Leviticus 13

King James Version

Full text for Leviticus Chapter 13

1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,

2When 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 unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

3And 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 [be] deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

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

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

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

7But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:

8And [if] the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

9When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;

10And the priest shall see [him]: and, behold, [if] the rising [be] white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and [there be] quick raw flesh in the rising;

11It [is] an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he [is] unclean.

12And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;

13Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, [if] the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the plague: it is all turned white: he [is] clean.

14But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.

15And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: [for] the raw flesh [is] unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

16Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;

17And the priest shall see him: and, behold, [if] the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the plague: he [is] clean.

18¶ The flesh also, in which, [even] in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,

19And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;

20And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it [be] in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

21But if the priest look on it, and, behold, [there be] no white hairs therein, and [if] it [be] not lower than the skin, but [be] somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:

22And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a plague.

23But if the bright spot stay in his place, [and] spread not, it [is] a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24Or if there be [any] flesh, in the skin whereof [there is] a hot burning, and the quick [flesh] that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;

25Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, [if] the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it [be in] sight deeper than the skin; it [is] a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] the plague of leprosy.

26But if the priest look on it, and, behold, [there be] no white hair in the bright spot, and it [be] no lower than the [other] skin, but [be] somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:

27And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: [and] if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] the plague of leprosy.

28And if the bright spot stay in his place, [and] spread not in the skin, but it [be] somewhat dark; it [is] a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it [is] an inflammation of the burning.

29If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;

30Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it [be] in sight deeper than the skin; [and there be] in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a dry scall, [even] a leprosy upon the head or beard.

31And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it [be] not in sight deeper than the skin, and [that there is] no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the plague of the scall seven days:

32And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, [if] the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall [be] not in sight deeper than the skin;

33He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the scall seven days more:

34And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, [if] the scall be not spread in the skin, nor [be] in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

35But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;

36Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he [is] unclean.

37But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and [that] there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he [is] clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38¶ If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, [even] white bright spots;

39Then the priest shall look: and, behold, [if] the bright spots in the skin of their flesh [be] darkish white; it [is] a freckled spot [that] groweth in the skin; he [is] clean.

40And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he [is] bald; [yet is] he clean.

41And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he [is] forehead bald: [yet is] he clean.

42And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it [is] a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.

43Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, [if] the rising of the sore [be] white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;

44He is a leprous man, he [is] unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague [is] in his head.

45And the leper in whom the plague [is], his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

46All the days wherein the plague [shall be] in him he shall be defiled; he [is] unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp [shall] his habitation [be].

47¶ The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, [whether it be] a woollen garment, or a linen garment;

48Whether [it be] in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;

49And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it [is] a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:

50And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up [it that hath] the plague seven days:

51And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, [or] in any work that is made of skin; the plague [is] a fretting leprosy; it [is] unclean.

52He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it [is] a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

53And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

54Then the priest shall command that they wash [the thing] wherein the plague [is], and he shall shut it up seven days more:

55And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, [if] the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it [is] unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it [is] fret inward, [whether] it [be] bare within or without.

56And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague [be] somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:

57And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it [is] a spreading [plague]: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague [is] with fire.

58And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin [it be], which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.

59This [is] the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Leviticus 13 details the comprehensive laws given to Moses and Aaron for diagnosing and managing various manifestations of "the plague of leprosy" in individuals and garments. Priests were responsible for examining suspicious skin conditions, noting changes in color, depth, and spread, often requiring periods of quarantine. Those deemed unclean were isolated outside the camp, while affected garments were either washed, partially removed, or burned according to specific criteria.

Medium Summary

Leviticus 13 outlines the intricate divine instructions for priests concerning the identification and handling of "the plague of leprosy" as it appeared on human skin and in materials. Priests were tasked with meticulously examining any rising, scab, or bright spot, looking for specific signs such as white hair, depth, or spreading. In uncertain cases, a seven-day quarantine was mandated, often followed by a second period of observation before a final pronouncement. The chapter differentiates between various forms, including old leprosy, conditions arising from boils or burns, and scalls on the head or beard, each with distinct diagnostic protocols. Individuals pronounced unclean were subjected to strict isolation, required to live alone outside the camp and declare their defiled state. Furthermore, the law extended to garments of wool or linen and items made of skin, which, if infected, were also subject to priestly examination, quarantine, and potential burning or washing.

Long Summary

Leviticus chapter 13 presents the detailed divine ordinances delivered to Moses and Aaron, establishing the priestly protocols for diagnosing and managing "the plague of leprosy," a term encompassing various severe skin afflictions and contaminations of materials. The primary duty fell upon the priests, who were to meticulously inspect any suspicious rising, scab, or bright spot on a person's skin. Crucial diagnostic indicators included the presence of white hair within the affliction, its appearance being deeper than the surrounding skin, or its tendency to spread. If the initial assessment was inconclusive, the affected individual was placed under a seven-day quarantine, potentially followed by a second seven-day period of isolation for further observation. A person was pronounced unclean if the condition spread or met specific criteria like raw flesh or certain hair changes; conversely, a non-spreading, darkening spot might indicate a mere scab, leading to a declaration of cleanliness. The chapter provides specific rules for old leprosy, which immediately rendered one unclean, and the unique case where leprosy covering the entire body resulted in a declaration of cleanliness, unless raw flesh reappeared. Instructions also covered conditions emerging from healed boils or burns, and specific "scalls" on the head or beard, each with tailored diagnostic steps involving observation, quarantine, and sometimes shaving. For individuals definitively diagnosed as leprous, strict social and ritual separation was mandated: they were to rend their clothes, go bareheaded, cover their upper lip, cry "Unclean, unclean," and dwell alone outside the camp. The law's scope extended to garments of wool or linen and items made of skin, where greenish or reddish spots indicated a potential "fretting leprosy." These items underwent a similar process of priestly examination and quarantine. If the plague spread in the fabric or skin, or if it persisted after washing, the item was to be burned to prevent further contamination. However, if the plague did not spread or appeared to depart after washing, the item could be declared clean after a second washing, underscoring the comprehensive nature of these purity laws.

Core Concepts

  • Priestly DiagnosisThe priest held the sole authority to examine and determine the status of individuals and items suspected of having "leprosy." Their pronouncements of "clean" or "unclean" were binding and dictated subsequent actions.
  • Quarantine and ObservationA standard procedure for uncertain cases, where individuals or items with suspicious marks were isolated for seven days, sometimes twice. This allowed for careful re-evaluation of the affliction's progression before a final judgment could be made.
  • Signs of UncleannessSpecific visual criteria, such as white hair within the lesion, the lesion appearing deeper than the skin, or its spreading nature, definitively indicated "leprosy." These signs were crucial for the priest's discernment and led to a declaration of ritual uncleanness.
  • Isolation of the LeperIndividuals pronounced unclean with leprosy were strictly separated from the community. They were required to live alone outside the camp and publicly declare their defiled status, emphasizing both ritual purity and the prevention of spread.
  • Leprosy in Garments and SkinsThe law extended beyond human skin to include textile and leather items, which could also contract "the plague of leprosy." Such items were subject to similar diagnostic procedures, including quarantine, and were to be burned if the plague persisted or spread.
  • Ritual PurityThe overarching theme of the chapter, emphasizing the meticulous procedures necessary to identify and separate sources of ritual impurity related to "leprosy." These detailed laws aimed to maintain the holiness of the Israelite camp and its inhabitants.
  • Paradox of Total CoverageA unique provision where a person whose entire body was covered by "leprosy" was declared clean, unless raw flesh reappeared. This suggests a distinction between active, spreading disease and a stable, perhaps healed, state that did not pose an ongoing threat of defilement.