Leviticus 13 Study Notes
General
True or False: A man who lost his hair and became bald was, for that reason alone, declared unclean (13:40-41).
Answer: False
This is false. A man who lost his hair, whether on the whole head or only at the front, remained clean, meaning still fit to take part in worship (13:40-41). Baldness by itself was not a disease. Only if a reddish-white swelling appeared on the bald scalp or forehead, resembling the disease, was he declared unclean (13:42-44). The priests had to tell ordinary conditions apart from real disease (Leviticus 10:10-11), and Israel was to follow their rulings (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:40-44 (BSB)“Now if a man loses his hair and is bald, he is still clean. Or if his hairline recedes and he is bald on his forehead, he is still clean. But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it. The 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, the man is diseased; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean because of the infection on his head.”Baldness alone is clean, but a reddish-white sore on a bald head or forehead is a skin disease.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests had to distinguish clean from unclean, which here meant separating ordinary baldness from true disease.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.
Theological
True or False: According to Leviticus 13:40-41, baldness in itself renders a man unclean.
Answer: False
This is false. Loss of hair, whether total or at the forehead, left a man clean (13:40-41); only a reddish-white infected swelling on the bald area, resembling a skin disease, required a pronouncement of uncleanness (13:42-44). The distinction illustrates the priestly duty to separate clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11), whose rulings Israel was to follow (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:40-44 (BSB)“Now if a man loses his hair and is bald, he is still clean. Or if his hairline recedes and he is bald on his forehead, he is still clean. But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it. The 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, the man is diseased; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean because of the infection on his head.”Baldness alone is clean, but a reddish-white sore on a bald head or forehead is a skin disease.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests had to distinguish clean from unclean, which here meant separating ordinary baldness from true disease.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.
General
True or False: If a scaly outbreak stayed the same and black hair grew in it, it was considered healed and the person was declared clean (13:37).
Answer: True
This is true. Yellow hair in a scaly spot was a sign of disease (13:30), but if the outbreak stayed the same and black hair grew there, the priest regarded that as a sign it had healed and declared the person clean, meaning fit to take part in worship (13:37). The priests made their rulings by the signs God gave (Leviticus 10:10-11), and Israel was to follow them (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:37 (BSB)“If, 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.”An unchanged scaly outbreak with black hair growing in it has healed, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were to distinguish clean from unclean by the signs God gave, including this sign of healing.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.
Theological
True or False: According to Leviticus 13:37, black hair growing in an unchanged scaly outbreak indicated healing and warranted a pronouncement of cleanness.
Answer: True
This is true. In contrast to yellow hair as a mark of disease (13:30), black hair growing in an unchanged scaly outbreak signified healing, and the priest pronounced the person clean (13:37). The ruling belongs to the priestly adjudication of clean and unclean by divinely given criteria (Leviticus 10:10-11), which Israel was bound to heed (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:37 (BSB)“If, 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.”An unchanged scaly outbreak with black hair growing in it has healed, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were to distinguish clean from unclean by the signs God gave, including this sign of healing.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.
General
When a spot appeared where a boil had healed or where a burn had been, what did it mean if the spot stayed the same and did not spread during isolation (13:23, 28)?
Answer: It was only a scar, and the person was clean
Spots in a healed boil or a burn were judged by the same signs as other sores: whitened hair and a spot sunk below the surface meant disease. If the signs were unclear, the person was isolated for one week, and if the spot had stayed the same and not spread, it was only a scar, and the priest declared the person clean, meaning fit to take part in worship (13:23, 28). This careful sorting of a harmless scar from a real disease was part of the priests' calling to distinguish clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11) and to give the people sound instruction (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:23 (BSB)“But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.”A spot in a healed boil that stays the same is only a scar, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 13:28 (BSB)“But 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.”A spot in a burn that stays the same and fades is only a scar from the burn, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests' task of distinguishing clean from unclean included telling a harmless scar from a true disease.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed for rulings like this.
Theological
According to Leviticus 13:23 and 13:28, what is the meaning of a spot in a healed boil or a burn that shows no change and no spread during isolation?
Answer: It is merely a scar, and the individual is clean
Lesions arising in a healed boil or a burn were assessed by the same criteria of whitened hair and depth below the skin; in doubtful cases a single week of isolation followed, and a spot unchanged and unspread was pronounced merely a scar, the person being clean (13:23, 28). The discrimination between scar and disease exemplifies the priestly duty to distinguish clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11) and to preserve knowledge for the people (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:23 (BSB)“But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.”A spot in a healed boil that stays the same is only a scar, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 13:28 (BSB)“But 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.”A spot in a burn that stays the same and fades is only a scar from the burn, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests' task of distinguishing clean from unclean included telling a harmless scar from a true disease.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed for rulings like this.
General
When someone had a swelling, a rash, or a shiny patch that might be a skin disease, to whom was that person brought (13:2)?
Answer: Aaron or a priest descended from him
Anyone with a suspicious mark on the skin had to be taken to Aaron or to a priest from among his descendants (13:2). The priest did not act as a doctor; his task was to examine the mark and declare whether the person was clean or unclean, that is, fit or unfit to take part in Israel's worship. Deuteronomy tells Israel to follow the priests' instructions carefully in such cases (Deuteronomy 24:8). Centuries later Jesus sent ten men with skin disease to show themselves to the priests, as this law required, and they were made clean on the way (Luke 17:12-14).
- Leviticus 13:2 (BSB)““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.”A suspicious mark on the skin must be brought to Aaron or one of his priestly sons.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Moses later commands Israel to follow carefully what the Levitical priests instruct in cases of skin disease.
- Luke 17:12-14 (BSB)“As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.”Jesus sends ten men with skin disease to show themselves to the priests, the officials this law appointed to confirm cleansing.
Theological
To whom does Leviticus 13:2 direct that a person with a suspected skin disease be brought?
Answer: Aaron or one of the priests descended from him
Leviticus 13:2 places the judgment of suspected skin disease with Aaron and his priestly sons. Their office was declarative rather than medical: to examine and pronounce clean or unclean, governing access to the worshiping community. Deuteronomy binds Israel to follow the Levitical priests' instruction in such cases (Deuteronomy 24:8), and Jesus Himself honored this ordinance by sending ten such men to the priests, who were cleansed as they went (Luke 17:12-14).
- Leviticus 13:2 (BSB)““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.”A suspicious mark on the skin must be brought to Aaron or one of his priestly sons.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Moses later commands Israel to follow carefully what the Levitical priests instruct in cases of skin disease.
- Luke 17:12-14 (BSB)“As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.”Jesus sends ten men with skin disease to show themselves to the priests, the officials this law appointed to confirm cleansing.
General
True or False: Faded, dull white patches on a man or woman's skin made the person unclean (13:38-39).
Answer: False
This is false. When the priest found that the patches were only a dull, faded white, it was a harmless rash, and the person remained clean, meaning still fit to take part in worship (13:38-39). Not every mark on the skin was a disease. Part of the priests' calling was to tell the difference between clean and unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11), so that no one was shut out of worship for a harmless condition, and the people could rely on the priest for such guidance (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:38-39 (BSB)“When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin, the 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.”Dull white spots are a harmless rash, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests' duty to distinguish clean from unclean included recognizing harmless conditions.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed for rulings like this.
Theological
True or False: According to Leviticus 13:38-39, dull white patches on the skin render a person unclean.
Answer: False
This is false. Spots of a dull white were a harmless rash, and the person remained clean (13:38-39). The priestly office of distinguishing clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11) protected against excluding anyone from the worshiping community for a benign condition, and the people were to seek such rulings at the priest's mouth (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:38-39 (BSB)“When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin, the 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.”Dull white spots are a harmless rash, and the person is clean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests' duty to distinguish clean from unclean included recognizing harmless conditions.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed for rulings like this.
General
At the second examination, if the spot had faded and not spread, what was the result (13:6)?
Answer: The person was declared clean, since it was only a rash, and washed his clothes
If after the second week the sore had faded and had not spread, the priest declared the person clean, meaning fit again to take part in worship, because it was only a rash (13:6). The person then washed his clothes. Washing clothes also marks the cleansing of someone healed of a skin disease (Leviticus 14:9). Hebrews calls such special washings outward rules for the body that stood until Christ brought a new order (Hebrews 9:10).
- Leviticus 13:6 (BSB)“The 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.”After the second week, a faded, unspread sore is declared a rash and the person is clean after washing his clothes.
- Leviticus 14:9 (BSB)“On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.”Washing clothes is likewise part of the cleansing of someone whose skin disease had healed.
- Hebrews 9:10 (BSB)“They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.”Calls these washings external regulations for the body, in force until the time of reform brought by Christ.
Theological
What is the outcome in Leviticus 13:6 when the spot has faded without spreading by the second examination?
Answer: A pronouncement of cleanness, the spot being only a rash, followed by the washing of clothes
A spot that had faded without spreading after the second week was declared a mere rash, and the priest pronounced the person clean, with the washing of clothes completing the process (13:6). Washing clothes belongs also to the cleansing rite for one healed of skin disease (Leviticus 14:9). Such washings are among the external ordinances of the body that Hebrews describes as in force only until Christ brought the new order (Hebrews 9:10).
- Leviticus 13:6 (BSB)“The 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.”After the second week, a faded, unspread sore is declared a rash and the person is clean after washing his clothes.
- Leviticus 14:9 (BSB)“On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.”Washing clothes is likewise part of the cleansing of someone whose skin disease had healed.
- Hebrews 9:10 (BSB)“They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.”Calls these washings external regulations for the body, in force until the time of reform brought by Christ.
General
Where was a person with the skin disease to live while the disease lasted (13:46)?
Answer: Alone, outside the camp
As long as the disease lasted, the person remained unclean, meaning unfit to take part in worship, and had to live alone outside the camp (13:46). The camp was where God dwelt among His people, so uncleanness had to be kept out of it (Numbers 5:2-3). This separation was a ceremonial rule, not a sign that the sufferer was a worse sinner than others (John 9:2-3), though it does picture how sin separates people from God. Jesus did what no priest could: He touched a man with this disease, made him clean, and sent him to the priest with the offering Moses commanded (Mark 1:40-44). Jesus Himself suffered beyond the gate of the city to make His people holy (Hebrews 13:12-13).
- Leviticus 13:46 (BSB)“As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.”As long as the disease lasts, the person is unclean and lives alone outside the camp.
- Numbers 5:2-3 (BSB)““Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.””Explains the reason: the camp was the place where God dwelt among His people, so the unclean were sent outside it.
- Mark 1:40-44 (BSB)“Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning: “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.””Jesus touched and cleansed a man with this disease, then sent him to the priest with the offering Moses commanded.
- John 9:2-3 (BSB)“and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.”Jesus rejects the idea that a person's affliction must be the punishment for a particular sin.
- Hebrews 13:12-13 (BSB)“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.”Jesus suffered outside the city gate to sanctify His people, and believers go to Him outside the camp, sharing His disgrace.
Theological
Where does Leviticus 13:46 require a person with the skin disease to dwell while the condition persists?
Answer: Alone, outside the camp
For the duration of the disease the person remained unclean and dwelt alone outside the camp (13:46), since the camp was the place of the LORD's dwelling among Israel (Numbers 5:2-3). The exclusion was ceremonial, not a verdict that the sufferer was a greater sinner (John 9:2-3), though it serves as a picture of the alienation that sin brings. Christ touched and cleansed such a man and sent him to the priest with the Mosaic offering (Mark 1:40-44), and He Himself suffered outside the gate, bearing reproach to sanctify His people (Hebrews 13:12-13).
- Leviticus 13:46 (BSB)“As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.”As long as the disease lasts, the person is unclean and lives alone outside the camp.
- Numbers 5:2-3 (BSB)““Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.””Explains the reason: the camp was the place where God dwelt among His people, so the unclean were sent outside it.
- Mark 1:40-44 (BSB)“Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning: “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.””Jesus touched and cleansed a man with this disease, then sent him to the priest with the offering Moses commanded.
- John 9:2-3 (BSB)“and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.”Jesus rejects the idea that a person's affliction must be the punishment for a particular sin.
- Hebrews 13:12-13 (BSB)“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.”Jesus suffered outside the city gate to sanctify His people, and believers go to Him outside the camp, sharing His disgrace.
General
After a mildewed article was washed and set aside another week, what did the priest do if the mildew had faded (13:56)?
Answer: Cut away the affected section
After washing and a second week of isolation, the priest judged by what he saw. If the mark looked no different, the article was unclean, meaning unfit for use, and was burned although the mildew had not spread (13:55). If the mildew had faded, the affected piece was cut out (13:56), and if it had disappeared after washing, the article was washed again and was clean (13:58). The rules for mildewed houses follow the same pattern: contaminated stones were removed (Leviticus 14:40), and a house was clean when the mildew did not return (Leviticus 14:48).
- Leviticus 13:55-56 (BSB)“After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine it, and if the mildewed article has not changed in appearance, it is unclean. Even though the mildew has not spread, you must burn it, whether the rot is on the front or back. If the priest examines it and the mildew has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, leather, weave, or knit.”An article washed but unchanged in appearance is burned; if the mildew has faded, the affected section is cut out.
- Leviticus 13:58 (BSB)“If the mildew disappears from the fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article after washing, then it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.”If the mildew disappears after washing, the article is washed again and is clean.
- Leviticus 14:40 (BSB)“he must order that the contaminated stones be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city.”In a mildewed house the contaminated stones were removed, much as the affected section of fabric was cut out.
- Leviticus 14:48 (BSB)“If, however, the priest comes and inspects it, and the mildew has not spread after the house has been replastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the mildew is gone.”A house was declared clean when the mildew did not return, just as a garment was clean when the mildew was gone.
Theological
What does Leviticus 13:56 require when a mildewed article's contamination has faded after washing?
Answer: Cutting away the affected portion
Following washing and a second week of isolation, an article unchanged in appearance was burned even without spread (13:55); one in which the mildew had faded had the affected portion cut away (13:56); and one from which the mildew had vanished was washed again and pronounced clean (13:58). The regulations for houses run parallel: removal of contaminated stones (Leviticus 14:40) and a pronouncement of cleanness when the contamination did not recur (Leviticus 14:48).
- Leviticus 13:55-56 (BSB)“After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine it, and if the mildewed article has not changed in appearance, it is unclean. Even though the mildew has not spread, you must burn it, whether the rot is on the front or back. If the priest examines it and the mildew has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, leather, weave, or knit.”An article washed but unchanged in appearance is burned; if the mildew has faded, the affected section is cut out.
- Leviticus 13:58 (BSB)“If the mildew disappears from the fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article after washing, then it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.”If the mildew disappears after washing, the article is washed again and is clean.
- Leviticus 14:40 (BSB)“he must order that the contaminated stones be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city.”In a mildewed house the contaminated stones were removed, much as the affected section of fabric was cut out.
- Leviticus 14:48 (BSB)“If, however, the priest comes and inspects it, and the mildew has not spread after the house has been replastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the mildew is gone.”A house was declared clean when the mildew did not return, just as a garment was clean when the mildew was gone.
General
What happened to a wool, linen, or leather article if the mildew in it had spread after seven days (13:51-52)?
Answer: It was declared unclean and burned
A garment or leather item with a green or reddish mark was brought for the priest to examine and set aside for seven days. If the mildew had spread by then, the article was unclean, meaning unfit for use among God's people, and had to be burned (13:47-52). The same chapter that deals with skin disease also covers mildew, and the next chapter applies similar rules to houses (Leviticus 14:34-35), where spreading mildew meant the house was torn down (Leviticus 14:44-45). In Hebrew one term covers the skin disease and these mildews alike, which shows that the older rendering leprosy is broader than the modern disease of that name.
- Leviticus 13:51-52 (BSB)“On the seventh day the priest shall reexamine it, and if the mildew has spread in the fabric, weave, knit, or leather, then regardless of how it is used, it is a harmful mildew; the article is unclean. He is to burn the fabric, weave, or knit, whether the contaminated item is wool or linen or leather. Since the mildew is harmful, the article must be burned up.”If the mildew has spread after seven days, the article is unclean and must be burned.
- Leviticus 14:34-35 (BSB)““When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a contamination of mildew into a house in that land, the owner of the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘Something like mildew has appeared in my house.’”The same kind of contamination could appear in houses, showing the term covers more than a human disease.
- Leviticus 14:44-45 (BSB)“the priest must come and inspect it. If the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean. It must be torn down with its stones, its timbers, and all its plaster, and taken outside the city to an unclean place.”A house where mildew kept spreading was torn down, just as a spreading-mildew article was burned.
Theological
According to Leviticus 13:51-52, what is done with a fabric or leather article whose mildew has spread after seven days?
Answer: It is pronounced unclean and burned
A fabric or leather article showing a greenish or reddish mark was isolated for seven days; if the mildew had spread, the article was pronounced unclean and burned (13:47-52). That the same category governs garments and, in the next chapter, houses (Leviticus 14:34-35, 44-45) shows that the Hebrew term is far broader than modern Hansen's disease, the older rendering leprosy notwithstanding.
- Leviticus 13:51-52 (BSB)“On the seventh day the priest shall reexamine it, and if the mildew has spread in the fabric, weave, knit, or leather, then regardless of how it is used, it is a harmful mildew; the article is unclean. He is to burn the fabric, weave, or knit, whether the contaminated item is wool or linen or leather. Since the mildew is harmful, the article must be burned up.”If the mildew has spread after seven days, the article is unclean and must be burned.
- Leviticus 14:34-35 (BSB)““When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a contamination of mildew into a house in that land, the owner of the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘Something like mildew has appeared in my house.’”The same kind of contamination could appear in houses, showing the term covers more than a human disease.
- Leviticus 14:44-45 (BSB)“the priest must come and inspect it. If the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean. It must be torn down with its stones, its timbers, and all its plaster, and taken outside the city to an unclean place.”A house where mildew kept spreading was torn down, just as a spreading-mildew article was burned.
General
In Leviticus 13, what was the priest's main role regarding skin diseases and mildew (13:59)?
Answer: To examine and then declare the person or article clean or unclean
The chapter closes by calling its mildew rules the law for declaring an article clean or unclean (13:59), and the whole chapter works the same way. The priest examined and gave a verdict; he did not treat or heal. Clean meant fit to take part in Israel's worship, and unclean meant unfit for a time. This was a matter of ceremony, not a judgment of moral guilt. The priests' calling was to distinguish clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11). Only God could cure such a disease, as even Israel's king admitted (2 Kings 5:7). That is why Jesus pointed to the cleansing of those with this disease as a sign of who He is (Matthew 11:5).
- Leviticus 13:59 (BSB)“This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.””Summarizes the mildew law as the law for pronouncing an article clean or unclean, the same task the priest performs throughout the chapter.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””States the priests' calling to distinguish clean from unclean, the heart of their work in this chapter.
- 2 Kings 5:7 (BSB)“When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!””The king of Israel recognizes that only God, who gives life, can cure someone of this disease.
- Matthew 11:5 (BSB)“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”Jesus points to the cleansing of those with this disease as a sign of who He is.
Theological
What does Leviticus 13 present as the priest's function regarding skin diseases and mildew (13:59)?
Answer: Examining and pronouncing the person or article clean or unclean
The closing summary of the mildew regulations names them the law for pronouncing clean or unclean (13:59), and the same pattern governs the whole chapter. The priest's role was declarative, not therapeutic, and the categories were ceremonial rather than moral. His office was to distinguish clean from unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11); healing belonged to God alone, as Israel's king confessed (2 Kings 5:7). Hence Christ's cleansing of such sufferers stands among the messianic signs He cites to John (Matthew 11:5).
- Leviticus 13:59 (BSB)“This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.””Summarizes the mildew law as the law for pronouncing an article clean or unclean, the same task the priest performs throughout the chapter.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””States the priests' calling to distinguish clean from unclean, the heart of their work in this chapter.
- 2 Kings 5:7 (BSB)“When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!””The king of Israel recognizes that only God, who gives life, can cure someone of this disease.
- Matthew 11:5 (BSB)“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”Jesus points to the cleansing of those with this disease as a sign of who He is.
General
True or False: A person already declared clean could later be declared unclean if the rash began spreading again (13:7-8).
Answer: True
This is true. If the rash spread after the priest had examined the person and declared him clean, he had to go back to the priest. If the priest saw that it had spread, he declared him unclean, meaning unfit to take part in worship, because the condition had proved to be a true skin disease (13:7-8). The first verdict was based on what could be seen at the time, and the law expected people to keep following the priests' instruction as a case developed (Deuteronomy 24:8). The priest was the one Israel was to ask for such rulings (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:7-8 (BSB)“But 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. The priest will reexamine him, and if the rash has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.”If the rash spreads after the person was declared clean, he returns to the priest and is declared unclean.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in cases of skin disease, including a return visit like this.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”Describes the priest as the one from whom the people were to seek instruction.
Theological
True or False: According to Leviticus 13:7-8, a person previously pronounced clean could be pronounced unclean if the rash subsequently spread.
Answer: True
This is true. Should the rash spread after the pronouncement of cleanness, the person was to present himself again, and on finding it spread the priest pronounced him unclean, since it was in fact a skin disease (13:7-8). The verdict followed the observable signs as they developed, and Israel was bound to heed the priests' instruction throughout (Deuteronomy 24:8), the priest being the appointed source of such rulings (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:7-8 (BSB)“But 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. The priest will reexamine him, and if the rash has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.”If the rash spreads after the person was declared clean, he returns to the priest and is declared unclean.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in cases of skin disease, including a return visit like this.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”Describes the priest as the one from whom the people were to seek instruction.
General
Why did the priest not isolate someone whose white swelling had whitened hair and raw flesh in it (13:10-11)?
Answer: Because the signs already proved a long-standing skin disease, so the person was unclean
Isolation was for uncertain cases. When a white swelling had whitened the hair and contained raw flesh, the case was already clear: it was a long-standing skin disease, so the priest declared the person unclean, meaning unfit to take part in worship, with no waiting period needed (13:10-11). Such a person then had to dwell by himself beyond the camp boundary for as long as the disease lasted (Leviticus 13:46), because God dwelt among His people in the camp (Numbers 5:2-3).
- Leviticus 13:10-11 (BSB)“The 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, it is a chronic skin disease and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not isolate him, for he is unclean.”A white swelling with whitened hair and raw flesh is a chronic skin disease, so no waiting period is needed.
- Leviticus 13:46 (BSB)“As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.”Once declared unclean, the person lived by himself outside the camp while the disease lasted.
- Numbers 5:2-3 (BSB)““Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.””Shows the result of such a verdict: those with skin disease were sent outside the camp where God dwelt among His people.
Theological
Why does Leviticus 13:10-11 dispense with isolation when a white swelling has whitened hair and raw flesh?
Answer: The signs already establish a long-standing skin disease, so uncleanness is certain
Isolation served only to resolve doubtful cases; a white swelling with whitened hair and raw flesh was conclusive evidence of a long-standing skin disease, so the priest pronounced uncleanness without delay (13:10-11). The consequence was solitary exclusion from the camp for the duration of the disease (Leviticus 13:46), since the LORD dwelt among Israel within it (Numbers 5:2-3).
- Leviticus 13:10-11 (BSB)“The 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, it is a chronic skin disease and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not isolate him, for he is unclean.”A white swelling with whitened hair and raw flesh is a chronic skin disease, so no waiting period is needed.
- Leviticus 13:46 (BSB)“As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.”Once declared unclean, the person lived by himself outside the camp while the disease lasted.
- Numbers 5:2-3 (BSB)““Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.””Shows the result of such a verdict: those with skin disease were sent outside the camp where God dwelt among His people.
General
If a white spot looked no deeper than the surface and its hair had not gone white, what did the priest do (13:4-5)?
Answer: Isolated the person for a week, then for a second week if the spot looked the same
When the signs were unclear, the priest did not rush to a verdict. He kept the person apart for a week and then looked again; if the spot had not changed or spread, he isolated the person for a second week (13:4-5). Being declared unclean, or unfit for worship, had serious effects, so the law called for patient, careful examination. The same week of waiting applied to a doubtful spot where a boil had healed (Leviticus 13:21) and to a doubtful sore on the scalp or beard area (Leviticus 13:31), and Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in such cases (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:4-5 (BSB)“If, 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. On 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.”An uncertain white spot leads to isolation for seven days, then a second seven days if it is unchanged.
- Leviticus 13:21 (BSB)“But 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.”A doubtful spot where a boil had healed also led to seven days of isolation.
- Leviticus 13:31 (BSB)“But 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.”A doubtful sore on the head or chin likewise led to seven days of isolation.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in cases of skin disease.
Theological
What procedure does Leviticus 13:4-5 prescribe when the diagnostic signs are inconclusive?
Answer: Seven days of isolation, repeated for a second week if the spot shows no change
Inconclusive cases were not decided at once: the priest imposed seven days of isolation and reexamined, extending the isolation a second week if the spot was unchanged and had not spread (13:4-5). The deliberate procedure reflects the gravity of a pronouncement of uncleanness. The same week of isolation governs doubtful lesions in a healed boil (Leviticus 13:21) and on the scalp or beard (Leviticus 13:31), and Israel was bound to heed the priests' instruction in all such cases (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:4-5 (BSB)“If, 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. On 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.”An uncertain white spot leads to isolation for seven days, then a second seven days if it is unchanged.
- Leviticus 13:21 (BSB)“But 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.”A doubtful spot where a boil had healed also led to seven days of isolation.
- Leviticus 13:31 (BSB)“But 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.”A doubtful sore on the head or chin likewise led to seven days of isolation.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in cases of skin disease.
General
After the first week of isolation for a scaly outbreak, if it had not spread, what was the person to do (13:33)?
Answer: Shave all around the patch, leaving the patch itself unshaved, and be isolated another week
If a scaly outbreak had stayed contained through the first week, the person shaved himself but left the affected patch itself unshaved, and the priest isolated him for a second week (13:32-33). If it still had not spread, the priest declared him clean, meaning fit to take part in worship, and he washed his clothes (13:34). Shaving and washing also appear in the cleansing of someone healed of a skin disease (Leviticus 14:8). The people were to seek this kind of guidance from the priest (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:32-34 (BSB)“On 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, then the person must shave himself except for the scaly area. Then the priest shall isolate him for another seven days. On 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.”After a week's isolation, the person shaves around the scaly patch and is isolated another week before a final examination.
- Leviticus 14:8 (BSB)“The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.”Shaving and washing also appear in the cleansing of someone healed of skin disease.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, whose knowledge guided procedures like this.
Theological
What does Leviticus 13:33 require after the first week of isolation if a scaly outbreak has stayed contained?
Answer: Shaving around the patch while leaving the patch unshaved, followed by another week of isolation
Where a scaly outbreak had stayed contained through the first week, the person shaved all but the affected patch and was isolated a second week (13:32-33). If it remained contained, the priest pronounced him clean, with the washing of clothes (13:34). Shaving and washing recur in the cleansing rite for one healed of skin disease (Leviticus 14:8), and the procedure rests on the priest's charge to preserve knowledge for the people (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:32-34 (BSB)“On 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, then the person must shave himself except for the scaly area. Then the priest shall isolate him for another seven days. On 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.”After a week's isolation, the person shaves around the scaly patch and is isolated another week before a final examination.
- Leviticus 14:8 (BSB)“The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.”Shaving and washing also appear in the cleansing of someone healed of skin disease.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, whose knowledge guided procedures like this.
General
What was a person with the skin disease required to do so that others would know his condition (13:45)?
Answer: Wear torn clothes, cover his mouth, leave his hair unbound, and call out that he was unclean
A person with this disease who had been declared unclean, meaning unfit to take part in worship, had to wear torn clothes, leave his hair uncombed, keep his mouth covered, and call out that he was unclean (13:45). Torn clothes and loose hair were signs of mourning (Leviticus 10:6), and the cry of unclean was a warning to avoid contact, as Lamentations 4:15 also shows. That is why the ten men with skin disease in Luke kept their distance when they called to Jesus (Luke 17:12-14).
- Leviticus 13:45 (BSB)“A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’”The diseased person wears torn clothes, lets his hair hang loose, covers his mouth, and cries out that he is unclean.
- Leviticus 10:6 (BSB)“Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.”Tearing garments and letting the hair become disheveled are shown here as outward signs of mourning.
- Lamentations 4:15 (BSB)““Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.””Shows the cry of unclean used as a warning to keep away from contact with the defiled.
- Luke 17:12-14 (BSB)“As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.”The ten men with skin disease stood at a distance and called out to Jesus, living under these rules.
Theological
What does Leviticus 13:45 require of a person with the skin disease?
Answer: Torn garments, covered mouth, unbound hair, and a public cry of uncleanness
The one pronounced unclean was to wear torn garments, cover his mouth, leave his hair unbound, and cry out his uncleanness (13:45). The torn clothing and loosened hair are gestures of mourning (Leviticus 10:6), and the cry of uncleanness functioned as a warning against contact (Lamentations 4:15). The ten men in Luke 17 who kept their distance while calling to Jesus were living under this law (Luke 17:12-14).
- Leviticus 13:45 (BSB)“A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’”The diseased person wears torn clothes, lets his hair hang loose, covers his mouth, and cries out that he is unclean.
- Leviticus 10:6 (BSB)“Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.”Tearing garments and letting the hair become disheveled are shown here as outward signs of mourning.
- Lamentations 4:15 (BSB)““Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.””Shows the cry of unclean used as a warning to keep away from contact with the defiled.
- Luke 17:12-14 (BSB)“As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.”The ten men with skin disease stood at a distance and called out to Jesus, living under these rules.
General
What two signs told the priest that a sore was a true skin disease (13:3)?
Answer: Whitened hair within the sore, and the sore sunk below the skin's surface
The priest looked for two signs: hair in the sore that had gone white, and a sore that looked sunk below the surface of the skin (13:3). If both were present, it was a true skin disease, so the priest declared the person unclean, meaning ceremonially unfit to take part in worship. The priests were appointed by God to distinguish the clean from the unclean and to teach Israel His statutes (Leviticus 10:10-11), and this chapter gave them the signs for doing so. The people, in turn, were to seek such rulings from the priest (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:3 (BSB)“The 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.”The priest's first test: whitened hair in the sore and a sore that goes deeper than the skin.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were charged to distinguish clean from unclean and teach Israel God's statutes, which is what the examination carried out.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed to apply these signs.
Theological
According to Leviticus 13:3, which two signs established that a sore was a skin disease?
Answer: Whitened hair within the sore and a sore sunk below the surface of the skin
The diagnostic criteria of 13:3 are hair in the affected area turned white and a lesion appearing deeper than the surface of the skin; together they required a pronouncement of uncleanness. The procedure is an exercise of the priestly office of distinguishing clean from unclean and teaching Israel the statutes of the LORD (Leviticus 10:10-11), the priest being the one from whom the people sought such rulings (Malachi 2:7).
- Leviticus 13:3 (BSB)“The 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.”The priest's first test: whitened hair in the sore and a sore that goes deeper than the skin.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were charged to distinguish clean from unclean and teach Israel God's statutes, which is what the examination carried out.
- Malachi 2:7 (BSB)“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.”The people were to seek instruction from the priest, who kept the knowledge needed to apply these signs.
General
True or False: If a skin disease spread over the entire body, head to toe, and all of it had become white, the priest declared the person clean (13:12-13).
Answer: True
This is true. If the disease covered the whole body and all of it had become white, the priest declared the person clean, meaning fit to take part in worship (13:12-13). The deciding sign was raw flesh: whenever raw flesh appeared, the person was unclean again, and if that raw flesh changed and became white, the priest declared him clean once more (13:14-17). The priest ruled by the signs God had given, not by how severe the condition looked (Leviticus 10:10-11; Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:12-17 (BSB)“But 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, the 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. But whenever raw flesh appears on someone, he will be unclean. When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he must go to the priest. The priest will reexamine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the infected person clean; then he is clean.”A disease covering the whole body and all turned white is declared clean, but raw flesh makes the person unclean until it turns white again.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests had to distinguish clean from unclean according to the statutes God gave, which is why the verdict followed these stated signs.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to do exactly as the priests instructed in skin disease cases, following what God had commanded them.
Theological
True or False: According to Leviticus 13:12-13, a condition covering the entire body and wholly turned white is pronounced clean.
Answer: True
This is true. A condition extending over the whole body and entirely turned white was pronounced clean (13:12-13). The decisive criterion was raw flesh: its appearance rendered the person unclean, and its turning white restored a pronouncement of cleanness (13:14-17). The priest ruled by the criteria God had given rather than by the apparent severity of the condition (Leviticus 10:10-11; Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:12-17 (BSB)“But 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, the 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. But whenever raw flesh appears on someone, he will be unclean. When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he must go to the priest. The priest will reexamine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the infected person clean; then he is clean.”A disease covering the whole body and all turned white is declared clean, but raw flesh makes the person unclean until it turns white again.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests had to distinguish clean from unclean according to the statutes God gave, which is why the verdict followed these stated signs.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to do exactly as the priests instructed in skin disease cases, following what God had commanded them.
General
For a sore on the scalp or beard area, what kind of hair in it showed that the person was unclean (13:30)?
Answer: Thin yellow hair
For a sore on the scalp or beard area, the priest looked for hair that was thin and yellow, along with a sore sunk below the surface. With those signs, it was a scaly outbreak and the person was unclean, meaning unfit to take part in worship (13:29-30). Later verses show the opposite sign as well: black hair growing in the spot meant it had healed (13:37). The priests were to judge clean and unclean by the signs God gave (Leviticus 10:10-11), and Israel was to follow their instruction (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:29-30 (BSB)“If a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, the 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.”For an infection of the head or chin, thin yellow hair and depth below the skin mark it as unclean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were to distinguish clean from unclean by the statutes God gave, including signs like these.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.
Theological
In Leviticus 13:29-30, what hair sign marks a sore on the scalp or beard as unclean?
Answer: Thin yellow hair
For infections of the scalp or beard, thin yellow hair together with depth below the skin identified a scaly outbreak requiring a pronouncement of uncleanness (13:29-30); conversely, black hair growing in the spot indicated healing (13:37). The criteria belong to the priestly adjudication of clean and unclean (Leviticus 10:10-11), to which Israel was bound to submit (Deuteronomy 24:8).
- Leviticus 13:29-30 (BSB)“If a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, the 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.”For an infection of the head or chin, thin yellow hair and depth below the skin mark it as unclean.
- Leviticus 10:10-11 (BSB)“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.””The priests were to distinguish clean from unclean by the statutes God gave, including signs like these.
- Deuteronomy 24:8 (BSB)“In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.”Israel was to follow the priests' instructions carefully in all cases of skin disease.