Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 6. His hand was leprous as snow.] That is, the leprosy spread itself over the whole body in thin white scales; and from this appearance it has its Greek name lepra, from lepiv, a scale. Dr. Mead says, "I have seen a remarkable case of this in a countryman, whose whole body was so miserably seized with it, that his skin was shining as if covered with snow; and as the surfuraceous scales were daily rubbed off, the flesh appeared quick or raw underneath." The leprosy, at least among the Jews, was a most inveterate and contagious disorder, and deemed by them incurable.
Among the heathens it was considered as inflicted by their gods, and it was supposed that they alone could remove it. It is certain that a similar belief prevailed among the Israelites; hence, when the king of Syria sent his general Naaman, to the king of Israel to cure him of his leprosy, he rent his clothes, saying, Amos i God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? 2 Kings v. 7. This appears, therefore, to be the reason why God chose this sign, as the instantaneous infliction and removal of this disease were demonstrations which all would allow of the sovereign power of God. We need, therefore, seek for no other reasons for this miracle: the sole reason is sufficiently obvious.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Moses objects, that the people would not take his word, unless he showed them some sign. God gives him power to work miracles. But thos who are now employed to deliver God's messages to men, need not the power to work miracles: their character and their doctrines are to be tried by that word of God to which they appeal. These miracle especially referred to the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. I belonged to Him only, to cast the power of the devil out of the soul and to heal the soul of the leprosy of sin; and so it was for Him firs to cast the devil out of the body, and to heal the leprosy of the body.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 יהוה3068 לו עוד5750 הבא935 נא4994 ידך3027 בחיקך2436 ויבא935 ידו3027 בחיקו2436 ויוצאה3318 והנה2009 ידו3027 מצרעת6879 כשׁלג׃7950
