Leviticus 13:21

21 And if the priest examines it and {if} there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin and it [is] faded, then the priest shall confine him [for] seven days.

Leviticus 13:21 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 13:21

But if the priest look on it
Upon a person in a like case as first described, having had a boil, and that healed, and afterwards a white swelling, or a bright spot in the place of it: and, behold, [there be] no white hairs therein;
not two hairs turned white, as Gersom interprets it: and [if] it [be] not lower than the skin;
the bright spot not lower than the skin; not having got into the flesh, only skin deep: the Targum of Jonathan is, not lower in whiteness than the skin; for the bright spot is described as white, and so the rising or swelling, ( Leviticus 13:19 ) ; but [be] somewhat dark;
or rather "contracted"; to which spreading is opposed in the next verse; (See Gill on Leviticus 13:6); then the priest shall shut him up seven days;
to wait and see whether it will spread or not: a boil and burning, the Jews say, make a man unclean in one week, and by two signs, the white hair, and the spreading; by the white hair, both at the beginning and at the end of the week after dismission, and by spreading at the end of the week after it ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Misn. Negaim, c. 3. sect. 4.

Leviticus 13:21 In-Context

19 and a white swelling or a {pinkish} spot appears in the skin sore's place, then he shall show himself to the priest.

20 And the priest shall examine [it], and {if} its appearance [is] deeper than the skin and its hair has changed to white, then the priest shall declare him unclean--it is an infectious skin disease; it has broken out in the skin sore.

21 And if the priest examines it and {if} there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin and it [is] faded, then the priest shall confine him [for] seven days.

22 But if it has spread further on the skin, then the priest shall declare him unclean--it [is] an infection.

23 But if the spot has stayed [unchanged], it has not spread, it [is] the skin sore's scar, so the priest shall declare him clean.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "look" or "behold"
• [b] Or "and"