Leviticus 13:5-15

5 On the seventh day the priest will examine it again; if, in his judgment, the sore is the same and has not spread, the priest will keep him in quarantine for another seven days.
6 On the seventh day the priest will examine him a second time; if the sore has faded and hasn't spread, the priest will declare him clean - it is a harmless rash. The person can go home and wash his clothes; he is clean.
7 But if the sore spreads after he has shown himself to the priest and been declared clean, he must come back again to the priest
8 who will conduct another examination. If the sore has spread, the priest will pronounce him unclean - it is a serious skin disease and infectious.
9 "Whenever someone has a serious and infectious skin disease, you must bring him to the priest.
10 The priest will examine him; if there is a white swelling in the skin, the hair is turning white, and there is an open sore in the swelling,
11 it is a chronic skin disease. The priest will pronounce him unclean. But he doesn't need to quarantine him because he's already given his diagnosis of unclean.
12 If a serious disease breaks out that covers all the skin from head to foot, wherever the priest looks,
13 the priest will make a thorough examination; if the disease covers his entire body, he will pronounce the person with the sore clean - since it has turned all white, he is clean.
14 But if they are open, running sores, he is unclean.
15 The priest will examine the open sores and pronounce him unclean. The open sores are unclean; they are evidence of a serious skin disease.

Leviticus 13:5-15 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.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.