Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 13:45

"And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean." — Leviticus 13:45 (ASV)

His clothes shall be rent. — As leprosy was regarded as a visitation from God for sin committed by the person so afflicted, the patient is to rend his garments like one mourning for the dead. (See Leviticus 21:10.) During the Second Temple, the administrators of the law exempted leprous women from rending their clothes, which was evidently due to a feeling of decorum.

And his head bare. — Better, and his hair be dishevelled. This was another sign of mourning. (See Leviticus 10:6.) The legislators during the Second Temple also exempted leprous women from letting their hair fall in the disorderly and wild manner over their heads and faces, as was customary for mourners.

And he shall put a covering upon his upper lip. — To veil the beard, which was the pride of people in the East, was also a sign of mourning. (Ezekiel 24:22; Micah 3:7.) This was generally done by throwing the skirt of the garment over the lower part of the chin.

And shall cry, Unclean. — As leprosy was most defiling, and as the very entrance of a leper into a house rendered everything in it unclean, the person so afflicted had to warn passersby, so that they would not approach him and become defiled by contact with him. In some instances, this was done by a herald who preceded the leper. Therefore, the rendering of the ancient Chaldee paraphrase of Jonathan is “a herald shall proclaim, and say, Depart, depart from the unclean!”