Leviticus 14:3
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Elaborate cleansing ritual for healed lepers, involving birds, blood, and multiple offerings, symbolizing restoration. Chapters 11-15 address ritual purity, teaching Israel to distinguish clean from unclean. These laws served multiple purposes: promoting health, teaching spiritual lessons about sin's defilement, and separating Israel from pagan practices. Archaeological evidence shows Canaanite worship involved practices Israel's laws explicitly prohibited. Israel received these laws while encamped at Sinai, before entering Canaan. The laws prepared them for life in the promised land, distinguishing them from Canaanite practices and establishing their identity as God's holy nation. The portable tabernacle, central to Levitical worship, accompanied them through wilderness wanderings and eventually found permanent form in Solomon's temple. Ancient texts like the Code of Hammurabi show that law codes were common in the ancient Near East, but biblical law uniquely grounded ethics in God's character rather than merely social convention.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Christ's superior priesthood, prefigured in this verse, assure you of access to God and effective intercession?
- In what ways does this verse challenge contemporary cultural values or your personal attitudes?
- How can you use this verse to worship God more fully, obey Him more faithfully, or love others more sacrificially?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
This verse falls within the section on Cleansing from Skin Diseases. Elaborate cleansing ritual for healed lepers, involving birds, blood, and multiple offerings, symbolizing restoration.
The Aaronic priesthood mediated between God and Israel, offering sacrifices and maintaining the tabernacle. This prefigured Christ's superior priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
What Leviticus portrayed through types and shadows, Christ fulfilled in reality through His incarnation, perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection.