King James Version
What Does Leviticus 14:15 Mean?
“And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:”
Context
13
And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
14
And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
15
And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
16
And the priest 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 the LORD:
17
And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(15) **Shall take some of the log of oil.**—This he had to do with his right hand, which is actually expressed in the ancient Chaldee paraphrase.
**And pour it into the palm of his own left** **hand.**—Better, *and he shall pour it into the palm of the priest’s left hand, *that is, the priest who has hitherto performed the ceremony of cleansing the leper now takes some of the log of oil, and puts it into the left hand of his fellow priest. This is not only distinctly declared in the canons which obtained during the second Temple, but is expressed in the text, which is seen from the literal translation we have given of the clause in question. The same priest, however, was allowed to pour it into the palm of his own hands. To express this view, which the translators of the Authorised Version espoused, they omitted the word *priest, *which is to be found in the original, and substituted *his own, *which is not in the original.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Leviticus. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Leviticus 14:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Leviticus 14:15
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge