Leviticus 13:33

33 you shall shave the head except the area around the sore. The priest shall then isolate you for another seven days.

Leviticus 13:33 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 13:33

He shall be shaven
His head or beard, where the scall was, as Aben Ezra; and so Ben Gersom, who adds, the law is not solicitous whether this shaving is by a priest or not; so it seems any one might shave him: but the scall shall he not shave;
that is, the hair that is in it, but that was to continue and grow, that the colour of it might be easily discerned at the end of seven other days; according to the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, he was to shave round about it, but not that itself; Jarchi says, he was to leave two hairs near it F21, that he might know whether it spread; for if it spread it would go over the hairs, and into the part that was shaven; when it would be a clear case it was a spreading leprosy: now, that there might be an opportunity of observing this, whether it would or not, the following method was to be taken: and the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the scall seven days
more;
by which time it would be seen whether there was any increase or decrease, or whether at a stand, and of what colour the hair was, by which judgment might be made of the case.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Misn. Negaim, c. 10. sect. 5.

Leviticus 13:33 In-Context

31 If, when the priest examines you, the sore does not appear to be deeper than the surrounding skin, but there are still no healthy hairs in it, he shall isolate you for seven days.
32 The priest shall examine the sore again on the seventh day, and if it has not spread and there are no yellowish hairs in it and it does not seem to be deeper than the surrounding skin,
33 you shall shave the head except the area around the sore. The priest shall then isolate you for another seven days.
34 On the seventh day the priest shall again examine the sore, and if it has not spread and does not seem to be deeper than the surrounding skin, he shall pronounce you ritually clean. You shall wash your clothes, and you will be clean.
35 But if the sore spreads after you have been pronounced clean,
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.