Antiguo Testamento

Leviticus — Capítulo 13

Laws relative to the leprosy. It is to be known by a rising in the flesh, a scab, or a bright spot, Lev 13:1, Lev 13:2. When the priest sees these signs he shall pronounce the man unclean, infected with the leprosy, a…

Versión

Texto — Reina-Valera 1960

1Habló Jehová a Moisés y a Aarón, diciendo:

2Cuando el hombre tuviere en la piel de su cuerpo hinchazón, o erupción, o mancha blanca, y hubiere en la piel de su cuerpo como llaga de lepra, será traído a Aarón el sacerdote o a uno de sus hijos los sacerdotes.

3Y el sacerdote mirará la llaga en la piel del cuerpo; si el pelo en la llaga se ha vuelto blanco, y pareciere la llaga más profunda que la piel de la carne, llaga de lepra es; y el sacerdote le reconocerá, y le declarará inmundo.

4Y si en la piel de su cuerpo hubiere mancha blanca, pero que no pareciere más profunda que la piel, ni el pelo se hubiere vuelto blanco, entonces el sacerdote encerrará al llagado por siete días.

5Y al séptimo día el sacerdote lo mirará; y si la llaga conserva el mismo aspecto, no habiéndose extendido en la piel, entonces el sacerdote le volverá a encerrar por otros siete días.

6Y al séptimo día el sacerdote le reconocerá de nuevo; y si parece haberse oscurecido la llaga, y que no ha cundido en la piel, entonces el sacerdote lo declarará limpio: era erupción; y lavará sus vestidos, y será limpio.

7Pero si se extendiere la erupción en la piel después que él se mostró al sacerdote para ser limpio, deberá mostrarse otra vez al sacerdote.

8Y si reconociéndolo el sacerdote ve que la erupción se ha extendido en la piel, lo declarará inmundo: es lepra.

9Cuando hubiere llaga de lepra en el hombre, será traído al sacerdote.

10Y este lo mirará, y si apareciere tumor blanco en la piel, el cual haya mudado el color del pelo, y se descubre asimismo la carne viva,

11es lepra crónica en la piel de su cuerpo; y le declarará inmundo el sacerdote, y no le encerrará, porque es inmundo.

12Mas si brotare la lepra cundiendo por la piel, de modo que cubriere toda la piel del llagado desde la cabeza hasta sus pies, hasta donde pueda ver el sacerdote,

13entonces este le reconocerá; y si la lepra hubiere cubierto todo su cuerpo, declarará limpio al llagado; toda ella se ha vuelto blanca, y él es limpio.

14Mas el día que apareciere en él la carne viva, será inmundo.

15Y el sacerdote mirará la carne viva, y lo declarará inmundo. Es inmunda la carne viva; es lepra.

16Mas cuando la carne viva cambiare y se volviere blanca, entonces vendrá al sacerdote,

17y el sacerdote mirará; y si la llaga se hubiere vuelto blanca, el sacerdote declarará limpio al que tenía la llaga, y será limpio.

18Y cuando en la piel de la carne hubiere divieso, y se sanare,

19y en el lugar del divieso hubiere una hinchazón, o una mancha blanca rojiza, será mostrado al sacerdote.

20Y el sacerdote mirará; y si pareciere estar más profunda que la piel, y su pelo se hubiere vuelto blanco, el sacerdote lo declarará inmundo; es llaga de lepra que se originó en el divieso.

21Y si el sacerdote la considerare, y no apareciere en ella pelo blanco, ni fuere más profunda que la piel, sino oscura, entonces el sacerdote le encerrará por siete días;

22y si se fuere extendiendo por la piel, entonces el sacerdote lo declarará inmundo; es llaga.

23Pero si la mancha blanca se estuviere en su lugar, y no se hubiere extendido, es la cicatriz del divieso, y el sacerdote lo declarará limpio.

24Asimismo cuando hubiere en la piel del cuerpo quemadura de fuego, y hubiere en lo sanado del fuego mancha blanquecina, rojiza o blanca,

25el sacerdote la mirará; y si el pelo se hubiere vuelto blanco en la mancha, y esta pareciere ser más profunda que la piel, es lepra que salió en la quemadura; y el sacerdote lo declarará inmundo, por ser llaga de lepra.

26Mas si el sacerdote la mirare, y no apareciere en la mancha pelo blanco, ni fuere más profunda que la piel, sino que estuviere oscura, le encerrará el sacerdote por siete días.

27Y al séptimo día el sacerdote la reconocerá; y si se hubiere ido extendiendo por la piel, el sacerdote lo declarará inmundo; es llaga de lepra.

28Pero si la mancha se estuviere en su lugar, y no se hubiere extendido en la piel, sino que estuviere oscura, es la cicatriz de la quemadura; el sacerdote lo declarará limpio, porque señal de la quemadura es.

29Y al hombre o mujer que le saliere llaga en la cabeza, o en la barba,

30el sacerdote mirará la llaga; y si pareciere ser más profunda que la piel, y el pelo de ella fuere amarillento y delgado, entonces el sacerdote le declarará inmundo; es tiña, es lepra de la cabeza o de la barba.

31Mas cuando el sacerdote hubiere mirado la llaga de la tiña, y no pareciere ser más profunda que la piel, ni hubiere en ella pelo negro, el sacerdote encerrará por siete días al llagado de la tiña;

32y al séptimo día el sacerdote mirará la llaga; y si la tiña no pareciere haberse extendido, ni hubiere en ella pelo amarillento, ni pareciere la tiña más profunda que la piel,

33entonces le hará que se rasure, pero no rasurará el lugar afectado; y el sacerdote encerrará por otros siete días al que tiene la tiña.

34Y al séptimo día mirará el sacerdote la tiña; y si la tiña no hubiere cundido en la piel, ni pareciere ser más profunda que la piel, el sacerdote lo declarará limpio; y lavará sus vestidos y será limpio.

35Pero si la tiña se hubiere ido extendiendo en la piel después de su purificación,

36entonces el sacerdote la mirará; y si la tiña hubiere cundido en la piel, no busque el sacerdote el pelo amarillento; es inmundo.

37Mas si le pareciere que la tiña está detenida, y que ha salido en ella el pelo negro, la tiña está sanada; él está limpio, y limpio lo declarará el sacerdote.

38Asimismo cuando el hombre o la mujer tuviere en la piel de su cuerpo manchas, manchas blancas,

39el sacerdote mirará, y si en la piel de su cuerpo aparecieren manchas blancas algo oscurecidas, es empeine que brotó en la piel; está limpia la persona.

40Y el hombre, cuando se le cayere el cabello, es calvo, pero limpio.

41Y si hacia su frente se le cayere el cabello, es calvo por delante, pero limpio.

42Mas cuando en la calva o en la antecalva hubiere llaga blanca rojiza, lepra es que brota en su calva o en su antecalva.

43Entonces el sacerdote lo mirará, y si pareciere la hinchazón de la llaga blanca rojiza en su calva o en su antecalva, como el parecer de la lepra de la piel del cuerpo,

44leproso es, es inmundo, y el sacerdote lo declarará luego inmundo; en su cabeza tiene la llaga.

45Y el leproso en quien hubiere llaga llevará vestidos rasgados y su cabeza descubierta, y embozado pregonará: ¡Inmundo! ¡Inmundo!

46Todo el tiempo que la llaga estuviere en él, será inmundo; estará impuro, y habitará solo; fuera del campamento será su morada.

47Cuando en un vestido hubiere plaga de lepra, ya sea vestido de lana, o de lino,

48o en urdimbre o en trama de lino o de lana, o en cuero, o en cualquiera obra de cuero;

49y la plaga fuere verdosa, o rojiza, en vestido o en cuero, en urdimbre o en trama, o en cualquiera obra de cuero; plaga es de lepra, y se ha de mostrar al sacerdote.

50Y el sacerdote mirará la plaga, y encerrará la cosa plagada por siete días.

51Y al séptimo día mirará la plaga; y si se hubiere extendido la plaga en el vestido, en la urdimbre o en la trama, en el cuero, o en cualquiera obra que se hace de cuero, lepra maligna es la plaga; inmunda será.

52Será quemado el vestido, la urdimbre o trama de lana o de lino, o cualquiera obra de cuero en que hubiere tal plaga, porque lepra maligna es; al fuego será quemada.

53Y si el sacerdote mirare, y no pareciere que la plaga se haya extendido en el vestido, en la urdimbre o en la trama, o en cualquiera obra de cuero,

54entonces el sacerdote mandará que laven donde está la plaga, y lo encerrará otra vez por siete días.

55Y el sacerdote mirará después que la plaga fuere lavada; y si pareciere que la plaga no ha cambiado de aspecto, aunque no se haya extendido la plaga, inmunda es; la quemarás al fuego; es corrosión penetrante, esté lo raído en el derecho o en el revés de aquella cosa.

56Mas si el sacerdote la viere, y pareciere que la plaga se ha oscurecido después que fue lavada, la cortará del vestido, del cuero, de la urdimbre o de la trama.

57Y si apareciere de nuevo en el vestido, la urdimbre o trama, o en cualquiera cosa de cuero, extendiéndose en ellos, quemarás al fuego aquello en que estuviere la plaga.

58Pero el vestido, la urdimbre o la trama, o cualquiera cosa de cuero que lavares, y que se le quitare la plaga, se lavará por segunda vez, y entonces será limpia.

59Esta es la ley para la plaga de la lepra del vestido de lana o de lino, o de urdimbre o de trama, o de cualquiera cosa de cuero, para que sea declarada limpia o inmunda.

ADAM CLARKE BIBLE COMMENTARY

Versículo 2

I. The plague of leprosy - This dreadful disorder has its name leprosy, from the Greek λεποα, from λ…

The plague of leprosy - This dreadful disorder has its name leprosy, from the Greek λεποα, from λεπις, a scale, because in this disease the body was often covered with thin white scales, so as to give it the appearance of snow. Hence it is said of the hand of Moses, Exo 4:6, that it was leprous as snow; and of Miriam, Num 12:10, that she became leprous, as white as snow; and of Gehazi, Kg2 5:27, that, being judicially struck with the disease of Naaman, he went out from Elisha's presence a leper as white as snow. See Clarke's note on Exo 4:6. In Hebrew this disease is termed צרעת tsaraath, from צרע mor tsara, to smite or strike; but the root in Arabic signifies to cast down or prostrate, and in Ethiopian, to cause to cease, because, says Stockius, "it prostrates the strength of man, and obliges him to cease from all work and labor." There were three signs by which the leprosy was known. 1. A bright spot. 2. A rising (enamelling) of the surface. 3. A scab; the enamelled place producing a variety of layers, or stratum super stratum, of these scales. The account given by Mr. Maundrell of the appearance of several persons whom he saw infected with this disorder in Palestine, will serve to show, in the clearest light, its horrible nature and tendency. "When I was in the Holy Land," says he, in his letter to the Rev. Mr. Osborn, Fellow of Exeter College, "I saw several that labored under Gehazi's distemper; particularly at Sichem, (now Naplosu), there were no less than ten that came begging to us at one time. Their manner is to come with small buckets in their hands, to receive the alms of the charitable; their touch being still held infectious, or at least unclean. The distemper, as I saw it on them, was quite different from what I have seen it in England; for it not only defiles the whole surface of the body with a foul scurf, but also deforms the joints of the body, particularly those of the wrists and ankles, making them swell with a gouty scrofulous substance, very loathsome to look on. I thought their legs like those of old battered horses, such as are often seen in drays in England. The whole distemper, indeed, as it there appeared, was so noisome, that it might well pass for the utmost corruption of the human body on this side the grave. And certainly the inspired penman could not have found out a fitter emblem, whereby to express the uncleanness and odiousness of vice." - Maundrell's Travels. Letters at the end. The reader will do well to collate this account with that given from Dr. Mead; see the note on Exo 4:6 (note).

Versículo 3

II. The priest shall - pronounce him unclean - וטמא אתו vetimme otho; literally, shall pollute him, i…

The priest shall - pronounce him unclean - וטמא אתו vetimme otho; literally, shall pollute him, i. e., in the Hebrew idiom, shall declare or pronounce him polluted; and in Lev 13:23, it is said, the priest shall pronounce him clean, וטהרו הכהן vetiharo haccohen, the priest shall cleanse him, i. e., declare him clean. In this phrase we have the proper meaning of Mat 16:19 : Whatsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. By which our Lord intimates that the disciples, from having the keys, i. e., the true knowledge of the doctrine, of the kingdom of heaven, should, from particular evidences, be at all times able to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, the sincere and the hypocrite; and pronounce a judgment as infallible as the priest did in the case of the leprosy, from the tokens already specified. And as this binding and loosing, or pronouncing fit or unfit for fellowship with the members of Christ, must in the case of the disciples be always according to the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven, the sentence should be considered as proceeding immediately from thence, and consequently as Divinely ratified. The priest polluted or cleansed, i. e., declared the man clean or unclean, according to signs well known and infallible. The disciples or ministers of Christ bind or loose, declare to be fit or unfit for Church fellowship, according to unequivocal evidences of innocence or guilt. In the former case, the priest declared the person fit or unfit for civil society; in the latter, the ministers of Christ declare the person against whom the suspicion of guilt is laid, fit or unfit for continued association with the Church of God. The office was the same in both, a declaration of the truth, not from any power that they possessed of cleansing or polluting, of binding or of loosing, but by the knowledge they gained from the infallible signs and evidences produced on the respective cases.

Versículo 13

III. If the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean - Why is it that the part…

If the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean - Why is it that the partial leper was pronounced unclean, and the person totally covered with the disease clean? This was probably owing to a different species or stage of the disease; the partial disease was contagious, the total not contagious. That there are two different species or degrees of the same disease described here, is sufficiently evident. In one, the body was all covered with a white enamelled scurf; in the other, there was a quick raw flesh in the risings. On this account the one might be deemed unclean, i. e., contagious, the other not; for contact with the quick raw flesh would be more likely to communicate the disease than the touch of the hard dry scurf. The ichor proceeding from the former, when brought into contact with the flesh of another, would soon be taken into the constitution by means of the absorbent vessels; but where the whole surface was perfectly dry, the absorbent vessels of another person coming in contact with the diseased man could imbibe nothing, and therefore there was comparatively no danger of infection. Hence that species or stage of the disease that exhibited the quick raw rising was capable of conveying the infection for the reasons already assigned, when the other was not. Dr. Mead thus accounts for the circumstance mentioned in the text. See on Lev 13:18 (note). As the leprosy infected bodies, clothes, and even the walls of houses, is it not rational to suppose that it was occasioned by a species of animalcula or vermin burrowing under the skin? Of this opinion there are some learned supporters.

Versículo 18

IV. In the skin thereof, was a boil - Scheuchzer supposes this and the following verse to speak of ph…

In the skin thereof, was a boil - Scheuchzer supposes this and the following verse to speak of phlegmonic, erysipelatous, gangrenous, and phagedenic ulcers, all of which were subjected to the examination of the priest, to see whether they were infectious, or whether the leprosy might not take its origin from them. A person with any sore or disposition to contagion was more likely to catch the infection by contact with the diseased person, than he was whose skin was whole and sound, and his habit good.

Versículo 29

V. A plague upon the head or the beard - This refers to a disease in which, according to the Jews, t…

A plague upon the head or the beard - This refers to a disease in which, according to the Jews, the hair either on the head or the chin dropped out by the roots.

Versículo 33

VI. The scall shall he not shave - Lest the place should be irritated and inflamed, and assume in con…

The scall shall he not shave - Lest the place should be irritated and inflamed, and assume in consequence other appearances besides those of a leprous infection; in which case the priest might not be able to form an accurate judgment.

Versículo 45

VII. His clothes shall be rent, etc. - The leprous person is required to be as one that mourned for th…

His clothes shall be rent, etc. - The leprous person is required to be as one that mourned for the dead, or for some great and public calamity. He was to have his clothes rent in token of extreme sorrow; his head was to be made bare, the ordinary bonnet or turban being omitted; and he was to have a covering upon his upper lip, his jaws being tied up With a linen cloth, after the same manner in which the Jews bind up the dead, which custom is still observed among the Jews in Barbary on funeral occasions: a custom which, from Eze 24:17, we learn had prevailed very anciently among the Jews in Palestine. He was also to cry, Unclean, unclean, in order to prevent any person from coming near him, lest the contagion might be thus communicated and diffused through society; and hence the Targumist render it, Be not ye made unclean! Be not ye made unclean! A caution to others not to come near him.

Versículo 47

VIII. The garment also - The whole account here seems to intimate that the garment was fretted by this …

The garment also - The whole account here seems to intimate that the garment was fretted by this contagion; and hence it is likely that it was occasioned by a species of small animals, which we know to be the cause of the itch; these, by breeding in the garments, must necessarily multiply their kind, and fret the garments, i. e., corrode a, portion of the finer parts, after the manner of moths, for their nourishment. See Lev 13:52 (note).

Versículo 52

IX. He shall therefore burn that garment - There being scarcely any means of radically curing the inf…

He shall therefore burn that garment - There being scarcely any means of radically curing the infection. It is well known that the garments infected by the psora, or itch animal, have been known to communicate the disease even six or seven years after the first infection. This has been also experienced by the sorters of rags at some paper mills.

Versículo 54

X. He shall shut it up seven days more - To give time for the spreading of the contagion, if it did …

He shall shut it up seven days more - To give time for the spreading of the contagion, if it did exist there; that there might be the most unequivocal marks and proofs that the garment was or was not infected.

Versículo 58

XI. It shall be washed the second time - According to the Jews the first washing was to put away the …

It shall be washed the second time - According to the Jews the first washing was to put away the plague, the second to cleanse it. Both among Jews and Gentiles the leprosy has been considered as a most expressive emblem of sin, the properties and circumstances of the one pointing out those of the other. The similitude or parallel has been usually run in the following manner: - 1. The leprosy began with a spot, a simple hidden infection being the cause. 2. This spot was very conspicuous, and argued the source whence it proceeded. 3. It was of a diffusive nature, soon spreading over the whole body. 4. It communicated its infectious nature, not only to the whole of the person's body, but also to his clothes and habitation. 5. It rendered the infected person loathsome, unfit for and dangerous to society because of its infectious nature. 6. The person infected was obliged to be separated from society, both religious and civil; to dwell by himself without the camp or city, and hold commerce with none. 7. He was obliged to proclaim his own uncleanness, publicly acknowledge his defilement, and, sensible of his plague, continue humbled and abased before God and man. How expressive all these are of the nature of sin and the state of a sinner, a spiritual mind will at once perceive. 1. The original infection or corruption of nature is the grand hidden cause, source, and spring of all transgression. 2. Iniquity is a seed that has its growth, gradual increase, and perfection. As the various powers of the mind are developed, so it diffuses itself, infecting every passion and appetite through their whole extent and operation. 3. As it spreads in the mind, so it diffuses itself through the life; every action partaking of its influence, till the whole conduct becomes a tissue of transgression, because every imagination of the thoughts of a sinner's heart is only evil continually, Genesis 6. This is the natural state of man. 4. As a sinner is infected, so is he infectious; by his precept and example he spreads the infernal contagion wherever he goes; joining with the multitude to do evil, strengthening and being strengthened in the ways of sin and death, and becoming especially a snare and a curse to his own household. 5. That a sinner is abominable in the sight of God and of all good men, that he is unfit for the society of the righteous, and that he cannot, as such, be admitted into the kingdom of God, needs no proof. 6. It is owing to the universality of the evil that sinners are not expelled from society as the most dangerous of all monsters, and obliged to live without having any commerce with their fellow creatures. Ten lepers could associate together, because partaking of the same infection: and civil society is generally maintained, because composed of a leprous community. 7. He that wishes to be saved from his sins must humble himself before God and man, sensible of his own sore and the plague of his heart; confess his transgressions; look to God for a cure, from whom alone it can be received; and bring that Sacrifice by which alone the guilt can be taken away, and his soul be purified from all unrighteousness. See the conclusion of the following chapter at Lev 14:53 (note).

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Versículo 58