Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses.] And to Aaron also, though not here mentioned, as he is, Leviticus 14:33.
Ver. 2. He shall be brought unto the priest.] To teach us to go to Jesus Christ the High Priest of our profession, who healeth all our diseases. (Psalms 103:3) He cured the leprosy, to others altogether incurable, by a touch of his hand only. (Mark 1:41) Yea, “he sent his word and healed them,” (Psalms 107:20) and so he doth the souls of sinners that come unto him.
Ver. 3. If the plague of leprosy be healed.] As it was in Simon the leper that entertained Christ. Jealousy, frenzy, and heresy are counted incurable diseases: not so leprosy; though the most carried it to their death, as Gehazi, Azariah, &c.
Ver. 4. Command to take.] That the leper might show his thankfulness to Jehovah his physician, as he is called. (Exodus 15:26) See Matthew 8:4. Men pray and pay physicians of their bodies, who yet do but officiose occidere many times. And shall God have nothing? Must he ask as once, Where are the other nine? Shall we not turn again with Naaman now cleansed, and offer our service, renounce our idols, dedicate all we are and have to the God of Israel? Two birds.] Or sparrows, whereof two were sold for a farthing: to show how lightly set by Christ is in the world, whose blood nevertheless is more worth than a thousand worlds.
Ver. 5. Over running water.] Heb., Living water. Life consists in motion, in action: hence waters that spring and run, are, for their continual motion, called living waters. O Lord, saith Hezekiah, “By these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit.” (Isaiah 38:16)
Ver. 6. That was killed over the running water.] Pointing at Christ, who “came not by water only, but by water and blood.” (1 John 5:6) [See Trapp on “1Jo 5:6”] [See Trapp on “1Co 6:11”]
Ver. 7. And he shall sprinkle.] This led them to that blood of sprinkling, (Hebrews 12:23,24) applied unto them by that hyssop branch of faith, whereby the heart is purified. And shall let the living bird loose.] This figured, say some, that neither Christ’s deity without the shedding of his blood, nor Christ’s blood, but for the quickening life of the Godhead personally dwelling in him, could have been available for the purging of sin. Both which himself declareth. (John 6:53,63) And hither belongeth 2 Corinthians 5:19 Ac 20:28. Moreover it figured, that Christ by his death conquered him that had the power of death, (Hebrews 2:15) whilst he fled as a bird to the everlasting mountains, from the jaws of death to the joys of heaven. (Hebrews 7:26)
Ver. 8. Shall wash his clothes, and shave.] This the leper was to do the first day of his cleansing; to teach men to be thorough in the practice of mortification, at the first conversion: “laying a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:19) And shall tarry abroad.] Men must not be too hasty at first to catch at comfort; but let humiliation have her perfect work, and our sorrows be suitable to our sins.
Ver. 9. Even all his hair he shall shave off.] To show that repentance and mortification is not the work of a day, as he said in another case, (Ezra 10:13) but of a man’s whole life. There must be a daily shaving and paring of lusts and superfluities; which are to the soul as excrements are to the body. Yea, the more a sinner is exercised in mortification, the more he searcheth out his corruptions. Now he shaveth off the hair not of his head only, but of his beard and eyebrows.
Ver. 10. He shall take two he lambs.] That by these sacrifices he might be taught to seek for the cleansing of his soul, together with the healing of his body; that there might be mens sana in corpore sano, a cure done on both inside and outside too.
Ver. 11. At the door of the tabernacle.] There God is to be found, viz., in the public assemblies, and that we are indeed, saith one, which we are at the door of the tabernacle.
Ver. 12. And wave them.] This may note, (1.) Christ’s extreme sufferings; (2.) The waving of Christ in the preaching of the gospel; (3.) The motion of the sinner’s lips in confession and supplication.
Ver. 13. It is most holy.] The way of holiness in and by Christ is an absolute way as ever was devised.
Ver. 14. Upon the tip of the right ear.] To signify that all Christ’s sanctified ones have a hearing ear, an active hand, a nimble foot to walk in the way that is called holy.
Ver. 15. Some of the log of oil.] Christ’s comforts must be warily propounded to men, and with good discretion.
Ver. 16. Seven times.] This might note the perfection of the joys God hath for his, and our imperfection in believing it, in that it was so many times sprinkled.
Ver. 17. Upon the tip of the right ear.] To assure him of comfort, in hearing, doing, persevering.
Ver. 18. Upon the head.] Everlasting joy shall be upon the heads of Christ’s ransomed ones. (Isaiah 35:10)
Ver. 19. And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering.] We must be reconciled by Christ, our sin offering, before the sacrificing of ourselves—which is our reasonable service—can be accepted.
Ver. 20. And the meat offering.] The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering shows, saith one, either that Christians grow marvellously in this life, after they have full assurance of pardon of sin: or else that Christ will be their eternal food in heaven. Bifield, on 1 Peter 1:22.
Ver. 21. And if he be poor.] there is a proviso for poor people: God makes no difference, but accepts of a little where much is to be had.
Ver. 32. Whose hand is not able to get.] This is often urged, to show that the best that can be got must not be thought too good for God: and that if through carelessness or niggardice men do not their utmost, that is a just exception.
Ver. 34. Plague of leprosy in a house.] Such is the contagion of sin, that it will infect the very house we dwell in, the garments we wear, even all the creatures we use, so as all things are to us impure; (Titus 1:13) even the house of God also, (Leviticus 16:16) and his holy ordinances. The Canaanites had defiled the land from one end to another with their uncleannesses, (Ezra 9:11) and so infected the air. This law taught men, (1.) Upon all occasions to show their utter detestation of sin, but especially of idolatry; (2.) To take heed of despising admonition, lest they be utterly ruined, “and that without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1)
Ver. 35. As it were a plague.] He might not flatly say, it was the leprosy, till the priest had so pronounced it.
Ver. 36. That all that is in the house be not made unclean.] As it will be when once the priest hath been there and pronounced it unclean. Learn here, saith a good interpreter, to prevent God’s last judgment, by sequestering ourselves betimes, from the contagion of sinners.