ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Falaite Me 21, 2021 

restoring the leper to the community

ko hono fakafoki ‘o e kilia ki hono kakai 

Levitiko 14 (Leviticus 14)

(v. 1-4) 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, 4 the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop.

(v. 1-4) 1 PEA folofola ‘a Sihova kia Mōsese, ‘o pehē, 2 Ko eni ‘a e tu‘utu‘uni ki he kilia ‘i he ‘aho ‘o hono fakama‘a: ‘e ‘omi ia ki he taula‘eiki. 3 Pea ‘e ‘alu ‘a e taula‘eiki ki he tu‘a ‘apitanga, pea te ne vakai ia; pea ka ‘iloange kuo mole mei he kilia ‘a e mahaki, 4 pea ‘e toki fekau ‘e he taula‘eiki ke kumi mai ma‘a e tangata ‘e fakama‘a ha ongo manupuna mo‘ui, ‘i he fa‘ahinga ‘oku ma‘a, pea mo ha va‘a sita, pea mo ha kula-‘aho‘aho, pea mo ha ‘īsope.

 

*Commentary: The Reformation Bible Study*

14:2 cleansing. These ceremonies conducted by the priest do not cure skin disease. A diseased person comes to the priest after he has been healed (Luke 5:14). The task of the priest is to make ceremonially clean the person who, due to his uncleanness, has been excluded from the camp, from his people, and from God. Through these ceremonial cleansings, which take place in two stages a week apart, the diseased individual is restored to fellowship with God and with His people.

14:3-8 The first stage of cleansing takes place outside the camp. The man washes himself and his clothes, and he shaves. Two birds are taken. The blood of one is used to purify the man. The death of that bird portrays the end of the man's old life outside the camp, and the flight to freedom of the other pictures his liberation from the effects of the disease. Then, the man can enter the camp again.

14:9-20 in the second cleansing stage, the Israelite is brought back into full communion with God. The ceremonies here resemble the consecration of the priest (ch. 8). The Israelite is daubed with blood and anointed with oil, being linked to the altar, the symbol of God's presence. A variation on this restoration procedure is prescribed for the poor in v.21-31.