Leviticus 13:4

4 If the bright spot [is] white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight, not deeper than the skin, and the hair of it not turned white; then the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the plague seven days:

Leviticus 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 13:4

If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh
The Targum of Jonathan is, white as chalk in the skin of his flesh; but other Jewish writers make the whiteness of the bright spot to be the greatest of all, like that of snow; (See Gill on Leviticus 13:2):

and in sight [be] not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof
be not turned white;
though it be a bright spot, and be very white, yet these two marks not appearing, it cannot be judged a leprosy, at most it is only suspicious: wherefore

then the priest, shall shut up [him that hath] the plague seven
days;
in whom the bright spot is, and of whom there is a suspicion of the plague of leprosy, but it is not certain; and therefore, in order to take time, and get further knowledge, the person was to be shut up from all company and conversation for the space of seven days; by which time it might be supposed, as Ben Gersom observes, that the case and state of the leprosy (if it was one) would be altered; and Aben Ezra remarks, that most diseases change or alter on the seventh day.

Leviticus 13:4 In-Context

2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh [like] the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests:

3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and [when] the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight [is] deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

4 If the bright spot [is] white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight, not deeper than the skin, and the hair of it not turned white; then the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the plague seven days:

5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and behold, [if] the plague in his sight is at a stay, [and] the plague spreadeth not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:

6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and behold, [if] the plague [is] somewhat dark, [and] the plague spreadeth not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it [is but] a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.