Leviticus 13:1-6

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

2 “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,^[a] they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons^[b] who is a priest.

3 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.

4 If the shiny spot 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.

5 On the seventh day the priest is to examine them, 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.

6 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; it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.

Leviticus 13:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 13

In this chapter an account is given of the various sorts of leprosy, and the rules by which they were to be judged of, Le 13:1-3 of the bright spot and scab, Le 13:4-8 of the rising or swelling, Le 13:9-17 of the bile or hot ulcer, Le 13:18-23 of the hot burning or inflammation, Le 13:24-28 of the plague of the scall, Le 13:29-37 of bright spots or blisters, Le 13:38,39 and of shedding the hair, and baldness, Le 13:40-44 of what the leper was to do, and to be done unto, Le 13:45,46 of the leprosy in garments made of linen, woollen, or of skin, Le 13:47-59.

Cross References

• 1. ver 10,19,28,43
• 2. ver 4,38,39; Leviticus 14:56
• 3. ver 3,9,15; S Exodus 4:6; Leviticus 14:3,32; Numbers 5:2; Deuteronomy 24:8
• 4. Deuteronomy 24:8
• 5. ver 8,11,20,30; Leviticus 21:1; Numbers 9:6
• 6. S ver 2
• 7. ver 5,21,26,33,46; Leviticus 14:38; Numbers 12:14,15; Deuteronomy 24:9
• 8. Leviticus 14:9
• 9. ver 27,32,34,51
• 10. ver 13,17,23,28,34; Matthew 8:3; Luke 5:12-14
• 11. S Leviticus 11:25
• 12. Leviticus 11:25; Leviticus 14:8,9,20,48; Leviticus 15:8; Numbers 8:7

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew word for "defiling skin disease" , traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
• [b]. Or "descendants"