(when) she conceives.../ one being diseased...

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This reading is a combined reading of Leviticus 12:1-13:59 and Leviticus 14:1-15:33.


The summary:


(Ch.12)

Laws of cleanness after childbirth.


(Ch.13)

Various types of examinations for detecting leprosy.

The law regarding leprosy on articles of clothing.

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(Ch.14)

The law regarding the cleansing of the leper, which involves the guilt offering as a wave offering, grain offering, sin offering, then the burnt offering.

Cleansing a leprous house.


(Ch.15)

The law regarding a man that has a discharge, and the process of his cleansing with a sin offering and a burnt offering.

The law regarding semen from a man.

The law regarding menstrual period, and the process of her cleansing with a sin offering and a burnt offering.


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The various clean & unclean laws starts at Chapter 11 in the previous reading and ends at Chapter 15 in this reading.

Of all the clean/unclean laws, leprosy gets two full chapters, and not only are they whole chapters, they are above average in length (13 has 59 verses, 14 has 57).


So why so much space usage on leprosy? Here are some thoughts:

C.Missler points out one of the main themes of the Bible is redemption, in particular from the results of sin.

Leprosy is said to be a picture of sin: It corrupts the affected with numbness and insensitivity of pain, it is contagious in a very bad way, etc.


Putting the above two ideas together...

If the theme of the entire Bible is redemption from sin, then it would seem natural for Yahweh to want to spend more time in the details of how a person is redeemed from this thing called leprosy (if the theme of the Bible is something completely different, then what I just said is completely meaningless :P ).


The picture of Christ in the two chapters is that he is the living water that cleanses those that are affected by sin (not exactly profound, but definitely worth meditating upon in the light of these particular passages).


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