Leviticus 13: 1-17, “1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again: And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy. When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest; And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising; It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean. 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; Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy. Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest; And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.”
In 14th century nearly one third of the world’s population died during the Black Death plague. At that stage the people didn’t understand how the plague was passed on so they just had to hope and pray that it didn’t happen to them. It was later discovered how the plague was transmitted but that didn’t help the people at the time. During the early period of Israel’s history, and later as well, there was the possibility that a plague of leprosy might inflict the nation and kill a large part of the population. In order to make sure that the people didn’t suffer decimation in a large epidemic the Lord gave them rules to isolate people who might be found with an infectious disease. This was not a matter of violating an individual’s personal rights but protecting the entire population from the ravages of a serious plague. However, the Lord also established rules so that a person who didn’t have the infectious disease might be released from quarantine a be able to live a contributing and wholesome life as a member of the community. There were times during the last two hundred years where populations used the same technique, quarantine to protect the larger population from and infectious disease that might cause a large epidemic and destroy a large portion of a national population. These rules, devised by the Lord in His grace, just make good sense from a public health point of view.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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