Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 13:12
And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
The case when the whole body is turned white (12 17)
A form of skin disease which is not infectious seems to be here indicated. A white efflorescence spreads over the whole body, which after a time peels off, and the skin resumes a healthy appearance. The presence of the raw flesh indicates disease ( Lev 13:14-15), but as soon as the whole surface becomes white, the priest shall pronounce him clean.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The disease here indicated appears to be that now known as Lepra commonis, the common White Leprosy, or Dry Tetter. It first shows itself in reddish pimples, the surface of which becomes white and scaly, spreading in a circular form until they meet each other and cover large patches of the body. It scarcely affects the general health, and for the most part disappears of itself, though it often lasts for years.
From his head even to his foot, wheresoever. the priest looketh – The first appearance of the Lepra Commonis may take place in any part of the body, especially, however, at the larger joints of the limbs; but the spots of elephantiasis are almost always first seen, on those parts which are habitually exposed, the face, ears and hands.
Lev 13:14
Raw flesh – See Lev 13:10.
Lev 13:15
Boil – Probably ulcer. In Job 2:7, and Deu 28:27, Deu 28:35, it would seem highly probable that the word expresses the ulcers of elephantiasis.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin,…. Or, if flowering it flowers m; the man that has it on him looks like a plant or tree covered with white flowers, being spread all over him in white swellings, bright spots or scabs, as it follows:
and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the plague, from his head even to his foot; such an one as the leper was that came to Christ for healing, said to be full of leprosy, Lu 5:12; and such in a mystical sense is every sinner, whether sensible of it or not, even from the Crown of the head to the sole of the foot, full of the wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores of sin, Isa 1:6;
wheresoever the priest looketh; that is, he cannot look any where upon any part of him but he sees the signs of the leprosy on him; and from whence the Jewish writers gather, that a priest that inspects leprous persons ought to have a clear sight, and to have both his eyes, and that the inspection should not be made in a dark house.
m , Sept. “florendo floruerit”, Montanus; so Drusius & Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 12-17:
There was a disease similar to leprosy. It bore the name of leprosy, but it did not cause legal uncleanness. It was distinguished from true leprosy by the presence of white, flaky scales over the entire body, and the absence of raw flesh on or around any affected area. True leprosy on occasion progressed to a similar harmless phase. When this occurred, the priest pronounced the victim to be ceremonially and legally clean.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(12, 13) And if a leprosy break out abroad.There were, however, two phases of this returned distemper which exempted the patient from uncleanness. If the leprosy suddenly covered the whole body so that the patient became perfectly white, in which case there could be no appearance of live flesh, then he was clean. This indicated the crisis, as the whole evil matter thus brought to the surface formed itself into a scale, which dried and peeled off.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 13:12-13. And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, &c. It may appear extraordinary, that a man, who is all over leprous, should be pronounced clean, and yet one, who is but partially leprous, should be unclean. “The difficulty contained in this passage will vanish,” says Dr. Mead, “if we suppose, as it manifestly appears to me, that it points out two different species of the disease: the one, in which the eroded skin was ulcerated; the other, which spread on the surface of the skin only, in the form of rough scales; and from this difference it happened that the former species was, and the other was not, contagious.” See his Epist. Medicinal. lib. 7: Ephesians 2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Lev 13:12 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
Ver. 12. And if a leprosy. ] So called, because so counted at first: but it proves no more than a kind of scurf or scab.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
cover all: 1Ki 8:38, Job 40:4, Job 42:6, Isa 64:6, Joh 16:8, Joh 16:9, Rom 7:14, 1Jo 1:8-10