Leviticus 13:45

“And the leper in whom the plague [is], etc.] Meaning not he only that has the plague of leprosy in his head, but every sort of leper before mentioned in this chapter: his clothes shall be rent; not that he might the more easily put on his clothes without hurting him, as some have thought; or that the corrupt humours might evaporate more freely, for evaporation would rather be hindered than promoted by being exposed to cold; nor that he might be known and better avoided, for his cry after mentioned was sufficient for that; but as a token of mourning: and so Aben Ezra having mentioned the former reason, that he might be known by going in a different habit, adds, or the sense is, as a token of…”

“the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, &c.--The person who was declared affected with the leprosy forthwith exhibited all the tokens of suffering from a heavy calamity. Rending garments and uncovering the head were common signs of mourning. As to "the putting a covering upon the upper lip," that means either wearing a moustache, as the Hebrews used to shave the upper lip [CALMET], or simply keeping a hand over it. All these external marks of grief were intended to proclaim, in addition to his own exclamation "Unclean!" that the person was a leper, whose company every one must shun.”

“The leper was to carry about with him the usual signs of mourning for the dead. Compare Leviticus 10:6 and margin reference. The leper was a living parable in the world of the sin of which death was the wages; not the less so because his suffering might have been in no degree due to his own personal deserts: he bore about with him at once the deadly fruit and the symbol of the sin of his race. Exodus 20:5. As his body slowly perished, first the skin, then the flesh, then the bone, fell to pieces while yet the animal life survived; he was a terrible picture of the gradual corruption of the spirit worked by sin. His head bare - Rather, “his head neglected.” See Leviticus 10:6 note. Unclean,…”

“His clothes shall be rent - In the upper and fore parts, which were most visible. This was done partly as a token of sorrow, because though this was not a sin, yet it was an effect of sin, and a sore punishment, whereby he was cut off both from converse with men, and from the enjoyment of God in his ordinances; partly as a warning to others to keep at a due distance from him wheresoever he came. And his head bare - Another sign of mourning. God would have men though not overwhelmed with, yet deeply sensible of his judgments. A covering on his upper lip - Partly as another badge of his sorrow and shame, and partly for the preservation of others from his breath or touch. Unclean, unclean - As…”

“13:45 Tearing one’s clothing, letting one’s hair go uncombed, and covering the mouth were common ways of expressing mourning (10:6). • The cry of Unclean! Unclean! denoted social unacceptability as much as a health threat. It warned others that the individual’s skin disorder could be contagious and that holy things should not touch the unclean person.”

“his clothes: Gen 37:29; Sa2 13:19; Job 1:20; Jer 3:25, Jer 36:24; Joe 2:13 and his head: Lev 10:6, Lev 21:10 put: Eze 24:17, Eze 24:22; Mic 3:7 Unclean: Job 42:6; Psa 51:3, Psa 51:5; Isa 6:5, Isa 52:11, Isa 64:6; Lam 4:15; Luk 5:8, Luk 7:6, Luk 7:7; Luk 17:12 Leviticus 13:46”

“With regard to the treatment of lepers, the lawgiver prescribed that they should wear mourning costume, rend their clothes, leave the hair of their head in disorder (see at Lev 10:6), keep the beard covered ( Eze 24:17, Eze 24:22), and cry "Unclean, unclean," that every one might avoid them for fear of being defiled ( Lam 4:15); and as long as the disease lasted they were to dwell apart outside the camp ( Num 5:2., Num 12:10., cf. Kg2 15:5; Kg2 7:3), (Note: At the present day there are pest-houses specially set apart for lepers outside the towns. In Jerusalem they are situated against the Zion-gate (see Robinson, Pal. i.p. 364).) a rule which implies that the leper rendered others unclean by…”