Leviticus 13:42

42 However, if a reddish white sore appears on the bald area on top of his head or on his forehead, this is a skin disease.

Leviticus 13:42 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 13:42

And if there be
Or, "but if there be", or, "when there shall be" ^F25, or shall appear to be:

in the bald head, or in the bald forehead, a white reddish sore;
white and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan, having something of both colours, neither a clear white nor thorough red; though, according to Bochart, it should be rendered "a white sore exceeding bright"; (See Gill on Leviticus 13:19);

it [is] a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or in his bald forehead;
the signs of which were raw flesh and spreading; so it is said in the Misnah ^F26,

``those two sorts of baldness defile in two weeks, by two signs, by quick raw flesh and by spreading;''

if there was the bright spot and no quick flesh, then he was to be shut up seven days, and looked upon at the end of them; and if there was either quick flesh or a spreading, he was pronounced unclean, but if neither, he was shut up seven days more; and if either of the above signs appeared he was pronounced unclean, if not he was set free.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (ykw) "sin autem", V. L. "quum autem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator Drusius.
F26 Ut supra. (Misn. Negaim, c. 10. sect. 10.)

Leviticus 13:42 In-Context

40 “If a man loses his hair and his head becomes bald, he is still ceremonially clean.

41 And if he loses hair on his forehead, he simply has a bald forehead; he is still clean.

42 However, if a reddish white sore appears on the bald area on top of his head or on his forehead, this is a skin disease.

43 The priest must examine him, and if he finds swelling around the reddish white sore anywhere on the man’s head and it looks like a skin disease,

44 the man is indeed infected with a skin disease and is unclean. The priest must pronounce him ceremonially unclean because of the sore on his head.