“This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Leviticus 14:2
What does Leviticus 14:2 mean?
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Leviticus 14:2
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This verse doesn't just introduce a set of purification rules; it highlights that cleansing isn't instantaneous. The phrase "the day of his cleansing" implies a process, marking the beginning of the restoration, not its completion, and emphasizing the priest's crucial role in initiating this journey back into community.
“This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage kicks off the detailed instructions for how someone who was previously afflicted with leprosy could be declared clean and reintegrated into Israelite society. After a period of isolation, the cleansed individual must be brought to the priest, who would then perform a complex series of rituals involving specific sacrifices and symbolic actions outside the camp, signifying a transition back from separation to community.
Imagine being banished, living apart from everyone you know. What does it take to be welcomed back?
Leprosy in ancient Israel wasn't just a physical ailment; it was a mark of uncleanness that separated individuals from God's people and the community. Leviticus 14 lays out the detailed process for a leper's cleansing, and at its very start, we see the crucial role of the priest.
The Priest's Authority
When you're an outcast, where do you go? And what does it signify when the journey back starts outside the familiar?
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The cleansing rituals for a leper didn't happen within the city or the camp where everyone lived. Instead, they took place at specific locations outside these communal spaces.
The Significance of Location
Understand the original words
tsara'ath · Hebrew Noun
A general biblical term describing various skin afflictions that rendered an individual ritually unclean. It symbolized the defiling nature of sin and required isolation from the community until the ritual of purification was complete.
tohorah · Hebrew Noun
A state of being ritually pure and acceptable in the sight of God, often achieved through prescribed sacrifices, washing, or atonement rituals, allowing for participation in the life of the covenant community.
kohen · Hebrew Noun
A divinely ordained official from the tribe of Levi responsible for offering sacrifices, performing purification rites, and maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary; he served as a mediator between God and the people.
Jesus himself directed a healed leper to 'show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded,' directly referencing this Levitical cleansing ritual.
Luke 17:14This passage echoes the command for lepers to present themselves to the priests, showing how this ancient law was still in practice and expectation during Jesus' time.
Hebrews 9:13-14The New Testament author draws a parallel between the Old Testament Levitical sacrifices for cleansing and the ultimate cleansing from sin offered by Christ through His blood.
1 John 1:7This verse speaks of spiritual cleansing through the blood of Jesus, mirroring the physical cleansing rituals commanded in Leviticus, highlighting the theme of purity.
bensonLeviticus 14:2: "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:"
Leviticus 14:2 . He shall be brought to the priest — Not to the priest’s tent or house, but to some place without the camp, or city, where the priest should appoint to meet him.
calvinLeviticus 14:1-57: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar-wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
Avem vivam tollet, et lignum cedrinum, et cuccum vermiculi, et hyssopum: et tinget illa, et avem vivam in sanguine avis mactatae super aquas vivas.
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven time…
This verse doesn't just introduce a set of purification rules; it highlights that cleansing isn't instantaneous. The phrase "the day of his cleansing" implies a process, marking the beginning of the restoration, not its completion, and emphasizing the priest's crucial role in initiating this journey back into community.
This passage kicks off the detailed instructions for how someone who was previously afflicted with leprosy could be declared clean and reintegrated into Israelite society. After a period of isolation, the cleansed individual must be brought to the priest, who would then perform a complex series of rituals involving specific sacrifices and symbolic actions outside the camp, signifying a transition back from separation to community.
This passage kicks off the detailed instructions for how someone who was previously afflicted with leprosy could be declared clean and reintegrated into Israelite society. After a period of isolation, the cleansed individual must be brought to the priest, who would then perform a complex series of rituals involving specific sacrifices and symbolic actions outside the camp, signifying a transition back from separation to community.
"“This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest," — This verse doesn't just introduce a set of purification rules; it highlights that cleansing isn't instantaneous. The phrase "the day of his cleansing" implies a process, marking the beginning of th…
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Last reviewed October 2026