← Back to Leviticus

Leviticus 14

57 verses

TL;DR

Leviticus 14 presents the detailed ritual for cleansing a person or object afflicted with leprosy, outlining steps involving a priest, specific sacrifices, and purification rites.

Summary

The chapter begins with the LORD instructing Moses on the law for a leper’s cleansing, specifying the priest’s duties and the materials required—two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. The ritual includes killing one bird, dipping the other and the wood in its blood, sprinkling the leper seven times, and making the person wash off hair and clothing before leaving the camp for seven days. On the eighth day, the priest offers a lamb as a trespass and a sin offering, uses oil and the blood of the lamb to sprinkle the leper and perform atonement. The text also provides a simplified version for the poor, allowing turtledoves or young pigeons in place of lambs. Additionally, the chapter extends the law to houses afflicted with leprosy, describing procedures for inspecting, cleansing, and repairing a building to restore its purity.

Outline
  1. 1. Ritual for cleansing an individual leper: priest’s actions, sacrifices, and purification steps
  2. 2. Simplified procedure for the poor: use of birds instead of lambs
  3. 3. Law for cleansing a house affected by leprosy: inspection, removal, repair, and purification
Themes
Purity and atonementObedience to divine lawDifferentiation between the holy and the unclean
Keywords
leprosycleansingpriestbloodatonesin offeringtrespass offeringburnt offeringpurityunclean
People
MosesAaronthe LORD
Places
camptabernacle of the congregationCanaanhousecity
Things
two birdscedar woodscarlethyssopblood of the birdrunning waterlambfine flouroilsin offeringtrespass offeringburnt offeringatone
Key Verses
  • Leviticus 14:1: Introduces the law for leprosy cleansing.
  • Leviticus 14:8: Describes the leper’s isolation and washing before rejoining the camp.
  • Leviticus 14:13: Details the trespass offering and its symbolic significance.
  • Leviticus 14:18: Shows the use of oil in sprinkling and atonement.
  • Leviticus 14:20: Marks the completion of the sacrificial offerings and final cleansing.
  • Leviticus 14:24: Provides the alternative procedure for the poor.
  • Leviticus 14:34: Extends the law to houses, explaining inspection and purification.
Questions
  • What symbolic meanings are embedded in the use of birds, cedar, and scarlet in the cleansing ritual?
  • How does the chapter distinguish between the duties of a priest and the responsibilities of a leper?
  • Why is there a specific procedure for the poor, and what does it reveal about the law’s inclusivity?
  • In what ways does the cleansing of a house parallel the cleansing of an individual?
  • How does this chapter’s focus on purity and atonement relate to the broader theological themes in Leviticus?
Sentiment

neutral
Descriptive, ritualistic tone without emotive bias.