This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.
Parallel translations
- WEB This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.
- BSB This is the law for someone who has a skin disease and cannot afford the cost of his cleansing.”
- NKJV This is the law for one who had a leprous sore, who cannot afford the usual cleansing.”
- NASB This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose means are limited for his cleansing.”
- NLT These are the instructions for purification for those who have recovered from a serious skin disease but who cannot afford to bring the offerings normally required for the ceremony of purification.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
This verse summarizes the law for cleansing a leper who cannot afford the full sacrifice. It matters because it formally enshrines God's gracious provision for the poor.
Overview
Closing the section, this verse states that the reduced ritual is the appointed law for the poor leper's cleansing. It permanently embeds God's mercy toward those of limited means in the very structure of the law. This abiding provision reflects the heart of God for the lowly and foreshadows the gospel's free offer of cleansing to all in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Lev 14:21And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
- Lev 14:10And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
- Lev 14:2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
- Lev 13:59This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
- Lev 14:54–57This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
- 1 Cor 1:27–28But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
- Ps 72:12–14For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
- Ps 136:23Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
- Matt 11:5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 14:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.