm der Kopf von der Seite seines Gesichts, der ist ein Plattiger, rein ist er. 42Wenn aber an seiner Glatze oder an seiner Platte ein weißrötlicher Schade ist, sprossender Aussatz ists an seiner Glatze oder an seiner Platte. 43Besieht ihn der Priester: da ist ein weißrötliches Schadenmal an seiner Glatze oder an seiner Platte, für die Sicht wie Aussatz an der Haut des Fleisches, 44ein aussätziger Mann ist er, maklig ist er, makle, makle ihn der Priester, an seinem Kopf ist sein Schade. 45Der Aussätzige, an dem der Schade ist, seine Kleider seien zerfetzt, sein Kopfhaar sei entfesselt, den Lippenbart mumme er, Maklig! maklig! rufe er. 46Alle Tage, die der Schade an ihm ist, muß er maklig sein, maklig ist er, einsam bleibt er, außer Lagers ist sein Bleiben. 47Das Gewand, wenn an ihm ein Aussatzschade ist, an einem Gewand von Wolle oder an einem Gewand von Flachs, 48oder am Aufzug oder am Einschlag von Flachs und von Wolle, oder an Leder oder an allerart Verarbeitung von Leder, 49und der Schade ist grünlich oder rötlich am Gewand oder am Leder oder am Aufzug oder am Einschlag oder an allerart Gerät von Leder, Aussatzschade ists, er werde vom Priester besehn. , 50Besieht der Priester den Schaden, schließe er den Schaden ein Tagsiebent ein. 51Besieht er den Schaden am siebenten Tag: der Schade hat sich gebreitet an dem Gewand oder am Aufzug oder am Einschlag oder ans Leder, zu welchem Werk allweg das Leder verarbeitet sein mag, fressender Aussatz ist der Schade, maklig ists, 52man verbrenne das Gewand oder den Aufzug oder den Einschlag, von Wolle oder von Flachs, oder alles Gerät von Leder, woran der Schade ist, denn fressender Aussatz ists, im Feuer werde es verbrannt. 53Besieht aber der Priester: da hat sich der Schade nicht gebreitet an dem Gewand oder an dem Aufzug oder an dem Einschlag oder an allerart Gerät von Leder, 54gebiete der Priester, daß man wasche, woran der Schade ist, und er schließe es ein Tagsiebent zum andernmal ein. 55Besieht nun der Priester, nachdem der Schade gewaschen wurde: da hat der Schade seinen Augenschein nicht gewandelt, und nicht gebreitet hat sich der Schade, maklig ists, im Feuer sollst du es verbrennen, eine Einzehrung ists an seiner Glatzseite oder an seiner Plattseite. 56Besieht aber der Priester: da ist der Schade verblaßt, nachdem man ihn wusch, reiße man ihn aus dem Gewand oder aus dem Leder oder aus dem Aufzug oder aus dem Einschlag; 57wird er aber nochmals ersehn an dem Gewand oder an dem Aufzug oder an dem Einschlag oder an allem Gerät von Leder, sprossender ists, - im Feuer sollst dus verbrennen, woran der Schade ist. 58Das Gewand aber oder den Aufzug oder den Einschlag oder allerart Gerät von Leder, das du wuschest und der Schade weicht von ihnen, zum andernmal werde es gewaschen, dann ist es rein. 59Dieses ist die Weisung für den Aussatzschaden eines Gewandes von Wolle oder Flachs oder eines Aufzugs oder Einschlags oder allerart ledernen Geräts, es zu reinen oder zu makeln.


Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary
 1   I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh, who sought to kill Moses, was the first that ever was struck with this disease, and that he died of it. It is said to have begun first in Egypt, whence it spread into Syria. It was very well known to Moses, when he put his own hand into his bosom and took it out leprous. 2. That it was a plague inflicted immediately by the hand of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were all the punishments of particular sins: and, if generally it was so, no marvel there was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper, that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary token of divine displeasure but those that really were so. 3. That it is a plague not now known in the world; what is commonly called the leprosy is of a quite different nature. This seems to have been reserved as a particular scourge for the sinners of those times and places. The Jews retained the idolatrous customs they had learnt in Egypt, and therefore God justly caused this with some others of the diseases of Egypt to follow them. Yet we read of Naaman the Syrian, who was a leper, 2Kgs 5:1. 4. That there were other breakings-out in the body which did very much resemble the leprosy, but were not it, which might make a man sore and loathsome and yet not ceremonially unclean. Justly are our bodies called vile bodies, which have in them the seeds of so many diseases, by which the lives of so many are made bitter to them. 5. That the judgment of it was referred to the priests. Lepers were looked upon as stigmatized by the justice of God, and therefore it was left to his servants the priests, who might be presumed to know his mark best, to pronounce who were lepers and who were not. All the Jews say, Any priest, though disabled by a blemish to attend the sanctuary, might be a judge of the leprosy, provided the blemish were not in his eye. And he might (they say) take a common person to assist him in the search, but the priest only must pronounce the judgment. 6. That it was a figure of the moral pollution of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse us; for herein the power of his grace infinitely transcends that of the legal priesthood, that the priest could only convict the leper (for by the law is the knowledge of sin), but Christ can cure the leper, he can take away sin. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, which was more than the priests could do, Matt 8:2. Some think that the leprosy signified, not so much sin in general as a state of sin, by which men are separated from God (their spot not being the spot of God's children), and scandalous sin, for which men are to be shut out from the communion of the faithful. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state: we have all cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious to ourselves of sores and spots, but whether clean or unclean is the question. A man might have a scab (Lev 13:6) and yet be clean: the best have their infirmities; but, as there were certain marks by which to know that it was a leprosy, so there are characters of such as are in the gall of bitterness, and the work of ministers is to declare the judgment of leprosy and to assist those that suspect themselves in the trial of their spiritual state, remitting or retaining sin. And hence the keys of the kingdom of heaven are said to be given to them, because they are to separate between the precious and the vile, and to judge who are fit as clean to partake of the holy things and who as unclean must be debarred from them.
II. Several rules are here laid down by which the judgment of the priest must be governed. 1. If the sore was but skin-deep, it was to be hoped it was not the leprosy, Lev 13:4. But, if it was deeper than the skin, the man must be pronounced unclean, Lev 13:3. The infirmities that consist with grace do not sink deep into the soul, but the mind still serves the law of God, and the inward man delights in it, Roma 7:22, Roma 7:25. But if the matter be really worse than it shows, and the inwards be infected, the case is dangerous. 2. If the sore be at a stay, and do not spread, it is no leprosy, Lev 13:4, Lev 13:5. But if it spread much abroad, and continue to do so after several inspections, the case is bad, Lev 13:7, Lev 13:8. If men do not grow worse, but a stop be put to the course of their sins and their corruptions be checked, it is to be hoped they will grow better; but if sin get ground, and they become worse every day, they are going downhill. 3. If there was proud raw flesh in the rising, the priest needed not to wait any longer, it was certainly a leprosy, Lev 13:10, Lev 13:11. Nor is there any surer indication of the badness of a man's spiritual state than the heart's rising in self-conceit, confidence in the flesh, and resistance of the reproofs of the word and strivings of the Spirit. 4. If the eruption, whatever it was, covered all the skin from head to foot, it was no leprosy (Lev 13:12, Lev 13:13); for it was an evidence that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is hope in the small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely confess their sins, and hide them not, there is no danger comparable to theirs that cover their sins. Some gather this from it, that there is more hope of the profane than of hypocrites. The publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before scribes and Pharisees. In one respect, the sudden breakings-out of passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as malice concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged; if we see and own that there is no health in us, no soundness in our flesh, by reason of sin, we shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord. 5. The priest must take time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter looked suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then seven days more, that his judgment might be according to truth. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so men's good works; therefore let nothing be done suddenly, 1Tim 5:22, 1Tim 5:24, 1Tim 5:25. 6. If the person suspected was found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes (Lev 13:6), because he had been under the suspicion, and there had been in him that which gave ground for the suspicion. Even the prisoner that is acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though they be not leprosy-spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin? though there are those who through grace are innocent from the great transgression.

 18   The priest is here instructed what judgment to make if there was any appearance of a leprosy, either, 1. In an old ulcer, or bile, that has been healed, Lev 13:18, etc. When old sores, that seemed to be cured, break out again, it is to be feared there is a leprosy in them; such is the danger of those who, having escaped the pollutions of the world, are again entangled therein and overcome. Or, 2. In a burn by accident, for this seems to be meant, Lev 13:24, etc. The burning of strife and contention often proves the occasion of the rising up and breaking out of that corruption which witnesses to men's faces that they are unclean. 3. In a scall-head. And in this commonly the judgment turned upon a very small matter. If the hair in the scall was black, it was a sign of soundness; if yellow, it was an indication of a leprosy, Lev 13:30-Lev 13:37. The other rules in these cases are the same with those mentioned before. In reading of these several sorts of ailments, it will be good for us, 1. To lament the calamitous state of human life, which lies exposed to so many grievances. What troops of diseases are we beset with on every side! and they all entered by sin. 2. To give thanks to God if he has never afflicted us with any of these sores: if the constitution is healthful, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies.

 38   We have here,
I. Provisos that neither a freckled skin nor a bald head should be mistaken for a leprosy, Lev 13:38-Lev 13:41. Every deformity must not forthwith be made a ceremonial defilement. Elisha was jeered for his bald head (2Kgs 2:23); but it was the children of Bethel, that knew not the judgments of their God, who turned it to his reproach.
II. A particular brand set upon the leprosy if at any time it did appear in a bald head: The plague is in his head, he is utterly unclean, Lev 13:44. If the leprosy of sin have seized the head, if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles which countenance and support wicked practices, be embraced, it is an utter uncleanness, from which few are ever cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps the leprosy from the head, and saves conscience from being shipwrecked.
III. Directions what must be done with the convicted leper. When the priest, upon mature deliberation, had solemnly pronounced him unclean,
1. He must pronounce himself so, Lev 13:45. He must put himself into the posture of a mourner and cry, Unclean, unclean. The leprosy was not itself a sin, but it was a sad token of God's displeasure and a sore affliction to him that was under it. It was a reproach to his name, put a full stop to his business in the world, cut him off from conversation with his friends and relations, condemned him to banishment till he was cleansed, shut him out from the sanctuary, and was, in effect, the ruin of all the comfort he could have in this world. Heman, it would seem, either was a leper or alludes to the melancholy condition of a leper, Pss 88:8, etc. He must therefore, (1.) Humble himself under the mighty hand of God, not insisting upon his cleanness when the priest had pronounced him unclean, but justifying God and accepting the punishment of his iniquity. He must signify this by rending his clothes, uncovering his head, and covering his upper lip, all tokens of shame and confusion of face, and very significant of that self-loathing and self-abasement which should fill the hearts of penitents, the language of which is self-judging. Thus must we take to ourselves the shame that belongs to us, and with broken hearts call ourselves by our own name, Unclean, unclean - heart unclean, life unclean, unclean by original corruption, unclean by actual transgression - unclean, and therefore worthy to be for ever excluded from communion with God, and all hope of happiness in him. We are all as an unclean thing (Isa 64:6) - unclean, and therefore undone, if infinite mercy do not interpose. (2.) He must give warning to others to take heed of coming near him. Wherever he went, he must cry to those he saw at a distance, I am unclean, unclean, take heed of touching me. Not that the leprosy was catching, but by the touch of a leper ceremonial uncleanness was contracted. Every one therefore was concerned to avoid it; and the leper himself must give notice of the danger. And this was all that the law could do, in that it was weak through the flesh; it taught the leper to cry, Unclean, unclean, but the gospel has put another cry into the lepers' mouths, Luke 17:12, Luke 17:13, where we find ten lepers crying with a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. The law only shows us our disease; the gospel shows us our help in Christ.
2. He must then be shut out of the camp, and afterwards, when they came to Canaan, out of the city, town, or village, where he lived, and dwell alone (Lev 13:46), associating with none but those that were lepers like himself. When king Uzziah became a leper, he was banished from his palace, and dwelt in a separate house, 2Chr 26:21. And see 2Kgs 7:3. This typified the purity which ought to be preserved in the gospel church, by the solemn and authoritative exclusion of scandalous sinners, that hate to be reformed, from the communion of the faithful. Put away from among yourselves that wicked person, 1Cor 5:13.

 47   This is the law concerning the plague of leprosy in a garment, whether linen or woollen. A leprosy in a garment, with discernible indications of it, the colour changed by it, the garment fretted, the nap worn off, and this in some one particular part of the garment, and increasing when it was shut up, and not to be got out by washing is a thing which to us now is altogether unaccountable. The learned confess that it was a sign and a miracle in Israel, an extraordinary punishment inflicted by the divine power, as a token of great displeasure against a person or family. 1. The process was much the same with that concerning a leprous person. The garment suspected to be tainted was not to be burnt immediately, though, it may be, there would have been no great loss of it; for in no case must sentence be given merely upon a surmise, but it must be shown to the priest. If, upon search, it was found that there was a leprous spot (the Jews say no bigger than a bean), it must be burnt, or at least that part of the garment in which the spot was, Lev 13:52, Lev 13:57. If the cause of the suspicion was gone, it must be washed, and then might be used, Lev 13:58. 2. The signification also was much the same, to intimate the great malignity there is in sin: it not only defiles the sinner's conscience, but it brings a stain upon all his employments and enjoyments, all he has and all he does. To those that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, Titus 1:15. And we are taught hereby to hate even the garments spotted with the flesh, Jude 1:23. Those that make their clothes servants to their pride and lust may see them thereby tainted with a leprosy, and doomed to the fire, Isa 3:18-Isa 3:24. But the ornament of the hidden man of the heart is incorruptible, 1Pet 3:4. The robes of righteousness never fret nor are moth-eaten.