Everyone would hurry away, afraid to come in contact with them. You can see how this diseased took the joy out of living. It is no coincidence that the natural spiritual condition of all people is compared to such an illness as leprosy. We may look healthy on the outside, but the Bible says that we are all afflicted with the disease of sin. The glory that we were created to have has been removed by our disobedience to the Creator.
Sin takes the glory of mankind away and replaces it with death.
We are born to work and to die. We may find occasional joys now and then, but they do not last long. The disease of sin has brought the curse of death to every member of the human race. It is also no coincidence that out of ten lepers one came back to thank Jesus that day. He had worked a miracle for all ten of them.