Text -- Leviticus 13:17-59 (NET)

13:17 The priest will then examine it, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection clean– he is clean.

A Boil on the Skin

13:18 “When someone’s body has a boil on its skin and it heals, 13:19 and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish white bright spot, he must show himself to the priest. 13:20 The priest will then examine it, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil. 13:21 If, however, the priest examines it, and there is no white hair in it, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 13:22 If it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is an infection. 13:23 But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean.

A Burn on the Skin

13:24 “When a body has a burn on its skin and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot, 13:25 the priest must examine it, and if the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection. 13:26 If, however, the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 13:27 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection. 13:28 But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin, and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean, because it is the scar of the burn.

Scall on the Head or in the Beard

13:29 “When a man or a woman has an infection on the head or in the beard, 13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is scall, a disease of the head or the beard. 13:31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days. 13:32 The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread, there is no reddish yellow hair in it, and the scall does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 13:33 then the individual is to shave himself, but he must not shave the area affected by the scall, and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days. 13:34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him clean. So he is to wash his clothes and be clean. 13:35 If, however, the scall spreads further on the skin after his purification, 13:36 then the priest is to examine it, and if the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. The person is unclean. 13:37 If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean.

Bright White Spots on the Skin

13:38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots– white bright spots– on the skin of their body, 13:39 the priest is to examine them, and if the bright spots on the skin of their body are faded white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin. The person is clean.

Baldness on the Head

13:40 “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, he is clean. 13:41 If his head is bare on the forehead so that he is balding in front, he is clean. 13:42 But if there is a reddish white infection in the back or front bald area, it is a disease breaking out in his back or front bald area. 13:43 The priest is to examine it, and if the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body, 13:44 he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head.

The Life of the Person with Skin Disease

13:45 “As for the diseased person who has the infection, his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 13:46 The whole time he has the infection he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp.

Infections in Garments, Cloth, or Leather

13:47 “When a garment has a diseased infection in it, whether a wool or linen garment, 13:48 or in the warp or woof of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather, 13:49 if the infection in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection and it must be shown to the priest. 13:50 The priest is to examine and then quarantine the article with the infection for seven days. 13:51 He must then examine the infection on the seventh day. If the infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the leather– whatever the article into which the leather was made– the infection is a malignant disease. It is unclean. 13:52 He must burn the garment or the warp or the woof, whether wool or linen, or any article of leather which has the infection in it. Because it is a malignant disease it must be burned up in the fire. 13:53 But if the priest examines it and the infection has not spread in the garment or in the warp or in the woof or in any article of leather, 13:54 the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the infection and quarantine it for another seven days. 13:55 The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if the infection has not changed its appearance even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn it up in the fire. It is a fungus, whether on the back side or front side of the article. 13:56 But if the priest has examined it and the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof. 13:57 Then if it still appears again in the garment or the warp or the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak. Whatever has the infection in it you must burn up in the fire. 13:58 But the garment or the warp or the woof or any article of leather which you wash and infection disappears from it is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.”

Summary of Infection Regulations

13:59 This is the law of the diseased infection in the garment of wool or linen, or the warp or woof, or any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Lev 13:17

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”

² tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).

³ tn Heb “the priest shall pronounce the infection clean,” but see v. 4 above. Also, this is another use of the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:18

¹ tc Heb (MT) reads, “And flesh if/when there is in it, in its skin, a boil.” Smr has only “in it,” not “in its skin,” and a few medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate have only “in its skin” (cf. v. 24 below), not “in it.” It does not effect the meaning of the verse, but one is tempted to suggest that “in it” (בוֹ, vo) was added in error as a partial dittography from the beginning of “in its skin” (בְעֹרוֹ, vÿ’oro).

NET Notes: Lev 13:19

¹ tn Some English versions translate “it shall be shown to [or “be seen by”] the priest,” taking the infection to be the subject of the verb (e.g., KJV, NASB, RSV, NRSV). Based on the Hebrew grammar there is no way to be sure which is intended.

NET Notes: Lev 13:20

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see.” The pronoun “it” is unexpressed, but it should be assumed and it refers to the infection (cf. the note on v. 8 above).

² tn Heb “and behold.”

³ tn Heb “and behold its appearance is low (שָׁפָל, shafal) ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “lower than”) the skin.” Compare “deeper” in v. 3 above where, however, a different word is used (עָמֹק, ’amoq), and see the note on “swelling” in v. 1 above (cf. J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 192; note that, contrary to the MT, Tg. Onq. has עָמֹק in this verse as well as v. 4). The alternation of these two terms (i.e., “deeper” and “lower”) in vv. 25-26 below shows that they both refer to the same phenomenon. Some have argued that “this sore was lower than the surrounding skin” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:773, 788), in which case “swelling” would be an inappropriate translation of שְׂאֵת (sÿ’et) in v. 19. It seems unlikely, however, that the surface of a “boil” would sink below the surface of the surrounding skin. The infectious pus etc. that makes up a boil normally causes swelling.

⁴ tn The declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).

⁵ tn Heb “It is an infection of disease. In the boil it has broken out.” For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.

NET Notes: Lev 13:21

¹ tn Heb “and if.”

² tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).

³ tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:22

¹ tn Heb “and if.”

² tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”

³ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:23

¹ tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread.”

² tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:24

¹ tn Heb “Or a body, if there is in its skin a burn of fire.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:25

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”

² tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

³ tn Heb “and its appearance is deep ‘from’ [comparative מִן (min) meaning ‘deeper than’] the skin.”

⁴ tn Heb “it is a disease. In the burn it has broken out.”

⁵ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).

⁶ tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.

NET Notes: Lev 13:26

¹ tn Heb “and if.”

² tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and indeed.”

³ tn Heb “and low it is not ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “lower than”) the skin.” See the note on v. 20 above. Cf. TEV “not deeper than the surrounding skin.”

⁴ tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:27

¹ tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”

² tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.

NET Notes: Lev 13:28

¹ tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread in the skin.”

² tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher; cf. the note on v. 6 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:29

¹ tn Heb “And a man or a woman if there is in him an infection in head or in beard.”

sn The shift here is from diseases that are on the (relatively) bare skin of the body to the scalp area of the male or female head or the bearded area of the male face.

NET Notes: Lev 13:30

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”

² tn Heb “and behold.”

³ tn Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin.”

⁴ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).

⁵ tn The exact identification of this disease is unknown. Cf. KJV “dry scall”; NASB “a scale”; NIV, NCV, NRSV “an itch”; NLT “a contagious skin disease.” For a discussion of “scall” disease in the hair, which is a crusty scabby disease of the skin under the hair that also affects the hair itself, see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 192-93, and J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:793-94. The Hebrew word rendered “scall” (נֶתֶק, neteq) is related to a verb meaning “to tear; to tear out; to tear apart.” It may derive from the scratching and/or the tearing out of the hair or the scales of the skin in response to the itching sensation caused by the disease.

⁶ tn Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:31

¹ tn Heb “and behold there is not its appearance deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”

² tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection of the scall seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:32

¹ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

² tn Heb “and the appearance of the scall is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:33

¹ tn The shaving is done by the one who has the infection. Although KJV, ASV have the passive “he shall be shaven” here, most modern English versions have the reflexive “shall shave himself” (so NAB).

² tn Heb “but the scall shall he not shave” (so KJV, ASV); NIV “except for the diseased area.”

³ tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the scall a second seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:34

¹ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

² tn Heb “and its appearance is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”

³ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:35

¹ tn Heb “And if spreading (infinitive absolute) it spreads further (finite verb).” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.

NET Notes: Lev 13:36

¹ tn Heb “and behold.”

² tn Heb “the priest shall not search to the reddish yellow hair.”

³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the affected person) is specified in the translation for clarity (likewise in the following verse).

NET Notes: Lev 13:37

¹ tn Heb “and if in his eyes the infection has stood.”

² tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).

NET Notes: Lev 13:39

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see.”

² tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

³ tn Heb “he,” but the regulation applies to a man or a woman (v. 38a). In the translation “the person” is used to specify the referent more clearly.

NET Notes: Lev 13:40

¹ tn Heb “And a man, when his head is rubbed bare, he is bald-headed.” The translation offered here, referring to the back of the head (i.e., the area from the top of the head sloping backwards), is based on the contrast between this condition and that of the following verse. See also B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 82.

NET Notes: Lev 13:41

¹ tn Heb “And if from the front edge of his face, his head is rubbed bare.” See the note on v. 40 above.

² tn The rendering “balding in front” corresponds to the location of the bareness at the beginning of the verse.

NET Notes: Lev 13:43

¹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see it” (cf. KJV). The MT has “him/it” which some take to refer to the person as a whole (i.e., “him”; see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:770; NIV, NRSV, etc.), while others take it as a reference to the “infection” (נֶגַע, nega’) in v. 42 (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 172, 177). Smr has “her/it,” which would probably refer to “disease” (צָרַעַת, tsara’at) in v. 42. The general pattern in the chapter suggests that “it,” either the infection or the disease, is the object of the examination (see, e.g., v. 3 above and v. 50 below).

² tn Heb “and behold.”

³ tn Heb “like appearance of disease of skin of flesh.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:44

¹ tn Or perhaps translate, “His infection [is] on his head,” as a separate independent sentence (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). There is no causal expression in the Hebrew text connecting these two clauses, but the logical relationship between them seems to be causal.

NET Notes: Lev 13:45

¹ tn Heb “And the diseased one who in him is the infection.”

² tn Heb “and his head shall be unbound, and he shall cover on [his] mustache.” Tearing one’s clothing, allowing the hair to hang loose rather than bound up in a turban, and covering the mustache on the upper lip are all ways of expressing shame, grief, or distress (cf., e.g., Lev 10:6 and Micah 3:7).

NET Notes: Lev 13:46

¹ tn Heb “All the days which the infection is in him.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:47

¹ tn Heb “And the garment, if there is in it a mark of disease.”

² tn Heb “in a wool garment or in a linen garment.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:48

¹ sn The warp (vertical) and woof (horizontal) thread may be two different sets of thread not yet woven together, or they may refer to two different kinds of thread already woven, in which case one might have the disease in it while the other does not. See the explanation in J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:809-10.

² tn Heb “in any handiwork of skin” (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV); most other modern English versions have “leather.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:49

¹ tn Heb “and the infection is.” This clause is conditional in force, and is translated as such by almost all English versions.

NET Notes: Lev 13:50

¹ tn Heb “And the priest shall see the infection and he shall shut up the infection seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:51

¹ tn Heb “to all which the leather was made into a handiwork.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:53

¹ tn Heb “And if the priest sees and behold”; NASB “and indeed.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:54

¹ tn Heb “a second seven days.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:55

¹ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

² tn Heb “the infection has not changed its eye.” Smr has “its/his eyes,” as in vv. 5 and 37, but here it refers to the appearance of the article of cloth or leather, unlike vv. 5 and 37 where there is a preposition attached and it refers to the eyes of the priest.

³ tn The terms “back side” and “front side” are the same as those used in v. 42 for the “back or front bald area” of a man’s head. The exact meaning of these terms when applied to articles of cloth or leather is uncertain. It could refer, for example, to the inside versus the outside of a garment, or the back versus the front side of an article of cloth or leather. See J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:814, for various possibilities.

NET Notes: Lev 13:56

¹ tn Heb “And if the priest saw and behold….”

² tn Heb “and he shall tear it from.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:57

¹ tn Heb “And if”; NIV, NCV “But if”; NAB “If, however.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:58

¹ tn Heb “and the infection turns aside from them.”

NET Notes: Lev 13:59

¹ sn The Hebrew term translated “law” (תוֹרָה, torah) introduces here a summary or colophon for all of Lev 13. Similar summaries are found in Lev 7:37-38; 11:46-47; 14:54-57; and 15:32-33.

² tn These are declarative Piel forms of the verbs טָהֵר (taher) and טָמֵא (tame’) respectively (cf. the notes on vv. 3 and 6 above).