4:1
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 4:2Speak to the children of Yisra'el, saying, If anyone shall sin unwittingly, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them: 4:3if the anointed Kohen shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to Yahweh for a sin-offering. 4:4He shall bring the bull to the door of the tent of meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Yahweh. 4:5The anointed Kohen shall take of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the tent of meeting: 4:6and the Kohen shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary. 4:7The Kohen shall put of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting. 4:8All the fat of the bull of the sin-offering he shall take off from it; the fat that covers the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, 4:9and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away, 4:10as it is taken off from the ox of the sacrifice of peace-offerings: and the Kohen shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 4:11The skin of the bull, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung, 4:12even the whole bull shall he carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.4:13
If the whole congregation of Yisra'el err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; 4:14when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin-offering, and bring it before the tent of meeting. 4:15The Zakenim of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh; and the bull shall be killed before Yahweh. 4:16The anointed Kohen shall bring of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting: 4:17and the Kohen shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil. 4:18He shall put of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before Yahweh, that is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting. 4:19All the fat of it shall he take off from it, and burn it on the altar. 4:20Thus shall he do with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the Kohen shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 4:21He shall carry forth the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull: it is the sin-offering for the assembly.4:22
When a ruler sins, and does unwittingly any one of all the things which Yahweh his Mighty One has commanded not to be done, and is guilty; 4:23if his sin, in which he has sinned, be made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without blemish. 4:24He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt-offering before Yahweh: it is a sin-offering. 4:25The Kohen shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the blood of it shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 4:26All the fat of it shall he burn on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.4:27
If anyone of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and be guilty; 4:28if his sin, which he has sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. 4:29He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of burnt offering. 4:30The Kohen shall take of the blood of it with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the blood of it shall he pour out at the base of the altar. 4:31All the fat of it shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the Kohen shall burn it on the altar for a sweet savor to Yahweh; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. 4:32If he bring a lamb as his offering for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. 4:33He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and kill it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 4:34The Kohen shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the blood of it shall he pour out at the base of the altar: 4:35and all the fat of it shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the Kohen shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
Actions Of A Priest Imputed To Those Under His Domain
4:3 notes that the sin of the anointed Kohen or priest brings guilt on the people under the domain of the anointed priest. In other words, the anointed priest's sin is imputed upon the people. Seeing that the anointed priest's sin brings guilt on the people under his domain, it would appear that the atonement for sin by the anointed priest atones for the sin of the people. And in the same vein, the righteousness of the anointed priest is imputed upon the people under his domain.
Priests To Make Atonement For Those Under Their Domain
5:1
If anyone sins, in that he hears the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn't report it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 5:2Or if anyone touch any unclean thing, whether it be the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it be hidden from him, and he be unclean, then he shall be guilty. 5:3Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness be wherewith he is unclean, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty. 5:4Or if anyone swear rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it be that a man shall utter rashly with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these things. 5:5It shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned: 5:6and he shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin-offering; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin.5:7
If his means aren't sufficient for a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass-offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 5:8He shall bring them to the Kohen, who shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it apart: 5:9and he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin-offering. 5:10He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.5:11
But if his means aren't sufficient for two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering for that in which he has sinned, the tenth part of an efah of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon; for it is a sin-offering. 5:12He shall bring it to the Kohen, and the Kohen shall take his handful of it as the memorial of it, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: it is a sin-offering. 5:13The Kohen shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven: and the remnant shall be the Kohen's, as the meal-offering.5:14
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 5:15If anyone commits a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering: 5:16and he shall make restitution for that which he has done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it to the Kohen; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven. 5:17If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn't know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 5:18He shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass-offering, to the Kohen; and the Kohen shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he erred unwittingly and didn't know it, and he shall be forgiven. 5:19It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Yahweh.A function of the Kohen or priest is to make atonement for the transgressions of the people under his domain.
Priests To Distinguish Between The Clean And The Unclean In Their Domain
13:1
Yahweh spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying, 13:2When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim: 13:3and the Kohen shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and if the hair in the plague be turned white, and the appearance of the plague be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is the plague of leprosy; and the Kohen shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. 13:4If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and the appearance of it isn't deeper than the skin, and the hair of it isn't turned white, then the Kohen shall shut up him who has the plague seven days: 13:5and the Kohen shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if in his eyes the plague be at a stay, and the plague isn't spread in the skin, then the Kohen shall shut him up seven days more: 13:6and the Kohen shall look on him again the seventh day; and, behold, if the plague be dim, and the plague hasn't spread in the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him clean: it is a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 13:7But if the scab spread abroad in the skin, after that he has showed himself to the Kohen for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the Kohen again: 13:8and the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if the scab be spread in the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is leprosy.13:9
When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the Kohen; 13:10and the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if there be a white rising in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising, 13:11it is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: he shall not shut him up, for he is unclean. 13:12If the leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him who has the plague from his head even to his feet, as far as appears to the Kohen; 13:13then the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean who has the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. 13:14But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean. 13:15The Kohen shall look on the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean: it is leprosy. 13:16Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed to white, then he shall come to the Kohen; 13:17and the Kohen shall look on him; and, behold, if the plague be turned into white, then the Kohen shall pronounce him clean who has the plague: he is clean.13:18
When the flesh has in the skin of it a boil, and it is healed, 13:19and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be showed to the Kohen; 13:20and the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if the appearance of it be lower than the skin, and the hair of it be turned white, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil. 13:21But if the Kohen look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and it isn't lower than the skin, but is dim; then the Kohen shall shut him up seven days: 13:22If it spread abroad in the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague. 13:23But if the bright spot stay in its place, and hasn't spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean. 13:24Or when the flesh has in the skin of it a burning by fire, and the quick flesh of the burning become a bright spot, reddish-white, or white; 13:25then the Kohen shall look on it; and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and the appearance of it be deeper than the skin; it is leprosy, it has broken out in the burning: and the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. 13:26But if the Kohen look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the skin, but be dim; then the Kohen shall shut him up seven days: 13:27and the Kohen shall look on him the seventh day: if it spread abroad in the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. 13:28If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn't spread in the skin, but be dim; it is the rising of the burning, and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean: for it is the scar of the burning.13:29
When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard, 13:30then the Kohen shall look on the plague; and, behold, if the appearance of it be deeper than the skin, and there be in it yellow thin hair, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is a scall, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 13:31If the Kohen look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, the appearance of it isn't deeper than the skin, and there be no black hair in it, then the Kohen shall shut up him who has the plague of the scall seven days: 13:32In the seventh day the Kohen shall look on the plague; and, behold, if the scall isn't spread, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the appearance of the scall isn't deeper than the skin, 13:33then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the scall; and the Kohen shall shut up him who has the scall seven days more: 13:34and in the seventh day the Kohen shall look on the scall; and, behold, if the scall hasn't spread in the skin, and the appearance of it isn't deeper than the skin; then the Kohen shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 13:35But if the scall spread abroad in the skin after his cleansing, 13:36then the Kohen shall look on him; and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the Kohen shall not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean. 13:37But if in his eyes the scall be at a stay, and black hair be grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean.13:38
When a man or a woman has in the skin of the flesh bright spots, even white bright spots; 13:39then the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be of a dull white, it is a harmless rash, it has broken out in the skin; he is clean. 13:40If a man's hair be fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean. 13:41If his hair be fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald; yet is he clean. 13:42But if there be in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead. 13:43Then the Kohen shall look on him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague be reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh; 13:44he is a leprous man, he is unclean: the Kohen shall surely pronounce him unclean; his plague is in his head. 13:45The leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 13:46All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; outside of the camp shall his dwelling be.13:47
The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woolen garment, or a linen garment; 13:48whether it be in warp, or woof; of linen, or of woolen; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin; 13:49if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be showed to the Kohen. 13:50The Kohen shall look on the plague, and shut up that which has the plague seven days: 13:51and he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever service skin is used for; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean. 13:52He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in woolen or in linen, or anything of skin, in which the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire. 13:53If the Kohen shall look, and, behold, the plague hasn't spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; 13:54then the Kohen shall command that they wash the thing in which the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more: 13:55and the Kohen shall look, after that the plague is washed; and, behold, if the plague hasn't changed its color, and the plague hasn't spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire: it is a fret, whether the bareness be inside or outside. 13:56If the Kohen look, and, behold, the plague be dim after the washing of it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: 13:57and if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is breaking out: you shall burn that in which the plague is with fire. 13:58The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it be, which you shall wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean. 13:59This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woolen or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.It is the responsibility of the Kohen or priest to determine that those under his domain are clean or unclean! In this vein he must learn how to so determine those who are clean or unclean.
Priests To Exclude The Unclean From The Company Of The Clean
It is also the responsibility of the priest to exclude the unclean from the company of the clean over the duration of their uncleanness. If the unclean are temporarily unclean, they are temporarily excluded from the company of the clean. If the unclean are permanently unclean, they are permanently excluded from the company of the clean.
Where there are signs that a person under the domain of a priest is unclean, the Kohen must diligently investigate the matter. If the matter is difficult to determine, but is potentially and adversely contagious, the priest has a responsibility to temporarily exclude from the company of the clean the person who is unclean, in order to allow time to elapse for the manifestation of the matter. If after due time it is determined that the subject person is not unclean, then that person is brought back into the company of the clean. But if it unmistakably emerges that the subject person is indeed unclean, then he is treated as unclean people are treated. He is excluded from the company of the clean until such time as his uncleanness has departed from him, at which point he is reinstated into the company of the clean.
Priests therefore have the duty of determining whether those under their domain are clean or unclean, and whether the uncleanness by which some under their domain are unclean is adversely contagious to the people or not. If the uncleanness is contagious, the priest has power and responsibility to exclude from the company of the clean the unclean person for so long as that person remains unclean. Upon the person being freed of his uncleanness, the priest is compelled to reinstate that person back into the company of the clean.
Priests To Determine Whether The Unclean Have Been Cleansed Of Their Uncleanness
14:1
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 14:2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought to the Kohen: 14:3and the Kohen shall go forth out of the camp; and the Kohen shall look; and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper, 14:4then shall the Kohen command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 14:5The Kohen shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 14:6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: 14:7He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let go the living bird into the open field.14:8
He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days. 14:9It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. 14:10On the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenth parts of an efah of fine flour for a meal-offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. 14:11The Kohen who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed, and those things, before Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting. 14:12The Kohen shall take one of the he-lambs, and offer him for a trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave-offering before Yahweh: 14:13and he shall kill the he-lamb in the place where they kill the sin-offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary: for as the sin-offering is the Kohen's, so is the trespass-offering: it is most holy: 14:14and the Kohen shall take of the blood of the trespass-offering, and the Kohen shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. 14:15The Kohen shall take of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand; 14:16and the Kohen shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before Yahweh: 14:17and of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the Kohen put on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass-offering: 14:18and the rest of the oil that is in the Kohen's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed: and the Kohen shall make atonement for him before Yahweh. 14:19The Kohen shall offer the sin-offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness: and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; 14:20and the Kohen shall offer the burnt offering and the meal-offering on the altar: and the Kohen shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.14:21
If he be poor, and can't get so much, then he shall take one he-lamb for a trespass-offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth part of an efah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering, and a log of oil; 14:22and two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin-offering, and the other a burnt offering. 14:23On the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the Kohen, to the door of the tent of meeting, before Yahweh: 14:24and the Kohen shall take the lamb of the trespass-offering, and the log of oil, and the Kohen shall wave them for a wave-offering before Yahweh. 14:25He shall kill the lamb of the trespass-offering; and the Kohen shall take of the blood of the trespass-offering, and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. 14:26The Kohen shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; 14:27and the Kohen shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Yahweh: 14:28and the Kohen shall put of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass-offering: 14:29and the rest of the oil that is in the Kohen's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Yahweh. 14:30He shall offer one of the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to get, 14:31even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal-offering: and the Kohen shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Yahweh. 14:32This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to get that which pertains to his cleansing.14:33
Yahweh spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying, 14:34When you are come into the land of Kana`an, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession; 14:35then he who owns the house shall come and tell the Kohen, saying, There seems to me to be as it were a plague in the house. 14:36The Kohen shall command that they empty the house, before the Kohen goes in to see the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean: and afterward the Kohen shall go in to see the house: 14:37and he shall look on the plague; and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and the appearance of it be lower than the wall; 14:38then the Kohen shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 14:39The Kohen shall come again the seventh day, and shall look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house; 14:40then the Kohen shall command that they take out the stones in which the plague is, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city: 14:41and he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the mortar, that they scrape off, outside of the city into an unclean place: 14:42and they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house. 14:43If the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it is plastered; 14:44then the Kohen shall come in and look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean. 14:45He shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber of it, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. 14:46Moreover he who goes into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even. 14:47He who lies in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.14:48
If the Kohen shall come in, and look, and, behold, the plague hasn't spread in the house, after the house was plastered; then the Kohen shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 14:49He shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 14:50and he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: 14:51and he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: 14:52and he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: 14:53but he shall let got the living bird out of the city into the open field: so shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean. 14:54This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and for a scall, 14:55and for the leprosy of a garment, and for a house, 14:56and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; 14:57to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.It is the responsibility of the Kohen or priest to determine whether those who are unclean have been healed of their uncleanness. To so determine the priest is compelled to go out of the company of the clean people and visit the unclean person where the unclean person is dwelling outside the company of the clean people. The unclean person is not to come into the company of the clean people until such time as the priest has determined that such a person has been healed of his or her uncleanness. This is to prevent the clean people being infected by the contagious uncleanness should that uncleanness still be residing upon the unclean person.
Priests To Make Atonement Before Yahweh Upon The Cleansing Of An Unclean Person
It is also the responsibility of the priest to make atonement before Yahweh for the unclean person upon his cleansing, offering appropriate sacrifices and offerings to so make him clean.
Priests To Ensure That Those Under Their Domain Do Not Come In Close Proximity With Contagious Uncleanness
It is also the responsibility of the priest to ensure that the people under his domain do not dwell in a territory, or do not associate themselves with things, that potentially have the effect of transmitting contagious uncleanness to them. Where it is thought that a thing has potential for transmitting a contagious uncleanness to the people, the priest must examine that thing to assess whether it is indeed subject to that contagious uncleanness. If it is, and the contagious uncleanness has not spread throughout the thing, such that it covers the entirety of the thing, then the priest is to see to it that the afflicted part be removed from the thing, and replaced. If the contagion spreads, then the entire thing is indeed unclean, and must be destroyed from the company of the people under the domain of the priest, and must be disposed off in a location safely away from the people.
Yahweh's People Are Not To Associate Themselves With Uncleanness
It should therefore be evident that Yahweh's people are not to associate themselves with uncleanness, whether that of another human being with contagious uncleanness, or that of a thing with contagious uncleanness, uncleanness that can pass from a thing to Yahweh's people. The priest is to ensure that anything that harbours contagious uncleanness, whether living or dead, is removed from the company of Yahweh's people, that it may not infect Yahweh's people with its uncleanness. The priest is also to determine whether such a thing, if previously infected, has been healed of its infection. If healed, it may be restored into the company of Yahweh's people. But it must not be so restored until such time as it has been healed of its uncleanness. This applies whether the thing is animate or not, living or dead.
Priests To Separate Yahweh's People From Their Uncleanness
15:31
Thus shall you separate the children of Yisra'el from their uncleanness, that they not die in their uncleanness, when they defile my tent that is in the midst of them.Priests are to ensure that those under their domain are separated from their uncleanness, for uncleanness defiles Yahweh's dwelling place in the midst of the people.
The High Priest Must Make Atonement For All Of Yahweh's People
16:32
The Kohen, who shall be anointed and who shall be consecrated to be Kohen in his father's place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments: 16:33and he shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the Kohanim and for all the people of the assembly. 16:34This shall be an everlasting statute to you, to make atonement for the children of Yisra'el because of all their sins once in the year. He did as Yahweh commanded Moshe.It is the responsibility of the anointed Kohen or priest to make atonement for all of Yahweh's people, including the priests, at the appointed time.
Priests Must Not Defile Themselves
21:1
Yahweh said to Moshe, Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say to them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people; 21:2except for his relatives, that is near to him, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, 21:3and for his sister a virgin, that is near to him, that has had no husband; for her may he defile himself. 21:4He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. 21:5They shall not make baldness on their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 21:6They shall be holy to their Mighty One, and not profane the name of their Mighty One; for the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their Mighty One, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy. 21:7They shall not take a woman that is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy to his Mighty One. 21:8You shall sanctify him therefore; for he offers the bread of your Mighty One: he shall be holy to you: for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy. 21:9The daughter of any Kohen, if she profane herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father: she shall be burnt with fire.21:10
He who is the Kohen Gadol among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor tear his clothes; 21:11neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 21:12neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his Mighty One; for the crown of the anointing oil of his Mighty One is on him: I am Yahweh. 21:13He shall take a wife in her virginity. 21:14A widow, or one divorced, or a profane woman, a prostitute, these shall he not take: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife. 21:15He shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.Priests are holy to Yahweh. They are therefore not to engage themselves in any conduct that defiles them.
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