# Leviticus 13 📖: Laws About Skin Diseases [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Leviticus Overview]] | [[Leviticus 12]] | [[Leviticus 14]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Infections on the Skin [[#Verse 01.]] The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:  [[#Verse 02.]] “When someone has a swelling or a scab or a bright spot on the skin of his body that may become a diseased infection, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests.  [[#Verse 03.]] The priest must then examine the infection on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, then it is a diseased infection, so when the priest examines it he must pronounce the person unclean. ### A Bright Spot on the Skin [[#Verse 04.]] “If it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days.  [[#Verse 05.]] The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if, as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the same and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days.  [[#Verse 06.]] The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day, and if the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. It is a scab, so he must wash his clothes and be clean.  [[#Verse 07.]] If, however, the scab is spreading further on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his purification, then he must show himself to the priest a second time.  [[#Verse 08.]] The priest must then examine it, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a disease. ### A Swelling on the Skin [[#Verse 09.]] “When someone has a diseased infection, he must be brought to the priest.  [[#Verse 10.]] The priest will then examine it, and if a white swelling is on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling,  [[#Verse 11.]] it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, so the priest is to pronounce him unclean. The priest must not merely quarantine him, for he is unclean.  [[#Verse 12.]] If, however, the disease breaks out on the skin so that the disease covers all the skin of the person with the infection from his head to his feet, as far as the priest can see,  [[#Verse 13.]] the priest must then examine it, and if the disease covers his whole body, he is to pronounce the person with the infection clean. He has turned all white, so he is clean.  [[#Verse 14.]] But whenever raw flesh appears in it he will be unclean,  [[#Verse 15.]] so the priest is to examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean—it is diseased.  [[#Verse 16.]] If, however, the raw flesh once again turns white, then he must come to the priest.  [[#Verse 17.]] The priest will then examine it, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection clean—he is clean. ### A Boil on the Skin [[#Verse 18.]] “When someone’s body has a boil on its skin and it heals,  [[#Verse 19.]] and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish white bright spot, he must show himself to the priest.  [[#Verse 20.]] The priest will then examine it, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil.  [[#Verse 21.]] If, however, the priest examines it, and there is no white hair in it, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days.  [[#Verse 22.]] If it is spreading farther on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is an infection.  [[#Verse 23.]] But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean. ### A Burn on the Skin [[#Verse 24.]] “When a body has a burn on its skin and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot,  [[#Verse 25.]] the priest must examine it, and if the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection.  [[#Verse 26.]] If, however, the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days.  [[#Verse 27.]] The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection.  [[#Verse 28.]] But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin, and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean, because it is the scar of the burn. ### Scall on the Head or in the Beard [[#Verse 29.]] “When a man or a woman has an infection on the head or in the beard,  [[#Verse 30.]] the priest is to examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is scall, a disease of the head or the beard. [[#Verse 31.]] But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days.  [[#Verse 32.]] The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread, there is no reddish yellow hair in it, and the scall does not appear to be deeper than the skin,  [[#Verse 33.]] then the individual is to shave himself, but he must not shave the area affected by the scall, and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days.  [[#Verse 34.]] The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him clean. So he is to wash his clothes and be clean.  [[#Verse 35.]] If, however, the scall spreads further on the skin after his purification,  [[#Verse 36.]] then the priest is to examine it, and if the scall has spread on the skin, the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. The person is unclean. [[#Verse 37.]] If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean. [[#Verse 38.]] “When a man or a woman has bright spots—white bright spots—on the skin of their body, [[#Verse 39.]] the priest is to examine them, and if the bright spots on the skin of their body are faded white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin. The person is clean. [[#Verse 40.]] “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, he is clean. [[#Verse 41.]] If his head is bare on the forehead so that he is balding in front, he is clean. [[#Verse 42.]] But if there is a reddish white infection in the back or front bald area, it is a disease breaking out in his back or front bald area. [[#Verse 43.]] The priest is to examine it, and if the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or the front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body, [[#Verse 44.]] he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head. [[#Verse 45.]] “As for the diseased person who has the infection, his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ [[#Verse 46.]] The whole time he has the infection he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp. [[#Verse 47.]] “When a garment has a diseased infection in it, whether a wool or linen garment, [[#Verse 48.]] or in the warp or woof of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather, [[#Verse 49.]] if the infection in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection, and it must be shown to the priest. [[#Verse 36]] then the priest is to examine it, and if the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. The person is unclean.  [[#Verse 37]] If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean. ### Bright White Spots on the Skin [[#Verse 38]] “When a man or a woman has bright spots—white bright spots—on the skin of their body,  [[#Verse 39]] the priest is to examine them, and if the bright spots on the skin of their body are faded white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin. The person is clean. ### Baldness on the Head [[#Verse 40]] “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, he is clean.  [[#Verse 41]] If his head is bare on the forehead so that he is balding in front, he is clean.  [[#Verse 42]] But if there is a reddish white infection in the back or front bald area, it is a disease breaking out in his back or front bald area.  [[#Verse 43]] The priest is to examine it, and if the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or the front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body,  [[#Verse 44]] he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head. ### The Life of the Person with Skin Disease [[#Verse 45]] “As for the diseased person who has the infection, his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’  [[#Verse 46]] The whole time he has the infection he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp. ### Infections in Garments, Cloth, or Leather [[#Verse 47]] “When a garment has a diseased infection in it, whether a wool or linen garment,  [[#Verse 48]] or in the warp or woof of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather,  [[#Verse 49]] if the infection in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection and it must be shown to the priest.  [[#Verse 50.]] The priest is to examine and then quarantine the article with the infection for seven days.  [[#Verse 51.]] He must then examine the infection on the seventh day. If the infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the leather—whatever the article into which the leather was made—the infection is a malignant disease. It is unclean. [[#Verse 52.]] He must burn the garment or the warp or the woof, whether wool or linen, or any article of leather which has the infection in it. Because it is a malignant disease it must be burned up in the fire. [[#Verse 53.]] But if the priest examines it and the infection has not spread in the garment or in the warp or in the woof or in any article of leather, [[#Verse 54.]] the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the infection and quarantine it for another seven days. [[#Verse 55.]] The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if the infection has not changed its appearance even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn it up in the fire. It is a fungus, whether on the back side or front side of the article. [[#Verse 56.]] But if the priest has examined it and the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof. [[#Verse 57.]] Then if it still appears again in the garment or the warp or the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak. Whatever has the infection in it you must burn up in the fire. [[#Verse 58.]] But the garment or the warp or the woof or any article of leather which you wash and infection disappears from it is to be washed a second time, and it will be clean.” [[#Verse 59.]] This is the law of the diseased infection in the garment of wool or linen, or the warp or woof, or any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean. [[#Verse 51]] He must then examine the infection on the seventh day. If the infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the leather—whatever the article into which the leather was made—the infection is a malignant disease. It is unclean.  [[#Verse 52]] He must burn the garment or the warp or the woof, whether wool or linen, or any article of leather which has the infection in it. Because it is a malignant disease it must be burned up in the fire.  [[#Verse 53]] But if the priest examines it and the infection has not spread in the garment or in the warp or in the woof or in any article of leather,  [[#Verse 54]] the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the infection and quarantine it for another seven days.  [[#Verse 55]] The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if the infection has not changed its appearance even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn it up in the fire. It is a fungus, whether on the back side or front side of the article.  [[#Verse 56]] But if the priest has examined it and the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof.  [[#Verse 57]] Then if it still appears again in the garment or the warp or the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak. Whatever has the infection in it you must burn up in the fire.  [[#Verse 58]] But the garment or the warp or the woof or any article of leather which you wash and infection disappears from it is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.” ### Summary of Infection Regulations [[#Verse 59]] This is the law of the diseased infection in the garment of wool or linen, or the warp or woof, or any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ###### Verse 42. ###### Verse 43. ###### Verse 44. ###### Verse 45. ###### Verse 46. ###### Verse 47. ###### Verse 48. ###### Verse 49. ###### Verse 50. ###### Verse 51. ###### Verse 52. ###### Verse 53. ###### Verse 54. ###### Verse 55. ###### Verse 56. ###### Verse 57. ###### Verse 58. ###### Verse 59. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The Hebrew word *tsara'at*, traditionally translated "leprosy," covers a range of skin conditions, not only Hansen's disease. 2. Most scholars believe modern leprosy (Hansen's disease) is not the main condition described here. 3. The same Hebrew word is used for mold or mildew in garments (13:47-59) and houses (14:34-53). 4. The priest acted as an inspector, not a physician. No treatment is prescribed. 5. A suspicious condition could lead to a seven-day quarantine, sometimes repeated (13:4-5). 6. If the condition turned the whole body white, the person was pronounced clean (13:12-13). 7. The diseased person wore torn clothes, left their hair unkempt, covered the upper lip, and called out "Unclean, unclean!" (13:45). 8. Miriam (Numbers 12:10) and King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:19-21) were struck with this kind of disease. 9. Jesus sent healed lepers to show themselves to the priests (Luke 17:14), following this law. 10. Garments with spreading mold were burned (13:52). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the One who touches and cleanses the unclean. A person with a skin disease had to live outside the camp crying "Unclean!" (13:45-46), but Jesus touched a man with leprosy and made him clean (Mark 1:40-42). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The diseased person had to live alone outside the camp (13:46). How does this help us understand the isolation and shame that sin brings? 2. The priest examined carefully, sometimes waiting seven days before deciding (13:4-5). What does this teach about patience and care in dealing with people? 3. Jesus touched a leper (Mark 1:41). Who are the "outside the camp" people Jesus may be calling you to move toward? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 3: The priest examines the infection and makes a ruling. - 📖 verse 13: If the disease covers the whole body and has turned white, the person is pronounced clean. - 📖 verses 45-46: The diseased person cries "Unclean!" and lives alone outside the camp. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Mark 01#Verse 40.|Mark 1:40-42]] - Jesus touches and cleanses a leper. - 🔗 [[Luke 17#Verse 11.|Luke 17:11-19]] - Ten lepers healed, one returns to give thanks. - 🔗 [[Numbers 12#Verse 10.|Numbers 12:10-15]] - Miriam is shut outside the camp. - 🔗 [[Hebrews 13#Verse 12.|Hebrews 13:12-13]] - Let us go to Him outside the camp. - 🔗 [[Matthew 08#Verse 02.|Matthew 8:2-4]] - Show yourself to the priest. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 📂 Internal Notes