Leviticus13
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2“When a man shall have a swelling in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.
3The priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body. If the hair in the plague has turned white, and the appearance of the plague is deeper than the body’s skin, it is the plague of leprosy; so the priest shall examine him and pronounce him unclean.
4If the bright spot is white in the skin of his body, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and its hair hasn’t turned white, then the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.
5The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. Behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days.
6The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7But if the scab spreads on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again.
8The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.
9“When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest;
10and the priest shall examine him. Behold, if there is a white swelling in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling,
11it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not isolate him, for he is already unclean.
12“If the leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the infected person from his head even to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest,
13then the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean.
14But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean.
15The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.
16Or if the raw flesh turns again, and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest.
17The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.
18“When the body has a boil on its skin, and it has healed,
19and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest.
20The priest shall examine it. Behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil.
21But if the priest examines it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.
22If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague.
23But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24“Or when the body has a burn from fire on its skin, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white,
25then the priest shall examine it; and behold, if the hair in the bright spot has turned white, and its appearance is deeper than the skin, it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.
26But if the priest examines it, and behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.
27The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.
28If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn.
29“When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard,
30then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch. It is leprosy of the head or of the beard.
31If the priest examines the plague of itching, and behold, its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person infected with itching seven days.
32On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn’t deeper than the skin,
33then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch. Then the priest shall isolate the one who has the itch seven more days.
34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.
35But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,
36then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean.
37But if in his eyes the itch is arrested and black hair has grown in it, then the itch is healed. He is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.
38“When a man or a woman has bright spots in the skin of the body, even white bright spots,
39then the priest shall examine them. Behold, if the bright spots on the skin of their body are a dull white, it is a harmless rash. It has broken out in the skin. He is clean.
40“If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean.
41If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, his forehead is bald. He is clean.
42But if a reddish-white plague is in the bald head or the bald forehead, it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head or his bald forehead.
43Then the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the swelling of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body,
44he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head.
45“The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
46All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the camp.
47“The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment;
48whether it is in warp or woof; of linen or of wool; whether in leather, or in anything made of leather;
49if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the leather, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of leather; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest.
50The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days.
51He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean.
52He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, in which the plague is, for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.
53“If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;
54then the priest shall command that they wash the thing that the plague is in, and he shall isolate it seven more days.
55Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and the plague hasn’t spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside.
56If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof;
57and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn what the plague is in with fire.
58The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.”
59This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it 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.