13 2 What considerations the Priests ought to have in judging the leprosy, 29 the black spot, or scab, 47 and the leprosy of the garment.

Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,

The man that shall have in the skin of his flesh a swelling or a scab, or a white spot, so that in the skin of his flesh [a]it be like the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought unto Aaron the Priest, or unto one of his sons the Priests,

And the Priest shall look on the sore in the skin of his flesh: if the hair in the sore be turned into white, and the sore seen to be [b]lower than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: therefore the Priest shall look on him, and [c]pronounce him unclean.

But if the white spot be in the skin of his flesh, and seem not to be lower than the skin, nor the hair thereof be turned unto white, then the Priest shall shut up him that hath the plague, seven days.

After, the Priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if the plague seem [d]to him to abide still, and the plague grow not in the skin, the Priest shall shut him up yet seven days more.

Then the Priest shall look on him again the seventh day, and if the plague [e]be dark, and the sore grow not in the skin, then the Priest shall [f]pronounce him clean, for it is a scab: therefore he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

But if the scab grow more in the skin, after that he is seen of the Priest for to be purged, he shall be seen of the Priest yet again.

Then the Priest shall consider, and if the scab [g]grow in the skin, then the Priest shall pronounce him [h]unclean: for it is leprosy.

¶ When the plague of leprosy is in a man, he shall be brought unto the Priest,

10 And the Priest shall see him: and if the swelling be white in the skin, and have made the hair white, and there be raw flesh in the swelling,

11 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.

12 Also if the leprosy [i]break out in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of the plague, from his head even to his feet, wheresoever the Priest looketh,

13 Then the Priest shall consider: and if the leprosy cover all his flesh, he shall pronounce the plague to be [j]clean, because it is all turned into whiteness: so he shall be clean.

14 But if there be raw flesh on him when he is seen, he shall be unclean.

15 For the Priest shall see the raw flesh, and declare him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is [k]unclean, therefore it is the leprosy.

16 Or if the raw flesh change and be turned into white, then he shall come to the Priest,

17 And the Priest shall behold him: and if the sore be changed into white, then the Priest shall pronounce the plague clean, for it is clean.

18 ¶ The flesh also in whose skin there is [l]a boil, and is healed

19 And in the place of the boil there be a white swelling, or a white spot somewhat reddish, it shall be seen of the Priest.

20 And when the Priest seeth it, if it appear lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be changed into white, the Priest then shall pronounce him [m]unclean: for it is a plague of leprosy, broken out in the boil.

21 But if the Priest look on it, and there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be darker, then the Priest shall shut him up seven days.

22 And if it spread abroad in the flesh, the Priest shall pronounce him unclean, for it is a sore.

23 But if the spot continue in his place, and grow not, it is a burning boil: therefore the Priest shall declare him to be clean.

24 ¶ If there be any flesh, in whose skin there is an hot burning, and the quick flesh of the burning have a [n]white spot, somewhat reddish or pale,

25 Then the Priest shall look upon it: and if the hair in that spot be changed into white, and it appear lower than the skin, it is a leprosy broken out in the burning: therefore the Priest shall pronounce him unclean: for it is the plague of leprosy.

26 But if the Priest look on it, and there be no white hair in the spot, and be no lower than the other skin, but be darker, then the Priest shall shut him up seven days.

27 After, the Priest shall look on him the seventh day: if it be grown abroad in the skin, then the Priest shall pronounce him unclean: for it is the plague of leprosy.

28 And if the spot abide in his place, not growing in the skin, but is dark, it is a [o]rising of the burning: the Priest shall therefore declare him clean: for it is the drying up of the burning.

29 ¶ If also a man or a woman hath a sore on the head or in the beard,

30 Then the Priest shall see the sore: and if it appears lower than the skin, and there be in it a small yellow [p]hair, then the Priest shall pronounce him unclean: for it is a black spot, and leprosy of the head or of the beard.

31 And if the Priest look on the sore of the black spot, and if it seem not lower than the skin, nor have any black hair in it, then the Priest shall shut up him that hath the sore of the black spot, seven days.

32 After, in the seventh day the Priest shall look on the sore: and if the black spot grow not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the black spot seem not lower than the skin,

33 Then he shall be shaven, but the place of the black spot shall he not shave: but the Priest shall shut up him that hath black spot, seven days more.

34 And the seventh day the Priest shall look on the black spot: and if the black spot grow not in the skin, nor seem lower than the other skin, then the Priest shall cleanse him, and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

35 But if the black spot grow abroad in the flesh after his cleansing,

36 Then the Priest shall look on it, and if the black spot grow in the skin, the Priest shall not [q]seek for the yellow hair: for it is unclean.

37 But if the black spot seem to him to abide, and that black hair grow therein, the black spot is healed, he is clean, and the Priest shall declare him to be clean.

38 ¶ Furthermore if there be any white spots in the skin of the flesh of man or woman,

39 Then the Priest shall consider: and if the spots in the skin of their flesh be somewhat dark and white withal, it is but a white spot broken out in the skin: therefore he is clean.

40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, and is bald, is clean.

41 And if his head lose the [r]hair on the forepart, and be bald before, he is clean.

42 But if there be in the bald head, or in the bald forehead a white reddish sore, it is a leprosy springing in his bald head, or in his bald forehead.

43 Therefore the Priest shall look upon it, and if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, appearing like leprosy in the skin of the flesh,

44 He is a leper and unclean: therefore the Priest shall pronounce him altogether unclean: for the sore is in his head.

45 The leper also in whom the plague is, shall have his clothes [s]rent, and his head bare, and shall put a covering upon his [t]lips, and shall cry, I am unclean, I am unclean.

46 As long as the disease shall be upon him, he shall be polluted, for he is unclean: he shall dwell alone, (A)without the camp shall his habitation be.

47 ¶ Also the garment that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woolen garment or a linen garment,

48 Whether it be in the warp or in the woof of linen or of woolen, either in a skin, or in anything made of skin,

49 And if the sore be green or somewhat reddish in the garment or in the skin, or in the warp or in the woof, or in anything that is made of [u]skin, it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the Priest.

50 Then the Priest shall see the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague, seven days,

51 And shall look on the plague the seventh day: if the plague grow in the garment or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, or in anything that is made of skin, that plague is a fretting leprosy and unclean.

52 And he shall burn the garment, or the warp, or the woof, whether it be woolen or linen, or anything that is made of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy, therefore it shall be burnt in the fire.

53 If the Priest yet see that the plague [v]grow not in the garment, or in the woof, or in whatsoever thing of skin it be,

54 Then the Priest shall command them to wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more.

55 Again the Priest shall look on the plague, after it is washed: and if the plague have not changed his [w]color, though the plague spread no further, it is unclean: thou shalt burn it in the fire, for it is a fret inward, [x]whether the spot be in the bare place of the whole, or in part thereof.

56 And if the Priest see that the plague be darker, after that it is washed, he shall cut it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof.

57 And if it appear still in the garment or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin, it is a spreading leprosy: thou shalt burn the thing wherein the plague is, in the fire.

58 If thou hast washed the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, if the plague be departed therefrom, then shall it be washed [y]the second time, and be clean.

59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woolen or linen, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, to make it clean or unclean.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 That it may be suspected to be the leprosy.
  2. Leviticus 13:3 That is, shrunken in, and be lower than the rest of the skin.
  3. Leviticus 13:3 Hebrew, shall pollute him.
  4. Leviticus 13:5 Hebrew, in his eyes.
  5. Leviticus 13:6 As having the skin drawn together, or blackish.
  6. Leviticus 13:6 Hebrew, shall cleanse him.
  7. Leviticus 13:8 Or, be spread abroad.
  8. Leviticus 13:8 As touching his bodily disease: for his disease was not imputed to him for sin before God, though it were the punishment of sin.
  9. Leviticus 13:12 Or, bud.
  10. Leviticus 13:13 For it is not that contagious leprosy that infecteth, but a kind of scurvy, which hath not the flesh raw as the leprosy.
  11. Leviticus 13:15 That is, declareth that the flesh is not found, but is in danger to be leprous.
  12. Leviticus 13:18 Or, impostume.
  13. Leviticus 13:20 None were exempted, but if the Priest pronounced him unclean, he was put out from among the people: as appeareth by Mary the prophetess, Num. 12:14, and by king Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26:20.
  14. Leviticus 13:24 If he have a white spot in the place where the burning was, and was after healed.
  15. Leviticus 13:28 Or, swelling.
  16. Leviticus 13:30 Which was not wont to be there, or else smaller than in any other part of the body.
  17. Leviticus 13:36 He shall not care whether the yellow hair be there or no.
  18. Leviticus 13:41 By sickness, or any other inconvenience.
  19. Leviticus 13:45 In sign of sorrow and lamentation.
  20. Leviticus 13:45 Either in token of mourning, or for fear of infecting others.
  21. Leviticus 13:49 Whether it be garment, vessel, or instrument.
  22. Leviticus 13:53 But abide still in one place, as verse 37.
  23. Leviticus 13:55 But remain as it did before.
  24. Leviticus 13:55 Or, whether it be in any bare place before, or behind.
  25. Leviticus 13:58 To the intent he might be sure that the leprosy was departed, and that all occasion of infection might be taken away.

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When anyone has a swelling(A) or a rash or a shiny spot(B) on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,[a](C) they must be brought to Aaron the priest(D) or to one of his sons[b] who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.(E) If the shiny spot(F) on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(G) On the seventh day(H) the priest is to examine them,(I) and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean;(J) it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes,(K) and they will be clean.(L) But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again.(M) The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.

“When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. 10 The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic skin disease(N) and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.

12 “If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, 13 the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean. 15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.(O) 16 If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest. 17 The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean;(P) then they will be clean.

18 “When someone has a boil(Q) on their skin and it heals, 19 and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white(R) spot(S) appears, they must present themselves to the priest. 20 The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease(T) that has broken out where the boil was. 21 But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days. 22 If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease. 23 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.(U)

24 “When someone has a burn on their skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 25 the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.(V) 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days.(W) 27 On the seventh day the priest is to examine that person,(X) and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease. 28 If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a scar from the burn.(Y)

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on their head(Z) or chin, 30 the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin. 31 But if, when the priest examines the sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(AA) 32 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AB) and if it has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, 33 then the man or woman must shave themselves, except for the affected area, and the priest is to keep them isolated another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AC) and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce them clean. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.(AD) 35 But if the sore does spread in the skin after they are pronounced clean, 36 the priest is to examine them, and if he finds that the sore has spread in the skin, he does not need to look for yellow hair; they are unclean.(AE) 37 If, however, the sore is unchanged so far as the priest can see, and if black hair has grown in it, the affected person is healed. They are clean, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.

38 “When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, 39 the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.

40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald(AF) is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.

45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes,(AG) let their hair be unkempt,[c] cover the lower part of their face(AH) and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’(AI) 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.(AJ)

Regulations About Defiling Molds

47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.(AK) 50 The priest is to examine the affected area(AL) and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it,(AM) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.(AN) 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.(AO)

53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”

59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
  2. Leviticus 13:2 Or descendants
  3. Leviticus 13:45 Or clothes, uncover their head