Leviticus 14:57

To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(57) To teach when it is unclean.—This verse is intimately connected with Leviticus 14:54, viz.: “This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy . . . to afford instruction in the day of uncleanness, and in the day of cleanness:” that is, to furnish them with instructions against the time when they would have to deal with these cases in taking possession of the promised land. The ancient authorities, however, insisted upon the literal rendering which is substantially exhibited in the Margin of the Authorised Version, viz., “To teach concerning the day of uncleanness and concerning the day of cleanness: i.e., to instruct the people on which days this distemper may be examined and decided. Hence the ancient Chaldee Version of Jonathan renders it, “That the priests may teach the people to discern between the dark days, when his leprosy is to be examined, and between the bright days.” (See Leviticus 13:2.)

Benson Commentary

Leviticus 14:57. To teach when it is unclean and when it is clean — To direct the priest when to pronounce a person or house clean or unclean. Upon the whole, we may see in these laws the religious care we ought to take of ourselves to keep our minds from the dominion of all sinful affections and dispositions, which are both their disease and their defilement, that we may be fit for the service of God. We ought also to avoid all bad company, and, as much as may be, coming within the danger of being affected by it. Touch not the unclean thing, saith the Lord, and I will receive you.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:54-57 When that God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us by his grace, Eph 2:4,5, we shall manifest the change by repenting, and forsaking former sins. Let us follow after holiness, and let us compassionate other poor lepers, and desire, seek, and pray for their cleansing.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Cleanse the house - Strictly, "purge the house from sin." The same word is used in Leviticus 14:52; and in Leviticus 14:53 it is said, "and make an atonement for it." Such language is used figuratively when it is applied to things, not to persons. The leprosy in houses, the leprosy in clothing, and the terrible disease in the human body, were representative forms of decay which taught the lesson that all created things, in their own nature, are passing away, and are only maintained for their destined uses during an appointed period, by the power of Yahweh.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

48-57. the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed—The precautions here described show that there is great danger in warm countries from the house leprosy, which was likely to be increased by the smallness and rude architecture of the houses in the early ages of the Israelitish history. As a house could not contract any impurity in the sight of God, the "atonement" which the priest was to make for it must either have a reference to the sins of its occupants or to the ceremonial process appointed for its purification, the very same as that observed for a leprous person. This solemn declaration that it was "clean," as well as the offering made on the occasion, was admirably calculated to make known the fact, to remove apprehension from the public mind, as well as relieve the owner from the aching suspicion of dwelling in an infected house.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To teach; to direct the priest when to pronounce a person or house clean or unclean. So it was not left to the priest’s power or will, but they were tied to plain rules, such as the people might discern no less than the priest.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean,.... A man, his garment, or his house; for it respects them all, as Aben Ezra observes; which was the business of the priests to teach men, and they by the above laws and rules were instructed how to judge of cases, and by which they were capable of pronouncing persons or things clean or unclean:

this is the law of leprosy; respecting every sort of it, and which is very remarkably enlarged upon.

Geneva Study Bible

To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Leviticus 14:57

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Leviticus 14:54-57 contain the concluding formula to ch. 13 and 14. The law of leprosy was given "to teach in the day of the unclean and the clean," i.e., to give directions for the time when they would have to do with the clean and unclean.