The Fallible · Synthetic · Study Bible
Laws about Skin Diseases
Leviticus 13:1–46 — Laws about Skin Diseases. Each verse below carries the full apparatus: the Berean Standard Bible, the vocalized original (tap any word), and a parsed breakdown of every term transcribed from the interlinear. Synthesized commentary, canonical threads, and the reading of Christ gather at the end, over the whole unit.
1Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
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Yah·weh way·ḏab·bêr ’el- mō·šeh wə·’el- ’a·hă·rōn lê·mōr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-YHWH spoke to Moses and-to Aaron, saying —
Where the English smooths the original
This law is directed to Aaron as well as Moses, because he and his sons were to be judges, to determine, according to certain rules, what was clean and what unclean.
Leprosy, the most loathsome of all common diseases, is the type and symbol of sin, and the ceremonial uncleanness attaching to it is a parable of the moral foulness of sin.Geneva's note here quotes Wordsworth and the editors of the period; the framing of leprosy as a 'parable' of sin governs the whole chapter's reception history.
And it was a figure of the moral pollutions of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse. The priest could only convict the leper, (by the law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he can take away sin.
The law for leprosy, the observance of which is urged upon the people again in Deuteronomy 24:8-9 , treats, in the first place, of leprosy in menKeil & Delitzsch open by anchoring the statute to its restatement in Deuteronomy 24:8-9 ("Take heed in the plague of leprosy... as the priests the Levites shall teach you"). The tie is real but only structural: the Verifier finds NO shared lexeme between Deut 24:8 and v. 1 itself, and where the words do overlap — tsâraʻath, negaʻ, kōhēn against the diagnostic verses (13:2, 8, 9) — they are tiered structural/thematic, not verbal, since none is rare enough and there is no quotation claim.
2“When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that may be an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.
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kî- ’ā·ḏām yih·yeh śə·’êṯ ’ōw- sap·pa·ḥaṯ ’ōw ḇa·he·reṯ ḇə·‘ō·wr- bə·śā·rōw wə·hā·yāh ṣā·rā·‘aṯ ḇə·‘ō·wr- bə·śā·rōw lə·ne·ḡa‘ wə·hū·ḇā ’el- ’a·hă·rōn hak·kō·hên ’ōw ’el- ’a·ḥaḏ mib·bā·nāw hak·kō·hă·nîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
When a-man shall-have in-the-skin-of his-flesh a-rising or-a-scab or-a-bright-spot, and-it-becomes in-the-skin-of his-flesh like-a-plague (negaʻ) of-leprosy, then-he-shall-be-brought to Aaron the-priest, or to one of his-sons the-priests —
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He shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, not to the physician, because, as was now said, it needed not so much healing as cleansing, and was rather a ceremonial pollution than a disease; and because it belonged to the priest to cleanse him, and therefore to search and discover whether he was defiled and needed cleansing.
plague ] lit. ‘a stroke’ ( plaga ; cp. a ‘stroke’ of paralysis), which also represents the sense of the Heb. word nega ‘, which gives its name to the treatise Negâim . The leper was rejected as ‘smitten of God.’
It is to be noted also that the priest is not made unclean by his contact with the leper, because he is in the performance of his duty.The Pulpit Commentary's observation foreshadows the gospel reversal: the priest is shielded, but the true Priest will touch the leper and take the uncleanness upon Himself.
The term zaraath, from an Arabic word signifying to strike down or scourge, is applied to leprosy as a scourge of God, and in the case of men it always denotes the white leprosy
3The priest is to examine the infection on his skin, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.
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hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·rā·’āh han·ne·ḡa‘ bə·‘ō·wr- hab·bā·śār wə·śê·‘ār ban·ne·ḡa‘ hā·p̄aḵ lā·ḇān han·ne·ḡa‘ ū·mar·’êh ‘ā·mōq mê·‘ō·wr bə·śā·rōw ne·ḡa‘ hū ṣā·ra·‘aṯ hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’ā·hū wə·ṭim·mê ’ō·ṯōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on the-plague in-the-skin-of the-flesh; and-if the-hair in-the-plague has-turned white, and-the-appearance-of the-plague is-deeper than-the-skin-of his-flesh — it is a-plague of-leprosy; and-the-priest shall-look-on-him and-pronounce-him-unclean (lit. make-him-unclean).
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Pronounce him unclean. —Literally, make him unclean. According to the frequently occurring phraseology a man is said to do that which in his official capacity he pronounces as done, or orders to be done.
Pronounce him unclean, Heb. make him unclean , i. e ministerially and declaratively, in which sense ministers are said to remit sins , Matthew 16:19 , and to destroy nations, Jeremiah 1:10 .
and, like the leprosy, sin lies deep in man; it is in his flesh, in which dwells no good thing, and in which there is no soundness; it does not lie merely in outward actions, but it is in the heart, which is desperately wicked
among the Arabs leprosy is regarded as curable if the hair remains black upon the white spots, but incurable if it becomes whitish in colour.
4If, however, the spot on his skin is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.
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wə·’im- ba·he·reṯ bə·‘ō·wr bə·śā·rōw lə·ḇā·nāh hî ’ên- mar·’e·hā wə·‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr ū·śə·‘ā·rāh lō- hā·p̄aḵ lā·ḇān hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·his·gîr han·ne·ḡa‘ šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-if a-bright-spot, white, is in-the-skin-of his-flesh, and-its-appearance is-not deeper than-the-skin, and-its-hair has-not turned white — then-the-priest shall-shut-up the-plague seven days.
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Seven days — For greater assurance; to teach ministers not to be hasty in their judgments, but diligently to search and examine all things beforehand.
It will be seen that the words “him that hath” are in italics, thus indicating that they are not in the text; but “plague” here, as we have seen in Leviticus 13:3 , denotes plagued person.
the priest was to shut up the leper, i.e., preclude him from intercourse with other men, for seven days, and on the seventh day examine him again.
5On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if he sees that the infection is unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must isolate him for another seven days.
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haš·šə·ḇî·‘î bay·yō·wm hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’ā·hū wə·hin·nêh bə·‘ê·nāw han·ne·ḡa‘ ‘ā·maḏ lō- p̄ā·śāh han·ne·ḡa‘ bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên wə·his·gî·rōw šê·nîṯ šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-him on-the-seventh day; and-behold, if the-plague has-stood in-his-eyes — the-plague has-not spread in-the-skin — then-the-priest shall-shut-him-up seven days a-second-time.
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The same priest who inspected it at the first must examine it again, as another one could not tell whether it has spread or not.
If the plague (i.e. the rising described in Leviticus 13:2 ) has not spread (the Heb. verb occurs only in chs. 13, 14)
Otherwise the words are and may be rendered thus, stand or abide in its own colour ; the Hebrew word being used for colour
6The priest will examine him again on the seventh day, and if the sore has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a rash. The person must wash his clothes and be clean.
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hak·kō·hên ’ō·ṯōw wə·rā·’āh šê·nîṯ haš·šə·ḇî·‘î bay·yō·wm wə·hin·nêh han·ne·ḡa‘ kê·hāh wə·lō- p̄ā·śāh han·ne·ḡa‘ bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên wə·ṭi·hă·rōw hî mis·pa·ḥaṯ wə·ḵib·bes bə·ḡā·ḏāw wə·ṭā·hêr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-him on-the-seventh day a-second-time; and-behold, if the-plague is-dim (faded) and-the-plague has-not spread in-the-skin — then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-clean: it is a-scab; and-he-shall-wash his-clothes and-be-clean.
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Somewhat dark - Rather, somewhat dim: that is, if the spot is dying away.
But the word may be rendered, have contracted itself , or, be restrained or confined to its former place and bigness; and thus the opposition seems to be most clear to the spreading of itself
If the person suspected were found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes, because there had been ground for the suspicion. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though not leprosy spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin?
7But if the rash spreads further on his skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must present himself again to the priest.
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wə·’im- ham·mis·pa·ḥaṯ pā·śōh ṯip̄·śeh bā·‘ō·wr ’a·ḥă·rê hê·rā·’ō·ṯōw ’el- hak·kō·hên lə·ṭā·ho·rā·ṯōw wə·nir·’āh šê·nîṯ ’el- hak·kō·hên
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if the-scab spreads, spreading in-the-skin after his-appearing to-the-priest for-his-cleansing — he-shall-appear again to-the-priest.
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after that he hath shewn himself to the priest for his cleansing ] i.e. in order to be declared clean. Three inspections by the priest are ordered with a week’s interval between each.
Or "in spreading spread" (k); spreads, and proceeds to spread more and more
But if the scurf had spread upon the skin "after his (first) appearance before the priest with reference to his cleansing," i.e., to be examined concerning his purification
8The priest will reexamine him, and if the rash has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh wə·hin·nêh ham·mis·pa·ḥaṯ pā·śə·ṯāh bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên wə·ṭim·mə·’ōw hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look; and-behold, if the-scab has-spread in-the-skin — then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is leprosy (ṣā·ra·‘aṯ).
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Concerning his bodily disease: for his disease was not imputed to him for sin before God even though it were the punishment of sin.Geneva guards against a fatal misreading: the priest's 'unclean' is a ceremonial, bodily verdict — it does not pronounce on the man's guilt before God.
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; a leprous person; to be absolutely so
if the priest notice this on his second appearance, he was to
9When anyone develops a skin disease, he must be brought to the priest.
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kî bə·’ā·ḏām ṯih·yeh ne·ḡa‘ ṣā·ra·‘aṯ wə·hū·ḇā ’el- hak·kō·hên
Literal — word-for-word from the original
A-plague of-leprosy, when it-is in-a-man — then-he-shall-be-brought to-the-priest.
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The second case, discussed inverses 9-17, is of leprosy re-appearing after it has been cured, when a somewhat different treatment is enjoined.
then he shall be brought unto the priest; by his friends and neighbours, if he is not willing
The second case ( Leviticus 13:9-17 ): if the leprosy broke out without previous eruptions.
10The priest will examine him, and if there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling,
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh wə·hin·nêh lə·ḇā·nāh śə·’êṯ- bā·‘ō·wr wə·hî hā·p̄ə·ḵāh śê·‘ār lā·ḇān ū·miḥ·yaṯ ḥay bā·śār baś·’êṯ
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look; and-behold, a-white swelling is in-the-skin, and-it has-turned the-hair white, and-raw flesh, living, is in-the-swelling —
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If the rising be white - Or, If there be a white rising. The term very probably denotes the white Bulla or patch of Anaesthetic elephantiasis when it has re-appeared.
If the rising be white, to wit, with a preternatural and extraordinary whiteness, as Numbers 12:10 .Poole ties the white swelling directly to Numbers 12:10 — Miriam struck 'leprous, white as snow' — the paradigm case behind the whole law.
A white rising will be noticed in the skin, which changes the black hair into white.
11it is a chronic skin disease and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not isolate him, for he is unclean.
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hî nō·wō·še·neṯ ṣā·ra·‘aṯ bə·‘ō·wr bə·śā·rōw hak·kō·hên wə·ṭim·mə·’ōw lō yas·gi·ren·nū kî hū ṭā·mê
Literal — word-for-word from the original
It is an-old (chronic) leprosy in-the-skin-of his-flesh; and-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean; he-shall-not shut-him-up, for he is-unclean.
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Either of these symptoms showed that it was the re-appearance of the old distemper, and rendered quarantine needless. The priest is, therefore, to pronounce him unclean at once.
An inveterate one, of long standing and continuance, an obstinate one, not to be cured by medicine; as this sort of leprosy was, and therefore the person was sent not to a physician, but to
It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.
12But if the skin disease breaks out all over his skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from head to foot, as far as the priest can see,
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wə·’im- haṣ·ṣā·ra·‘aṯ pā·rō·w·aḥ tip̄·raḥ bā·‘ō·wr haṣ·ṣā·ra·‘aṯ ’êṯ wə·ḵis·sə·ṯāh kāl- ‘ō·wr han·ne·ḡa‘ mê·rō·šōw wə·‘aḏ- raḡ·lāw lə·ḵāl hak·kō·hên mar·’êh ‘ê·nê
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-if the-leprosy breaks-out, breaking-out in-the-skin, and-the-leprosy covers all the-skin-of him-who-has the-plague, from-his-head even-to his-foot, as-far-as the-eyes-of the-priest can-see —
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If the leprosy suddenly covered the whole body so that the patient became perfectly white, in which case there could be no appearance of live flesh, then he was clean. This indicated the crisis
the man that has it on him looks like a plant or tree covered with white flowers, being spread all over him in white swellings, bright spots or scabs
covered the whole of the skin from head to foot "with regard to the whole sight of the eyes of the priest," i.e., as far as his eyes could see, the priest was to pronounce the person clean.
13the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh wə·hin·nêh haṣ·ṣā·ra·‘aṯ ’eṯ- ḵis·sə·ṯāh kāl- bə·śā·rōw han·nā·ḡa‘ wə·ṭi·har ’eṯ- hā·p̄aḵ kul·lōw lā·ḇān hū ṭā·hō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Then-the-priest shall-look; and-behold, if the-leprosy has-covered all his-flesh, then-he-shall-pronounce-the-plague clean: it-has all turned white — he is clean.
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It may seem strange that a man who is all over leprous should be pronounced clean, and yet one who is but partially leprous should be unclean.
when a man sees himself to be a sinful creature, all over covered with sin, and no part free, and disclaims all righteousness of his own to justify him before God, but wholly trusts to, and depends upon the grace of God for salvation, and the righteousness of Christ for his acceptance with God; he becomes clean through the grace of God and the blood and righteousness of Christ.
there being no longer any fear of further evil, either to the individual himself or to the community, the patient was declared clean by the priest, while the dry scales were yet upon him, and restored to society.
14But whenever raw flesh appears on someone, he will be unclean.
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ū·ḇə·yō·wm ḥay bā·śār hê·rā·’ō·wṯ bōw yiṭ·mā
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-in-the-day that raw flesh (living flesh) appears in-him, he-shall-be-unclean.
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This was a token of nature’s being unable to throw out all the leprous humour into the skin, and of its working inwardly. Consequently the person in that state was to be pronounced unclean.
whenever patches of natural flesh appear intermingled with the white scurf, he forthwith becomes unclean, since this showed that the disease had not exhausted itself.
if proud flesh appeared after the body had been covered with a white scurf, with which the diseased matter had apparently exhausted itself, the disease was not removed
15When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease.
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hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·rā·’āh ha·ḥay hab·bā·śār wə·ṭim·mə·’ōw ha·ḥay hab·bā·śār ṭā·mê hū ṣā·ra·‘aṯ hū
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on the-raw flesh and-pronounce-him-unclean; the-raw-flesh is-unclean — it is leprosy.
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It will be seen that it is the sound flesh only, and not the white hair, which renders the patient unclean.
this is repeated again and again, because raw or living flesh might rather seem a sign of soundness, and the priest might easily be deceived by it, and therefore he was more narrowly to look into it
This is repeated again and again, because raw or living flesh might rather seem a sign of soundness, and the priest might easily be deceived by it, and therefore he was more narrowly to look into it.
16But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he must go to the priest.
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’ōw ḵî ha·ḥay hab·bā·śār yā·šūḇ wə·neh·paḵ lə·lā·ḇān ū·ḇā ’el- hak·kō·hên
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Or-if the-raw flesh turns-back-again and-is-changed to-white, then-he-shall-come to-the-priest.
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Unto white — As it is usual with sores, when they begin to be healed, the skin, which is white, coming upon the flesh.
Be changed unto white; it is usual with sores, when they begin to be healed, the skin, which is white, coming upon the flesh.
As soon, however, as the patches of sound flesh resume the white colour, so that the whole body is again white
17The priest will reexamine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the infected person clean; then he is clean.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’ā·hū wə·hin·nêh han·ne·ḡa‘ neh·paḵ lə·lā·ḇān hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- han·ne·ḡa‘ wə·ṭi·har hū ṭā·hō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-him; and-behold, if the-plague has-turned to-white, then-the-priest shall-pronounce-the-plague clean: he is clean.
Where the English smooths the original
the raw flesh in the swelling, which looked red, is become white
if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
if proud flesh appeared after the body had been covered with a white scurfK&D's note spans vv. 14-17; the favorable counter-case is that when the proud flesh whitens over, the man is clean.
18When a boil appears on someone’s skin and it heals,
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kî- šə·ḥîn yih·yeh ḇōw- ḇə·‘ō·rōw ū·ḇā·śār wə·nir·pā
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-flesh, when there-is in-it, in-its-skin, a-boil (ulcer), and-it-is-healed —
Where the English smooths the original
Boil - Probably ulcer. In Job 2:7 , and Deuteronomy 28:27 , Deuteronomy 28:35 , it would seem highly probable that the word expresses the ulcers of elephantiasis.
The priest is told what judgment to make, if there were any appearance of a leprosy in old sores; and such is the danger of those who having escaped the pollutions of the world are again entangled therein.
Leprosy developing in the place of an old boil or a burn (18–28) The distinguishing marks of leprosy are similar to those already indicated
19and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, he must present himself to the priest.
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lə·ḇā·nāh śə·’êṯ ’ōw lə·ḇā·nāh ’ă·ḏam·dā·meṯ ḇa·he·reṯ wə·hā·yāh bim·qō·wm haš·šə·ḥîn wə·nir·’āh ’el- hak·kō·hên
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-there-is in-the-place-of the-boil a-white rising, or a-bright-spot, white, reddish — then-it-shall-be-shown to-the-priest.
Where the English smooths the original
Somewhat reddish, i.e. white mixed with red, as when blood and milk are mixed together.
This symptom is peculiar to re-opened cicatriced sores, and hence has not been mentioned before.
In the place where the boil was, a white swelling appears: or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish; white and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan
20The priest shall examine it, and if it appears to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh wə·hin·nêh mar·’e·hā šā·p̄āl min- hā·‘ō·wr ū·śə·‘ā·rāh hā·p̄aḵ lā·ḇān hak·kō·hên ne·ḡa‘- wə·ṭim·mə·’ōw hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ pā·rā·ḥāh baš·šə·ḥîn
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look; and-behold, if its-appearance is-lower than-the-skin and-its-hair has-turned white, then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is a-plague of-leprosy; in-the-boil it has-broken-out.
Where the English smooths the original
Or, in a burn by accident, ver. 24. The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising and breaking ouHenry's range-note (vv. 18-44) reads the boil and the burn morally: old wounds and the 'burning of strife' can become the seedbed of the soul's leprosy.
If the priest found the appearance of the diseased spot lower than the surrounding skin, and the hair upon it turned white, he was to pronounce the person unclean. "It is a mole of leprosy: it has broken out upon the abscess."
If upon examination the priest finds that the spot has assumed a deeper appearance than the rest of the skin, and the hair turned white—which were the two critical symptoms—he forthwith declared it leprosy.
21But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin and has faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days.
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Hebrew — tap a word ↓
wə·’im hak·kō·hên yir·’en·nāh wə·hin·nêh ’ên- lā·ḇān śê·‘ār bāh ’ê·nen·nāh min- ū·šə·p̄ā·lāh hā·‘ō·wr wə·hî ḵê·hāh hak·kō·hên wə·his·gî·rōw šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if the-priest looks-on-it, and-behold, there-is-no white hair in-it, and-it-is-not lower than-the-skin, and-it-is-dim (faded) — then-the-priest shall-shut-him-up seven days.
Where the English smooths the original
In the absence, however, of these two symptoms, the patient is to be put in quarantine for one week only.
But if the hair had not turned white upon the spot, and there was no depression on the skin, and it (the spot) was pale, the priest was to shut him up for seven days.K&D's range-note on the boil case (vv. 21-23); the pale (faded) spot lacking the two signs is quarantined, not condemned. The participle 'pale' renders the Hebrew kēhāh.
But be somewhat dark, or, and be contracted ; of which Leviticus 13:6 .
22If it spreads any further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection.
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wə·’im- pā·śōh ṯip̄·śeh bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên ’ō·ṯōw wə·ṭim·mê hî ne·ḡa‘
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-if it-spreads, spreading in-the-skin, then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is a-plague.
Where the English smooths the original
If, on inspecting it again at the end of the seven days’ seclusion, the priest finds that the spot has spread, it was evident that the blood was vitiated, and that the distemper began to develop in the body.
If the mole spread upon the skin during this period, it was leprosy; but
And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
23But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
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wə·’im- hab·ba·he·reṯ ta·‘ă·mōḏ taḥ·te·hā lō p̄ā·śā·ṯāh hî ṣā·re·ḇeṯ haš·šə·ḥîn hak·kō·hên wə·ṭi·hă·rōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if in-its-place the-bright-spot stands, it-has-not spread — it is the-scar of-the-boil; and-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-clean.
Where the English smooths the original
As the spreading of the spot is a sure sign of the disease lurking in the system, its continuing in the same condition showed that it was simply the re-opening of the boil.
the scar of the boil ] The Heb. for ‘scar’ occurs only here and in Leviticus 13:28 . It is from a root signifying ‘to burn,’ which is found in Ezekiel 20:47 (Heb. 21:3), ‘all faces … shall be burnt.’
it is a burning boil; but not a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall pronounce him clean; as clear of a leprosy
24When there is a burn on someone’s skin and the raw area of the burn becomes reddish-white or white,
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kî- yih·yeh miḵ·waṯ- ’êš ḇə·‘ō·rōw ’ōw ḇā·śār miḥ·yaṯ ham·miḵ·wāh ba·he·reṯ wə·hā·yə·ṯāh lə·ḇā·nāh ’ă·ḏam·de·meṯ ’ōw lə·ḇā·nāh
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Or-flesh, when there-is in-its-skin a-burning of-fire, and-the-living-(quick)-flesh of-the-burning becomes a-bright-spot, reddish-white or white —
Where the English smooths the original
A hot burning, Heb. a burning of fire , by the touch of any hot iron, or burning coals, which doth naturally and usually make an ulcer or sore in which the following spot is.
if there was a burnt place upon the skin of the flesh (מבות־אשׁ, a spot where he had burnt himself with fire, the scar of a burn)
Or if there be flesh of which the skin has been affected by severe inflammation, and the sore of the inflammation has become a glossy spot, somewhat reddish or white.
25the priest must examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh ’ō·ṯāh wə·hin·nêh śê·‘ār bab·ba·he·reṯ neh·paḵ lā·ḇān ū·mar·’e·hā ‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ pā·rā·ḥāh bam·miḵ·wāh hak·kō·hên ne·ḡa‘ wə·ṭim·mê ’ō·ṯōw hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-it; and-behold, if the-hair has-turned white in-the-bright-spot, and-its-appearance is-deeper than-the-skin — it is leprosy that-has-broken-out in-the-burn; and-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is a-plague of-leprosy.
Where the English smooths the original
the "life of the scar" - i.e., the skin growing or forming upon the scar (see Leviticus 13:10 ), - "becomes a whitish red, or white spot," i.e., if it formed itself into a bright swollen spot.
And it be in sight deeper than the skin. —Better, and its appearance is deeper than the other skin. (See Leviticus 13:3 ; Leviticus 13:20 .)
"a hot burning,"—that is, a fiery inflammation or carbuncle (Le 13:24-28)JFB's range-note classes the burn (vv. 24-28) among the skin affections that 'had a tendency to terminate in leprosy.'
26But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot, and it is not beneath the skin but has faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days.
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wə·’im hak·kō·hên yir·’en·nāh wə·hin·nêh ’ên- lā·ḇān śê·‘ār bab·be·he·reṯ ’ê·nen·nāh min- ū·šə·p̄ā·lāh hā·‘ō·wr wə·hi·w ḵê·hāh hak·kō·hên wə·his·gî·rōw šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if the-priest looks-on-it, and-behold, there-is-no white hair in-the-bright-spot, and-it-is-not lower than-the-skin, and-it-is-dim (faded) — then-the-priest shall-shut-him-up seven days.
Where the English smooths the original
If these symptoms are absent, the same directions are to be followed as laid down in Leviticus 13:21 , in the case of a boil or an inflammation.
Somewhat dark, or, contracted , i.e. not spreading. See Leviticus 13:6 .
The fourth case ( Leviticus 13:24-28 ): if there was a burnt place upon the skin of the flesh
27On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection.
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haš·šə·ḇî·‘î bay·yō·wm hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’ā·hū ’im- pā·śōh ṯip̄·śeh bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên ’ō·ṯōw ne·ḡa‘ wə·ṭim·mê hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-him on-the-seventh day; if it-spreads, spreading in-the-skin, then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is a-plague of-leprosy.
Where the English smooths the original
If it spread over the entire frame without producing any ulceration, it lost its contagious power by degrees; or, in other words, it ran through its course and exhausted itself.
if there was a burnt place upon the skin of the flesh (מבות־אשׁ, a spot where he had burnt himself with fire, the scar of a burn)
The directions here given as to what the priest is to do at the end of the week’s quarantine are the same as those given in Leviticus 13:23-24 .
28But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread on the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest is to pronounce him clean; for it is only the scar from the burn.
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wə·’im- hab·ba·he·reṯ ṯa·‘ă·mōḏ taḥ·te·hā lō- p̄ā·śə·ṯāh ḇā·‘ō·wr ḵê·hāh wə·hi·w śə·’êṯ ham·miḵ·wāh hak·kō·hên wə·ṭi·hă·rōw kî- hî ṣā·re·ḇeṯ ham·miḵ·wāh hî
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if in-its-place the-bright-spot stands, it-has-not spread in-the-skin and-it-is-dim (faded) — it is the-swelling of-the-burn; and-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-clean, for it is the-scar of-the-burn.
Where the English smooths the original
29If a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin,
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kî- wə·’îš ’ōw ’iš·šāh yih·yeh ḇōw nā·ḡa‘ bə·rōš ’ōw ḇə·zā·qān
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-a-man or a-woman, when there-is in-him a-plague on-the-head or on-the-beard —
Where the English smooths the original
The fourth case, discussed in Leviticus 13:29-37 , is leprosy on the head or chin. Cases where this distemper attacks first the hairy parts are not uncommon.
Pliny tells us, that a kind of disease came into Italy in the middle of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, which commonly began in the chin, and was therefore called mentagra, and was so filthy, that any death was preferable to it.
The method of discriminating between a leprous spot on the head or beard and an ulcer in the same place. The symptoms of leprosy are the same as before, except that the hairs in this case are of a reddish-yellow colour instead of white.
30the priest shall examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a scaly outbreak, an infectious disease of the head or chin.
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hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·rā·’āh han·ne·ḡa‘ wə·hin·nêh mar·’ê·hū ‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr ū·ḇōw śê·‘ār ṣā·hōḇ dāq hak·kō·hên wə·ṭim·mê ’ō·ṯōw hū ne·ṯeq ṣā·ra·‘aṯ hā·rōš ’ōw haz·zā·qān hū
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on the-plague; and-behold, if its-appearance is-deeper than-the-skin, and-in-it a-yellow, thin hair — then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-unclean: it is a-scall (nethek), leprosy of-the-head or of-the-beard.
Where the English smooths the original
As this is the name for another disease not allied to the leprosy, it would have been better to retain the original word נתק netheq. It is a true elephantiasis, and is recognized by modern writers under the name of the Fox mange.
The leprosy in the body turned the hair white, in the head or beard it turned it yellow.
on which the hair was yellow (צהב golden, reddish, fox-colour) and thin, he was to regard it as נתק.
31But if the priest examines the scaly infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.
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wə·ḵî- hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- yir·’eh han·ne·ṯeq ne·ḡa‘ wə·hin·nêh ’ên- mar·’ê·hū ‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr ’ên šā·ḥōr wə·śê·‘ār bōw hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·his·gîr han·ne·ṯeq ne·ḡa‘ šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-if the-priest looks-on the-plague-of the-scall, and-behold, its-appearance is-not deeper than-the-skin, and-there-is-no black hair in-it — then-the-priest shall-shut-up the-plague-of the-scall seven days.
Where the English smooths the original
Leprosy on the head or chin is called נתק, probably from נתק to pluck or tea
No black hair — For had that appeared, it had ended the doubt, the black hair being a sign of soundness and strength of nature, as this yellow hair was a sign of unsoundness.
And if the priest look on the plague of the scall,.... As it may appear in another person, brought to him for inspection and examination
32On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine the infection, and if the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it, and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,
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haš·šə·ḇî·‘î bay·yō·wm hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·rā·’āh han·ne·ḡa‘ wə·hin·nêh han·ne·ṯeq lō- p̄ā·śāh hā·yāh wə·lō- ṣā·hōḇ śê·‘ār ḇōw han·ne·ṯeq ’ên ū·mar·’êh ‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on the-plague on-the-seventh day; and-behold, if the-scall has-not spread, and-there-is in-it no yellow hair, and-the-appearance-of the-scall is-not deeper than-the-skin —
Where the English smooths the original
To see whether it has got any deeper, or spread any further, and has any hair growing in it, and of what colour, that he might be also able to judge whether it was a leprosy or not
If the mole had not spread by that time, and the two signs mentioned were not discernible, the person affected was to shave himself, but not to shave the nethek
If at the expiration of the seven days’ quarantine, the priest, on examining the spot which had a resemblance to leprosy, finds that it has not developed those signs which this distemper always discloses within this time.
33then the person must shave himself except for the scaly area. Then the priest shall isolate him for another seven days.
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wə·hiṯ·gal·lāḥ wə·’eṯ- lō yə·ḡal·lê·aḥ han·ne·ṯeq hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·his·gîr han·ne·ṯeq šê·nîṯ šiḇ·‘aṯ yā·mîm
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Then-he-shall-shave-himself, but the-scall he-shall-not shave; and-the-priest shall-shut-up the-scall a-second seven days.
Where the English smooths the original
The priest, for the sake of making sure, and to be able to examine the patient more thoroughly, is to have his head and beard shaved.
It is enjoined in the Mishna (Tal. Bab. Neg. x. § 5) that two hairs on each side of the scall should be left so that the priest might judge whether the disease had spread.
the law is not solicitous whether this shaving is by a priest or not; so it seems any one might shave him
34On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scaly outbreak, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean. He must wash his clothes, and he will be clean.
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haš·šə·ḇî·‘î bay·yō·wm hak·kō·hên ’eṯ- wə·rā·’āh han·ne·ṯeq wə·hin·nêh han·ne·ṯeq lō- p̄ā·śāh bā·‘ō·wr ’ê·nen·nū ū·mar·’ê·hū ‘ā·mōq min- hā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên wə·ṭi·har ’ō·ṯōw wə·ḵib·bes bə·ḡā·ḏāw wə·ṭā·hêr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on the-scall on-the-seventh day; and-behold, if the-scall has-not spread in-the-skin, and-its-appearance is-not deeper than-the-skin — then-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-clean; and-he-shall-wash his-clothes, and-be-clean.
Where the English smooths the original
If at the expiration of the second week of quarantine the priest sees that none of the symptoms which generally indicate this distemper have appeared, he is to pronounce him clean
if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
If the mole had not spread by that time, and the two signs mentioned were not discernible
35If, however, the scaly outbreak spreads further on the skin after his cleansing,
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wə·’im- han·ne·ṯeq pā·śōh yip̄·śeh bā·‘ō·wr ’a·ḥă·rê ṭā·ho·rā·ṯōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if the-scall spreads, spreading in-the-skin after his-cleansing —
Where the English smooths the original
If, after the scall had remained stationary for a fortnight, and the patient had been pronounced clean, he is brought again because the scall had spread after the lapse of the two quarantines
After he has been declared clean by the priest; for it was possible that it might spread after this, though so much precaution had been used, and so much time taken to observe it
But if the eruption spread even after his purification, the priest, on seeing this, was not to look for yellow hair.K&D treat vv. 35-36 together: the relapsed, spreading scall is unclean, and the priest need not even search for the confirming yellow hair.
36the priest is to examine him, and if the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for yellow hair; the person is unclean.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’ā·hū wə·hin·nêh han·ne·ṯeq pā·śāh bā·‘ō·wr hak·kō·hên lō- yə·ḇaq·qêr haṣ·ṣā·hōḇ laś·śê·‘ār hū ṭā·mê
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Then-the-priest shall-look-on-him; and-behold, if the-scall has-spread in-the-skin, the-priest shall-not seek for-the-yellow hair — he is unclean.
Where the English smooths the original
He shall not seek — He need not search for the hair, or any other sign, the spreading of it being a sure sign of leprosy.
if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not {k} seek for yellow hair; he is unclean. (k) He shall not care whether the yellow hair is there or not.
for notwithstanding his being pronounced clean, he was still subject to the inspection of the priest, if any alteration appeared
37If, however, in his sight the scaly outbreak is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed. He is clean, and the priest is to pronounce him clean.
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wə·’im- bə·‘ê·nāw han·ne·ṯeq ‘ā·maḏ šā·ḥōr wə·śê·‘ār ṣā·maḥ- bōw han·ne·ṯeq nir·pā hū ṭā·hō·wr hak·kō·hên wə·ṭi·hă·rōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if in-his-eyes the-scall stands, and-black hair has-grown in-it — the-scall is-healed, he is clean; and-the-priest shall-pronounce-him-clean.
Where the English smooths the original
The truth of the thing, and not the sentence of the priest, made him clean; and if the priest had partially pronounced one clean who was not clean, his sentence had been null. And therefore it is a fond and dangerous conceit to think that the absolution given to any sinner by a priest will stand him in any stead if he do not truly repent.Poole's most pointed note in the chapter: the priest's word is declarative, never effective. A Reformation reading — no human absolution avails apart from the reality of repentance and cleansing.
But if, on the contrary, the eruption stood (see Leviticus 13:5 ), and black hair grew out of it, he was healed, and the person affected was to be declared clean.
If, in addition to its not spreading, the heEllicott names the two healing-signs of v. 37: the scall standing still, and black (healthy) hair growing in it.
38When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin,
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kî- yih·yeh wə·’îš ’ōw- ’iš·šāh lə·ḇā·nōṯ be·hā·rōṯ be·hā·rōṯ ḇə·‘ō·wr- bə·śā·rām
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-a-man or a-woman, when there-are in-the-skin-of their-flesh bright-spots, white bright-spots —
Where the English smooths the original
The fifth case, discussed in Leviticus 13:38-39 , is the harmless leprosy, which does not render the patient unclean.
This modification of the leprosy is distinguished by a dull white color, and it is entirely a cutaneous disorder, never injuring the constitution.
These, if they are dull, and not of the character described in Leviticus 13:3 , are a ‘tetter’ ( freckled spot A.V.), a skin disease which is not of a leprous character.
39the priest shall examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh wə·hin·nêh be·hā·rōṯ ḇə·‘ō·wr- bə·śā·rām kê·hō·wṯ lə·ḇā·nōṯ hū bō·haq pā·raḥ bā·‘ō·wr hū ṭā·hō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
Then-the-priest shall-look; and-behold, if the-bright-spots in-the-skin-of their-flesh are-dull white, it is a-tetter (bōhaq) that-has-broken-out in-the-skin — he is clean.
Where the English smooths the original
which did not defile, and which even the Arabs, who still call it bahak, consider harmless.
When there was no other symptom but that of whiteness in the skin, the priest was to be cautious not to pronounce it a leprosy, unless the spots were perfectly bright; for if there was any cloudiness in them, it was not a leprosy.
If the priest, upon examination, finds that these elevated spots are of a dull or palish white colour, then he is to pronounce the patient clean, that is, free of leprosy
40Now if a man loses his hair and is bald, he is still clean.
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kî wə·’îš yim·mā·rêṭ rō·šōw hū qê·rê·aḥ hū ṭā·hō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-a-man, when his-head loses-its-hair — he-is-bald (qērēaḥ); he is clean.
Where the English smooths the original
Though baldness in itself was regarded as a disgrace, and often looked upon as a Divine punishment
קרח is a head bald behind; גּבּח, in front, "bald from the side, or edge of his face, i.e., from the forehead and temples." Bald heads of both kinds were naturally clean.
The falling off of the hair, when the baldness commences in the back part of the head, is another symptom which creates a suspicion of leprosy. But it was not of itself a decisive sign
41Or if his hairline recedes and he is bald on his forehead, he is still clean.
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wə·’im rō·šōw mip·pə·’aṯ pā·nāw yim·mā·rêṭ hū gib·bê·aḥ hū ṭā·hō·wr
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-if from-the-edge-of his-head, toward his-face, his-hair falls — he-is-forehead-bald (gibbēaḥ); he is clean.
Where the English smooths the original
This, which according to the administrators of the law, was from the crown of the head descending to his face, and constituted the man a gibbèach, was also not a sign of leprosy.
he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
from the crown of his head towards his forehead and temples, the fore part of his head
42But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it.
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wə·ḵî- yih·yeh lā·ḇān ’ă·ḏam·dām ne·ḡa‘ ḇaq·qā·ra·ḥaṯ ’ōw ḇag·gab·ba·ḥaṯ hî ṣā·ra·‘aṯ pō·ra·ḥaṯ bə·qā·raḥ·tōw ’ōw ḇə·ḡab·baḥ·tōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
But-if there-is on-the-bald-back-head or on-the-bald-forehead a-reddish-white plague — it is leprosy breaking-out on-his-bald-back-head or on-his-bald-forehead.
Where the English smooths the original
It is a sign that such baldness came not from age or any accident, but from the leprosy.
But if a reddish-white eruption appears either in the hinder or fore part of the bald head, resembling that which arises in the place of healed boils (see Leviticus 13:19-24 ), then it indicates the existence of leprosy.
But if a white reddish mole was formed upon the bald place before or behind, it was leprosy breaking out upon it
43The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white like a skin disease,
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hak·kō·hên wə·rā·’āh ’ō·ṯōw wə·hin·nêh śə·’êṯ- han·ne·ḡa‘ bə·qā·raḥ·tōw ’ōw ḇə·ḡab·baḥ·tōw lə·ḇā·nāh ’ă·ḏam·de·meṯ kə·mar·’êh ‘ō·wr ṣā·ra·‘aṯ bā·śār
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-priest shall-look-on-him; and-behold, if the-swelling of-the-plague is-reddish-white on-his-bald-back-head or on-his-bald-forehead, like-the-appearance of-leprosy of-the-skin-of the-flesh —
Where the English smooths the original
The criterion of white hair is absent, but the other tests of leprosy already mentioned are sufficient to determine whether the outbreak is leprous.
It is then the duty of the priest to ascertain whether the white-reddish rising in the bald backhead or bald forehead is in appearance like the leprosy in the skin of the flesh described in Leviticus 13:2
it was leprosy breaking out upon it, and was to be recognised by the fact that the rising of the mole had the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body.
44the man is diseased; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean because of the infection on his head.
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Hebrew — tap a word ↓
’îš- ṣā·rū·a‘ hū ṭā·mê hū hak·kō·hên ṭam·mê yə·ṭam·mə·’en·nū niḡ·‘ōw bə·rō·šōw
Literal — word-for-word from the original
He is a-leprous man, he is unclean; the-priest shall-surely-pronounce-him-unclean: his-plague is on-his-head.
Where the English smooths the original
And so to be pronounced and accounted; only a leprous man is mentioned, there being no leprous women, having this sort of leprosy, their hair not falling off, or they becoming bald, usually
He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
In that case the person was unclean, and to be pronounced so by the priest.
45A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
Berean Standard Bible · CC0
Hebrew — tap a word ↓
han·ne·ḡa‘ wə·haṣ·ṣā·rū·a‘ ’ă·šer- bōw bə·ḡā·ḏāw yih·yū p̄ə·ru·mîm wə·rō·šōw yih·yeh p̄ā·rū·a‘ wə·‘al- ya‘·ṭeh śā·p̄ām yiq·rā wə·ṭā·mê ṭā·mê
Literal — word-for-word from the original
And-the-leper in-whom the-plague is — his-clothes shall-be-rent, and-his-head shall-be-let-loose (dishevelled), and-the-upper-lip he-shall-cover, and-‘Unclean! Unclean!’ he-shall-cry.
Where the English smooths the original
Thus must we take to ourselves the shame that belongs to us, and with broken hearts call ourselves Unclean, unclean; heart unclean, life unclean; unclean by original corruption, unclean by actual transgression; unclean, therefore deserving to be for ever shut out from communion with God, and all hope of happiness in him; unclean, therefore undone, if infinite mercy do not interpose.
To veil the beard, which was the pride of the Oriental, was also a sign of mourning. (Comp. Ezekiel 24:17 ; Ezekiel 24:22 ; Micah 3:7 .)
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.
The actions of the leper here prescribed are those of a mourner; rending the garments, and letting the hair go loose (cp. Leviticus 10:6 , Leviticus 21:10 ; Ezekiel 24:17 ), covering the upper lip (cp. Ezekiel 24:17 ; Ezekiel 24:22 ; Micah 3:7 ), crying, Unclean ( Lamentations 4:15 ). The leper was regarded as one deadCambridge collects the verbal cross-references the Verifier confirms: Lev 10:6 / 21:10 (rare pāram), Ezekiel 24:17 / Micah 3:7 (rare śāphām + ʻāṭāh), Lamentations 4:15 (ṭāmēʼ + qārāʼ).
46As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.
Berean Standard Bible · CC0
Hebrew — tap a word ↓
kāl- yə·mê ’ă·šer han·ne·ḡa‘ yiṭ·mā bōw hū bā·ḏāḏ ṭā·mê yê·šêḇ mō·wō·šā·ḇōw mi·ḥūṣ lam·ma·ḥă·neh
Literal — word-for-word from the original
All the-days that the-plague is in-him, he-shall-be-defiled; he is unclean; alone he-shall-dwell — outside the-camp his-dwelling shall-be.
Where the English smooths the original
Dwell alone - More properly, dwell apart; that is, separated from the people.
He shall dwell alone — For his humiliation, to prevent the infection of others, and to show the danger of converse with spiritual lepers, or notorious sinners.
He must then be shut out of the camp, and afterward, when they came to Canaan, be shut out of the city, town, or village where he lived, and dwell with none but those that were lepers like himself. This typified the purity which ought to be in the gospel church.
so Miriam, when she was stricken with leprosy, was shut out of the camp seven days, Numbers 12:14 .Gill names the paradigm exclusion — Miriam outside the camp (Numbers 12:14) — which the Verifier confirms by the shared words ḥûṣ + maḥăneh.
The verse-by-verse work is done. What follows gathers the whole unit. All three layers below are machine-generated (⚙). Weigh them; they have no authority.
AI synthesis — woven from the public-domain voices above and the original text; generated and fallible.
The chapter opens with God speaking not to Moses alone but “to Moses and to Aaron” (v. 1) — and the doubled address is the whole key. As Joseph Benson says, “This law is directed to Aaron as well as Moses, because he and his sons were to be judges, to determine… what was clean and what unclean.” The man with a suspicious mark must “be brought” (wə·hū·ḇā, passive) — and brought, Matthew Poole insists, “not to the physician… it needed not so much healing as cleansing, and was rather a ceremonial pollution than a disease.” The Hebrew names the affliction negaʻ — “lit. ‘a stroke’… the leper was rejected as ‘smitten of God’” (Cambridge Bible). From the first word, then, this is not a clinic but a courtroom of holiness: the priest, at the sanctuary, will read a body for its standing before God.
Six times the priest “pronounces” clean or unclean, and the Hebrew verb is a declarative Piel — wə·ṭim·mē, literally “make him unclean” (v. 3). Charles Ellicott states the grammar exactly: “a man is said to do that which in his official capacity he pronounces as done.” Matthew Poole presses it to its theological edge: the priest acts “ministerially and declaratively, in which sense ministers are said to remit sins, Matthew 16:19.” And at v. 37 Poole draws the unflinching conclusion: “The truth of the thing, and not the sentence of the priest, made him clean; and if the priest had partially pronounced one clean who was not clean, his sentence had been null.” The priest reads reality; he does not manufacture it. This is the chapter’s deep theology of the Word and the keys — and the seed of a thoroughly Reformation reading.
Then comes the strangest law in the chapter: a man with a single white spot is unclean, but a man covered head to foot in white — “blooming” like a tree in flower, pā·rô·aḥ tip̄·raḥ (John Gill: “the man that has it on him looks like a plant or tree covered with white flowers”) — is pronounced clean (vv. 12–13). Joseph Benson feels the difficulty: “It may seem strange that a man who is all over leprous should be pronounced clean, and yet one who is but partially leprous should be unclean.” Jamieson, Fausset & Brown give the medical sense — the disease “ran through its course and exhausted itself.” But Gill reaches for the gospel: the man who “sees himself to be a sinful creature, all over covered with sin, and… disclaims all righteousness of his own… becomes clean through the grace of God and the… righteousness of Christ.” The proud spot is condemned; the man wholly white — wholly owning his ruin — is cleansed. And the moment a patch of “living flesh” breaks through (v. 14), the self-flattering sign of vitality, he is unclean again.
Across spot, swelling, boil, burn, scall, and bald head, the law runs one invariable test: does the mark spread? The verb pāśāh “occurs only in chs. 13, 14” (Cambridge), and on it everything turns — what stands still is cleared, what moves is condemned (vv. 5–8, 22–23, 27–28, 35–37). The procedure is unhurried by design: seven days, then seven more, “to teach ministers not to be hasty in their judgments” (Benson, v. 4). And the chapter is careful to under-condemn as well as to convict: ordinary baldness is clean (vv. 40–41) — though baldness was “regarded as a disgrace, and… a Divine punishment” (Ellicott) — and the dull-white bōhaq is “a skin disease which is not of a leprous character” (Cambridge, v. 39), dismissed without quarantine. The law that knows how to exclude also knows how to set free.
The diagnostic section ends, and the sentence falls. The leper must rend his clothes, dishevel his hair, cover his lip, and cry “Unclean! Unclean!” (v. 45) — and the Hebrew loads every gesture with meaning. The rare verb pāram (“rent”) is the very thing the high priest was forbidden to do (Lev 10:6); the covered lip is Ezekiel’s and Micah’s sign of mourning and shame; the doubled cry is Lamentations’ word over fallen Zion. Albert Barnes gathers it: “The leper was a living parable in the world of the sin of which death was the wages… he bore about with him at once the deadly fruit and the symbol of the sin of his race.” He must dwell “alone… outside the camp” (v. 46) — bā·ḏāḏ, the word for desolate Jerusalem, outside the place where God dwells. The Pulpit Commentary reads the point: the exclusion was “typically and mystically to teach that the fate brought upon a man by unremoved sin is separation from the people of God here and hereafter.” The chapter diagnoses; it cannot cure. It ends in exile — and so it leans, unfinished, toward the One who could touch such a man.
Read under Sola Scriptura — and offered as a fallible reading to be tested, not a verdict to be trusted — three things stand out. First, the priest declares; he does not create. The chapter’s relentless verb is the declarative Piel: the priest “makes unclean” only by pronouncing what the flesh already is (v. 3; Ellicott, Poole). Poole’s verdict at v. 37 — “The truth of the thing, and not the sentence of the priest, made him clean” — guards against every fantasy of a human word that manufactures a divine reality. The leprosy law is, in this sense, an argument against sacerdotal magic: God’s appointed minister announces God’s reality; he does not coin it. Second, the law is a diagnosis without a cure. Chapter 13 can name the plague, time the waiting, and pronounce the verdict — but it cannot heal. It ends in exile (v. 46), and the patient is left waiting for a cleansing that the next chapter can only ratify, never cause. As the commentators say with one voice, “The priest could only convict the leper… but Christ can cure the sinner” (Henry). The Word that condemns sin truly cannot, of itself, remove it — which is precisely why the whole chapter leans forward toward grace. Third, the strange clean-when-wholly-white law (vv. 12–13) reads as the gospel’s logic in ceremony: the man who owns himself wholly unclean, claiming no patch of healthy flesh of his own, is the one declared clean. The half-righteous spot is rejected; the wholly-ruined, wholly-confessed man is received. That is the publican going home justified (Luke 18:13–14) — but the connection is offered as this tool’s reading, to be weighed against the text, not asserted as its plain sense.
The law can name the leprosy and read the verdict; it cannot wash the leper. It ends outside the camp — and waits there for the One who would go outside the gate.
AI-generated connections. Each carries a verification badge with a recorded basis; contested links are flagged.
The chapter’s sharpest internal tension binds these two verses by the very same words. In v. 3 the hair “turned white” (hāp̄aḵ lā·ḇān) on a single spot condemns; in v. 13 the body “all turned white” (kul·lô hāp̄aḵ lā·ḇān) acquits. Benson names the difficulty; Gill reads its gospel sense — the sinner wholly owning his defilement is the one made clean. The link is verbal: the Verifier records the shared lexemes hāp̄aḵ (H2015), lā·ḇān (H3836), tsâraʻath (H6883, in only 33 verses), and negaʻ (H5061) running between the two verses.
Leviticus 13:3 · Leviticus 13:13
basis: shared Strong's lexemes between the two Hebrew verses: H6883 tsâraʻath (rare — only 33 vv) + H2015 hâphak + H3836 lâbân + H5061 negaʻ; the relatively rare tsâraʻath secures the verbal tier
The leper is commanded to do exactly what the priest is forbidden to do. The rare verb pāram (“rend,” appearing in only three verses) and pāraʻ (“let the hair loose / dishevel”) are used in v. 45 of the leper — and in Leviticus 10:6 and 21:10 of the prohibition laid on Aaron and his sons, who must not tear their garments or unbind their hair in mourning. Cambridge Bible flags the link directly: “not the usual Heb. word, but one used only here and in Leviticus 10:6, Leviticus 21:10.” The leper bears the very mourning the priest is spared — a sharp foreshadow of the Priest who would take the mourner’s place.
Leviticus 13:45 · Leviticus 10:6 · Leviticus 21:10
basis: rare shared lexemes H6533 pâram (only 3 vv) + H6544 pâraʻ (15 vv) link Lev 13:45 to Lev 10:6 (Verifier: also shares H899 beged, H7218 rôʼsh); the low frequency of pâram secures the verbal tier
The command to “cover the upper lip” (‘al-śā·p̄ām ya‘·ṭeh) reaches across the canon by a genuinely rare word: śā·p̄ām (“moustache / upper lip”) occurs in only five verses. Ellicott and the Pulpit Commentary point to its two great echoes — Ezekiel, told to cover his lip as a sign of mourning forbidden tears (Ezekiel 24:17), and Micah’s false prophets who shall cover their lip in shame (Micah 3:7). The same lip-covering that marks the leper as a mourner marks the prophet’s grief and the deceiver’s disgrace.
Leviticus 13:45 · Ezekiel 24:17 · Micah 3:7
basis: rare shared lexemes H8222 sâphâm (upper lip — only 5 vv) + H5844 ʻâṭâh (cover — 15 vv) between Lev 13:45 and both Ezekiel 24:17 and Micah 3:7; the very low frequency of sâphâm secures the verbal tier
The leper must cry “Unclean, unclean!” (ṭā·mē ṭā·mē yiq·rā) — and Lamentations turns the same cry against Jerusalem in ruins: “‘Go away! Unclean!’ men shouted at them” (Lamentations 4:15, BSB). Benson and Cambridge both name the allusion. The city that defiled herself becomes, in her fall, a leper among the nations — shunned with the very word her own law put in the leper’s mouth. The basis is structural, not a quotation: the two Hebrew verses share ṭâmêʼ (“unclean”) and qârâʼ (“cry / call”), but these are common words and there is no claim that Lamentations is quoting the statute.
Leviticus 13:45 · Lamentations 4:15
basis: shared Hebrew lexemes H2931 ṭâmêʼ (78 vv) + H7121 qârâʼ (687 vv) between the two verses — both common words, so a shared-motif (the leper's cry turned on Zion) rather than a quotation; tiered structural, not verbal
The leper “shall dwell alone… outside the camp” (v. 46), and the paradigm case stands behind it: Miriam, struck leprous, was “shut out of the camp seven days” (Numbers 12:14) — John Gill names her directly. Numbers 5:2 makes the rule general: the leper, with others defiled, is put “outside the camp,” away from the dwelling of God in Israel’s midst. The link is structural: the Verifier records the shared words ḥûṣ (“outside”) and maḥăneh (“camp”) between v. 46 and both Numbers texts — the same exclusion-language, the same sentence of separation.
Leviticus 13:46 · Numbers 12:14 · Numbers 5:2
basis: shared Hebrew lexemes H2351 chûwts (outside) + H4264 machăneh (camp) between Lev 13:46 and Numbers 12:14 / Numbers 5:2 (Verifier: Num 5:2 also shares H2931 ṭâmêʼ); shared exclusion-formula, not a quotation — tiered structural
The leper's sentence ends on one stark word: bā·ḏāḏ yē·šēḇ, “alone he shall dwell” (v. 46) — Albert Barnes: “More properly, dwell apart; that is, separated from the people.” Lamentations opens its dirge with the very same rare word over the ruined city: “How lonely lies the city, once so full of people!” (Lamentations 1:1, BSB). The fallen capital has become what the law made of the leper — a thing set apart, dwelling in enforced solitude. The link is genuinely verbal: the Verifier records bâdâd (H910, “alone / apart,” in only 11 verses) and the verb yâshab (“sit / dwell”) shared between the two; the rarity of bâdâd carries the tie, though there is no claim that Lamentations is consciously quoting the statute.
Leviticus 13:46 · Lamentations 1:1
basis: rare shared lexeme H910 bâdâd (alone / apart — only 11 vv) + H3427 yâshab (dwell) between Lev 13:46 and Lamentations 1:1 (Verifier-confirmed); the low frequency of bâdâd secures the verbal tier — though it marks a shared rare word, not a conscious citation
AI-generated reading; weigh it against the text.
The entire chapter rests on a limit: the priest can diagnose leprosy but never heal it. Matthew Henry states the type plainly: “The priest could only convict the leper, (by the law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he can take away sin.” Matthew Poole notes that the disease “needed not so much healing as cleansing,” and the Hebrew bears it out — Scripture says Christ “cleanses” lepers, not merely cures them. Leviticus 13 is the law doing its proper work, Romans 3:20 in ceremony: it names the plague and pronounces the verdict, and then waits for a greater Priest who heals what He diagnoses. This typology is woven through the whole Reformation commentary tradition cited above.
Leviticus 13:3 · Leviticus 13:8 · Romans 3:20 · Matthew 8:2-3
The chapter makes the leper radioactive — his very entrance defiles a house, and he must cry his own uncleanness to warn off the clean. Yet the Pulpit Commentary already notices that “the priest is not made unclean by his contact with the leper, because he is in the performance of his duty” (v. 2) — a hint the Gospels bring to its astonishing fulfillment. When a leper begs, “If You are willing, You can make me clean,” Jesus, “moved with compassion,” reaches out His hand and touches the man (Mark 1:40–41) — and the flow runs backward: instead of the leper defiling Christ, Christ cleanses the leper (“immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed,” v. 42). And He sends the cleansed man to do exactly what Leviticus 13–14 requires: “go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them” (Mark 1:44, BSB). The law that quarantined the leper is honored by the One who undoes the quarantine. Held honestly: this is a cross-Testament link of fulfillment and reversal, argued from the shape of the texts — Mark is in Greek and Leviticus in Hebrew, so there is no shared Strong's lexeme to cite; it is typological, not verbal.
Leviticus 13:45-46 · Mark 1:40-44 · Matthew 8:2-3 · Luke 17:12-14
The chapter’s last word is exile: the leper “shall dwell alone… outside the camp” (v. 46), in the place of the cast-out and the dead. Hebrews takes that exact geography and lays it over the cross: the sacrificial “bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood” (Hebrews 13:11–12, BSB) — and then the summons, “let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore” (v. 13). The leper’s place of uttermost separation became the Lord’s chosen place — He went out to where the unclean were sent, so that the unclean might be brought back in. Held honestly: the connection is typological and structural (the shared motif of “outside the camp / gate” and bearing defilement), argued across Testaments; it does not rest on a shared original-language word, since Hebrews is Greek and Leviticus Hebrew. Offered to be weighed, not asserted as the verse’s plain sense.
Leviticus 13:46 · Hebrews 13:11-13 · Numbers 12:14
The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). Hebrew/Greek text, transliteration, morphology and Strong’s are transcribed from the Berean interlinear (CC0) + Strong’s lexicons (PD); the literal renderings, divergence notes, word notes and all synthesis are this tool’s own work (⚙) — fallible; verify them.
Named voices, quoted verbatim from public-domain works:
The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). The named voices are quoted verbatim from public-domain commentaries — Ellicott, Benson, Matthew Henry (Concise), Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Poole, Gill, the Geneva Study Bible notes, the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, the Pulpit Commentary, and Keil & Delitzsch — each attributed in place with its source URL. Where a commentator wrote one note across a range of verses (e.g. Henry on 13:1–17, 13:18–44, 13:45–46; JFB on 13:9–37), the excerpt is drawn verbatim from that block and an editorial note marks that the comment governs the wider passage. The Hebrew analysis — transliteration, parsing, the literal renderings built up from the original, and the "where the English smooths the Hebrew" notes — is this tool's own work (⚙): careful but fallible; verify against a lexicon (BDB, HALOT) and a standard grammar.
On the threads. Every cross-reference badge records a basis computed by the Verifier from shared original-language lexemes. The intra-Hebrew links (13:3↔13:13; 13:45↔Lev 10:6/21:10; 13:45↔Ezekiel 24:17/Micah 3:7; 13:45↔Lamentations 4:15; 13:46↔Numbers 12:14/5:2; 13:46↔Lamentations 1:1) are tiered verbal only where a genuinely rare shared word carries the weight — pāram (3 verses), śāphām (5 verses), bâdâd (11 verses), tsâraʻath (33 verses) — and structural where the shared words are common (ṭâmêʼ, qârâʼ, ḥûṣ, maḥăneh), so the connection is a shared motif rather than a quotation. Even where a rare lexeme secures the verbal tier, it records a shared word, not a proven conscious citation; Lamentations need not be quoting the leprosy statute for its dirge to draw on the same vocabulary of exclusion. On Christ. The New-Testament links (Mark 1, Hebrews 13) are cross-Testament: Greek cannot share a Hebrew Strong's number, so they are tiered typological and argued from the shape of the texts, never asserted as verbal quotation. This unit does not contain Joshua 1:5, so the mandatory Joshua 1:5 → Hebrews 13:5 flag does not apply here. The two marks govern all: ✦ = a human, public-domain source, named; ⚙ = machine synthesis, to be verified. “Search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
✦ = human, public-domain source, quoted and named. ⚙ = machine synthesis, to be verified. Flagged cross-references are left visible on purpose — the verifier working in the open. “Search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)