Leviticus13
New American Standard
1Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2“When someone has on the skin of his body a swelling, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes an infection of leprosy on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.
3The priest shall look at the infected area on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
4But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has not turned white, then the priest shall isolate the person who has the infection for seven days.
5Then the priest shall look at him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the infection has not changed and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days.
6The priest shall then look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infected area has faded and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a rash. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean.
7“But if the rash spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest.
8And the priest shall look, and if the rash has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.
9“When the infection of leprosy is on someone, then he shall be brought to the priest.
10The priest shall then look, and if there is a white swelling on the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is new raw flesh in the swelling,
11it is a chronic leprosy on the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not isolate him, for he is unclean.
12If the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the person who has the infection from his head even to his feet, as far as the priest can see,
13then the priest shall look, and behold, if the leprosy has covered his entire body, he shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; it has all turned white and he is clean.
14But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean.
15The priest shall look at the raw flesh, and he shall pronounce him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy.
16Or if the raw flesh turns back and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest,
17and the priest shall look at him, and behold, if the infected area has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; he is clean.
18“Now when the body has a boil on its skin and it is healed,
19and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish-white, bright spot, then it shall be shown to the priest;
20and the priest shall look, and behold, if it appears to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the infection of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil.
21But if the priest looks at it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it and it is not deeper than the skin and is faded, then the priest shall isolate him for seven days;
22and if it spreads farther on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection.
23But if the bright spot remains in its place and does not spread, it is only the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24“Or if the body sustains in its skin a burn by fire, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white,
25then the priest shall look at it. And if the hair in the bright spot has turned white and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is leprosy; it has broken out in the burn. Therefore, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy.
26But if the priest looks at it, and indeed, there is no white hair in the bright spot and it is no deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him for seven days;
27and the priest shall look at him on the seventh day. If it spreads farther in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy.
28But if the bright spot remains in its place and has not spread in the skin, but is dim, it is the swelling from the burn; and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar of the burn.
29“Now if a man or woman has an infection on the head or on the beard,
30then the priest shall look at the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and there is thin yellowish hair in it, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a scale, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard.
31But if the priest looks at the infection of the scale, and indeed, it appears to be no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person with the scaly infection for seven days.
32And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection, and if the scale has not spread and no yellowish hair has grown in it, and the appearance of the scale is no deeper than the skin,
33then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the scale; and the priest shall isolate the person with the scale for seven more days.
34Then on the seventh day the priest shall look at the scale, and if the scale has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean.
35But if the scale spreads farther in the skin after his cleansing,
36then the priest shall look at him, and if the scale has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for the yellowish hair; he is unclean.
37If in his sight the scale has remained, however, and black hair has grown in it, the scale has healed, and he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
38“When a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the body, white bright spots,
39then the priest shall look, and if the bright spots on the skin of their bodies are a faint white, it is eczema that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.
40“Now if a man loses the hair of his head, he is only bald; he is clean.
41And if his head becomes bald at the front and sides, he is bald on the forehead; he is clean.
42But if on the bald head or the bald forehead there occurs a reddish-white infection, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or on his bald forehead.
43Then the priest shall look at him; and if the swelling of the infection is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body,
44he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; his infection is on his head.
45“As for the person who has the leprous infection, his clothes shall be torn and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
46He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; he shall live outside the camp.
47“When a garment has a mark of leprosy in it, whether it is a wool garment or a linen garment,
48whether in warp or woof, of linen or of wool, whether in leather or in any article made of leather,
49if the mark is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is a leprous mark and it shall be shown to the priest.
50Then the priest shall look at the mark and shall quarantine the article with the mark for seven days.
51He shall then look at the mark on the seventh day; if the mark has spread in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in the leather, whatever the purpose for which the leather is used, the mark is a leprous malignancy, it is unclean.
52So he shall burn the garment, whether it is the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any article of leather, in which the mark occurs; for it is a leprous malignancy. It shall be burned in the fire.
53“But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has not spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather,
54then the priest shall order them to wash the thing in which the mark occurs, and he shall quarantine it for seven more days.
55After the article with the mark has been washed, the priest shall again look, and if the mark has not changed its appearance, even if the mark has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire, whether an eating away has produced bareness on the back or on the front of it.
56“But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has faded after it has been washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment or out of the leather, whether from the warp or from the woof;
57yet if it appears again in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak; the article with the mark shall be burned in the fire.
58But the garment, whether the warp or the woof, or any article of leather from which the mark has disappeared when you washed it, shall then be washed a second time and will be clean.”
59This is the law for the mark of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Directions to the priest to judge concerning leprosy. (1–17). Further directions. (18–44). How the leper must be disposed of. (45, 46). The leprosy in garments. (47–59).
vv1-17
The plague of leprosy was an uncleanness, rather than a disease. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. Common as the leprosy was among the Hebrews, during and after their residence in Egypt, we have no reason to believe that it was known among them before. Their distressed state and employment in that land must have rendered them liable to disease. But it was a plague often inflicted immediately by the hand of God. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were punishments of particular sins; no marvel there was care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper. The judgment of it was referred to the priests. 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. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state. We all have cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious of sores and spots; but whether clean or unclean is the question. As there were certain marks by which to know it was leprosy, so there are marks of such as are in the gall of bitterness. The priest must take time in making his judgment. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in censures, nor to judge anything before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so do men's good works. 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?
vv18-44
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. Or, in a burn by accident, verse 24. The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising and breaking out of that corruption, which proves that men are unclean. Human life lies exposed to many grievances. With what troops of diseases are we beset on every side; and thy all entered by sin! If the constitution be healthy, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies. Particular note was taken of the leprosy, if in the head. If the leprosy of sin has seized the head; if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles, which support wicked practices, are embraced, it is utter uncleanness, from which few are cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps leprosy from the head.
vv45-46
When the priest had pronounced the leper unclean, it put a stop to his business in the world, cut him off from his friends and relations, and ruined all the comfort he could have in the world. He must humble himself under the mighty hand of God, not insisting upon his cleanness, when the priest had pronounced him unclean, but accepting the punishment. 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. The leper must warn others to take heed of coming near him. 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.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
עוֹר: skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather
בָּשָׂר: flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
שְׂאֵת: an elevation or leprous scab; figuratively, elation or cheerfulness; exaltation in rank or character
סַפַּחַת: the mange (as making the hair fall off)
בֹּהֶרֶת: a whitish spot on the skin
Cross References
Leviticus 13Miriam's sudden leprosy serves as a prominent historical example of the white skin symptom.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
King Uzziah's immediate leprosy outbreak on his forehead, judged by the priests under this law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses commands Israel to strictly observe the priests' decisions regarding the plague of leprosy.
Establishes the identical diagnostic protocol for leprosy breaking out in an older healed ulcer or boil.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Identifies the rule of washing clothes after a suspected case is finally pronounced clean of leprosy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Directly echoes the mandatory cry of the unclean: 'Depart ye; it is unclean! depart, depart!'
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Historical fulfillment of a king (Uzziah) dwelling in a several house, being cut off for leprosy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Gehazi is struck with leprosy as white as snow, illustrating the extreme diagnostic sign.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jesus commands the cleansed leper to show himself to the priest, honoring Levitical law.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
As the priest identifies but cannot cure leprosy, the law exposes but cannot save from sin.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel procedure of a seven-day quarantine for a suspected, non-advancing spot of leprosy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The standard diagnostic threshold of depth in skin and hair color changes used in quarantine decisions.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Direct parallel showing how a stationary bright spot signifies a scar rather than an active infection.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast of a spreading scall post-cleansing with the definitive evaluation on the seventh day.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The baseline diagnostic criteria for the dry scall on the head or beard.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Completes the distinction between simple natural baldness and active leprosy on the forehead.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Prophetic parallel of covering the lips as a sign of extreme shame and mourning.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts priestly prohibition of unbared heads and rent clothes with the leper's mandatory mourning attire.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Isaiah adopts the leper's cry, confessing 'I am a man of unclean lips.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ten leprous men stood afar off, exemplifying the restriction to dwell outside the camp.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Divine command to put out of the camp every leper to maintain community purity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
New Testament command to hate 'even the garment spotted by the flesh,' echoing leprous garments.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Naaman was a mighty warrior but a leper, highlighting the disease's socially isolating nature.
The priest's declarative authority to pronounce clean/unclean mirrors the ministerial keys of binding and loosing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, executing the quarantine rule.
Prophetic imagery where burning and physical blemishes replace beauty as a sign of divine judgment.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Theological parallel of the head being sick, signifying corruption of judgment and wicked principles.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The spreading of false doctrine compared to the spreading of a canker or leprosy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ezekiel is told not to cover his lips, contrasting with standard leprous/mourning customs.
Miriam's temporary isolation outside the camp due to her sudden leprous affliction.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Four leprous men sitting outside the gate of Samaria, demonstrating the isolation law.
Applies the same term 'fretting leprosy' to contaminated houses as to garments here.
Injunction to burn abominable contaminated items completely in the fire.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses' hand turned leprous, white as snow, as an immediate sign from God.
Snares and sores from head to foot depict Israel's spiritual decay like spreading leprosy.
The complete breakout typifies the sinner's total confession of corruption, finding cleansing in Christ.