Leviticus 13:5

5 On the seventh day the cohen is to examine him again, and if the sore appears the same as before and has not spread on the skin, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven more days.

Leviticus 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 13:5

And the priest shall look on him the seventh day
In the day, and not in the night, as Maimonides, but not on the seventh day, if it happened to be on the sabbath F6, then it was put off till after it; and, according to the Jewish canons F7, they do not look upon plagues in the morning, nor in the evening, nor in the middle of a house, nor on a cloudy day, nor at noon, but at the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth hours:

and, behold, [if] the plague in his sight be at a stay;
it appears to the priest, according to the strictest view he can take of it, that it is in the same state and condition it was, neither better nor worse:

[and] the plague spread not in the skin:
is not greater or larger than it was, though not less:

then the priest shall shut him up seven days more;
such abundant care was taken, lest after all it should prove a leprosy.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Misn. Negaim, c. 1. sect. 4.
F7 Misn. ib. c. 2. sect. 2.

Leviticus 13:5 In-Context

3 The cohen is to examine the sore on his skin; if the hair in the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to go deep into the skin, it is tzara'at, and after examining him the cohen is to declare him unclean.
4 If the bright spot on his skin is white, but it does not appear to go deep into the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven days.
5 On the seventh day the cohen is to examine him again, and if the sore appears the same as before and has not spread on the skin, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven more days.
6 On the seventh day the cohen is to examine him again, and if the sore has faded and hasn't spread on the skin, then the cohen is to declare him clean - it is only a scab, so he is to wash his clothes and be clean.
7 But if the scab spreads further on the skin after he has been examined by the cohen and declared clean, he is to let himself be examined yet again by the cohen.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.