Discovery BoxLeviticus 13:1--15:33
Context13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 13:2 “When someone has 1 a swelling 2 or a scab 3 or a bright spot 4 on the skin of his body 5 that may become a diseased infection, 6 he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests. 7 13:3 The priest must then examine the infection 8 on the skin of the body, and if the hair 9 in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, 10 then it is a diseased infection, 11 so when the priest examines it 12 he must pronounce the person unclean. 13
13:4 “If 14 it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 15 and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days. 16 13:5 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if, 17 as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the same 18 and has not spread on the skin, 19 then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days. 20 13:6 The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day, 21 and if 22 the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. 23 It is a scab, 24 so he must wash his clothes 25 and be clean. 13:7 If, however, the scab is spreading further 26 on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his purification, then he must show himself to the priest a second time. 13:8 The priest must then examine it, 27 and if 28 the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 29 It is a disease.
13:9 “When someone has a diseased infection, 30 he must be brought to the priest. 13:10 The priest will then examine it, 31 and if 32 a white swelling is on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, 33 13:11 it is a chronic 34 disease on the skin of his body, 35 so the priest is to pronounce him unclean. 36 The priest 37 must not merely quarantine him, for he is unclean. 38 13:12 If, however, the disease breaks out 39 on the skin so that the disease covers all the skin of the person with the infection 40 from his head to his feet, as far as the priest can see, 41 13:13 the priest must then examine it, 42 and if 43 the disease covers his whole body, he is to pronounce the person with the infection clean. 44 He has turned all white, so he is clean. 45 13:14 But whenever raw flesh appears in it 46 he will be unclean, 13:15 so the priest is to examine the raw flesh 47 and pronounce him unclean 48 – it is diseased. 13:16 If, however, 49 the raw flesh once again turns white, 50 then he must come to the priest. 13:17 The priest will then examine it, 51 and if 52 the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection clean 53 – he is clean.
13:18 “When someone’s body has a boil on its skin 54 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. 55 13:20 The priest will then examine it, 56 and if 57 it appears to be deeper than the skin 58 and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 59 It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil. 60 13:21 If, however, 61 the priest examines it, and 62 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. 63 13:22 If 64 it is spreading further 65 on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. 66 It is an infection. 13:23 But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, 67 it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean. 68
13:24 “When a body has a burn on its skin 69 and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot, 13:25 the priest must examine it, 70 and if 71 the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, 72 it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. 73 The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 74 It is a diseased infection. 75 13:26 If, however, 76 the priest examines it and 77 there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin, 78 and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 79 13:27 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading further 80 on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection. 81 13:28 But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin, 82 and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean, 83 because it is the scar of the burn.
13:29 “When a man or a woman has an infection on the head or in the beard, 84 13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, 85 and if 86 it appears to be deeper than the skin 87 and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 88 It is scall, 89 a disease of the head or the beard. 90 13:31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 91 and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days. 92 13:32 The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and if 93 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, 94 13:33 then the individual is to shave himself, 95 but he must not shave the area affected by the scall, 96 and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days. 97 13:34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if 98 the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 99 then the priest is to pronounce him clean. 100 So he is to wash his clothes and be clean. 13:35 If, however, the scall spreads further 101 on the skin after his purification, 13:36 then the priest is to examine it, and if 102 the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. 103 The person 104 is unclean. 13:37 If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same 105 and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean. 106
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, 107 and if 108 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. 109
13:40 “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, 110 he is clean. 13:41 If his head is bare on the forehead 111 so that he is balding in front, 112 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, 113 and if 114 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, 115 13:44 he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head. 116
13:45 “As for the diseased person who has the infection, 117 his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, 118 and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 13:46 The whole time he has the infection 119 he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp.
13:47 “When a garment has a diseased infection in it, 120 whether a wool or linen garment, 121 13:48 or in the warp or woof 122 of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather, 123 13:49 if the infection 124 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. 125 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 126 – 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 127 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. 128 13:55 The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if 129 the infection has not changed its appearance 130 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. 131 13:56 But if the priest has examined it and 132 the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of 133 the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof. 13:57 Then if 134 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 135 is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.”
13:59 This is the law 136 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. 137
14:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 14:2 “This is the law of the diseased person on the day of his purification, when 138 he is brought to the priest. 139 14:3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine the infection. 140 If the infection of the diseased person has been healed, 141 14:4 then the priest will command that two live clean birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, 142 and some twigs of hyssop 143 be taken up 144 for the one being cleansed. 145 14:5 The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered 146 into a clay vessel over fresh water. 147 14:6 Then 148 he is to take the live bird along with the piece of cedar wood, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the twigs of hyssop, and he is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over the fresh water, 14:7 and sprinkle it seven times on the one being cleansed 149 from the disease, pronounce him clean, 150 and send the live bird away over the open countryside. 151
14:8 “The one being cleansed 152 must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. 153 Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days. 14:9 When the seventh day comes 154 he must shave all his hair – his head, his beard, his eyebrows, all his hair – and he must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and so be clean. 155
14:10 “On the eighth day he 156 must take two flawless male lambs, one flawless yearling female lamb, three-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a grain offering mixed with olive oil, 157 and one log of olive oil, 158 14:11 and the priest who pronounces him clean will have the man who is being cleansed stand along with these offerings 159 before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
14:12 “The priest is to take one male lamb 160 and present it for a guilt offering 161 along with the log of olive oil and present them as a wave offering before the Lord. 162 14:13 He must then slaughter 163 the male lamb in the place where 164 the sin offering 165 and the burnt offering 166 are slaughtered, 167 in the sanctuary, because, like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; 168 it is most holy. 14:14 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, 169 on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe 170 of his right foot. 14:15 The priest will then take some of the log of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand. 171 14:16 Then the priest is to dip his right forefinger into the olive oil 172 that is in his left hand, and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 14:17 The priest will then put some of the rest of the olive oil that is in his hand 173 on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering, 14:18 and the remainder of the olive oil 174 that is in his hand the priest is to put on the head of the one being cleansed. So the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord.
14:19 “The priest must then perform the sin offering 175 and make atonement for the one being cleansed from his impurity. After that he 176 is to slaughter the burnt offering, 14:20 and the priest is to offer 177 the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest is to make atonement for him and he will be clean.
14:21 “If the person is poor and does not have sufficient means, 178 he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering for a wave offering to make atonement for himself, one-tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil, 179 14:22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, 180 which are within his means. 181 One will be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 182
14:23 “On the eighth day he must bring them for his purification to the priest at the entrance 183 of the Meeting Tent before the Lord, 14:24 and the priest is to take the male lamb of the guilt offering and the log of olive oil and wave them 184 as a wave offering before the Lord. 14:25 Then he is to slaughter the male lamb of the guilt offering, and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, 185 on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe 186 of his right foot. 14:26 The priest will then pour some of the olive oil into his own left hand, 187 14:27 and sprinkle some of the olive oil that is in his left hand with his right forefinger 188 seven times before the Lord. 14:28 Then the priest is to put some of the olive oil that is in his hand 189 on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering, 14:29 and the remainder of the olive oil that is in the hand 190 of the priest he is to put 191 on the head of the one being cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord.
14:30 “He will then make one of the turtledoves 192 or young pigeons, which are within his means, 193 14:31 a sin offering and the other a burnt offering along with the grain offering. 194 So the priest is to make atonement for the one being cleansed before the Lord. 14:32 This is the law of the one in whom there is a diseased infection, 195 who does not have sufficient means for his purification.” 196
14:33 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 14:34 “When you enter the land of Canaan which I am about to give 197 to you for a possession, and I put 198 a diseased infection in a house in the land you are to possess, 199 14:35 then whoever owns the house 200 must come and declare to the priest, ‘Something like an infection is visible to me in the house.’ 14:36 Then the priest will command that the house be cleared 201 before the priest enters to examine the infection 202 so that everything in the house 203 does not become unclean, 204 and afterward 205 the priest will enter to examine the house. 14:37 He is to examine the infection, and if 206 the infection in the walls of the house consists of yellowish green or reddish eruptions, 207 and it appears to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 208 14:38 then the priest is to go out of the house to the doorway of the house and quarantine the house for seven days. 209 14:39 The priest must return on the seventh day and examine it, and if 210 the infection has spread in the walls of the house, 14:40 then the priest is to command that the stones that had the infection in them be pulled and thrown 211 outside the city 212 into an unclean place. 14:41 Then he is to have the house scraped 213 all around on the inside, 214 and the plaster 215 which is scraped off 216 must be dumped outside the city 217 into an unclean place. 14:42 They are then to take other stones and replace those stones, 218 and he is to take other plaster and replaster the house.
14:43 “If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after he has pulled out the stones, scraped the house, and it is replastered, 219 14:44 the priest is to come and examine it, and if 220 the infection has spread in the house, it is a malignant disease in the house. It is unclean. 14:45 He must tear down the house, 221 its stones, its wood, and all the plaster of the house, and bring all of it 222 outside the city to an unclean place. 14:46 Anyone who enters 223 the house all the days the priest 224 has quarantined it will be unclean until evening. 14:47 Anyone who lies down in the house must wash his clothes. Anyone who eats in the house must wash his clothes.
14:48 “If, however, the priest enters 225 and examines it, and the 226 infection has not spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest is to pronounce the house clean because the infection has been healed. 14:49 Then he 227 is to take two birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, and some twigs of hyssop 228 to decontaminate 229 the house, 14:50 and he is to slaughter one bird into a clay vessel over fresh water. 230 14:51 He must then take the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 14:52 So he is to decontaminate the house with the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the live bird, the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, and the scrap of crimson fabric, 14:53 and he is to send the live bird away outside the city 231 into the open countryside. So he is to make atonement for the house and it will be clean.
14:54 “This is the law for all diseased infections, for scall, 232 14:55 for the diseased garment, 233 for the house, 234 14:56 for the swelling, 235 for the scab, 236 and for the bright spot, 237 14:57 to teach when something is unclean and when it is clean. 238 This is the law for dealing with infectious disease.” 239
15:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 15:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When any man 240 has a discharge 241 from his body, 242 his discharge is unclean. 15:3 Now this is his uncleanness in regard to his discharge 243 – whether his body secretes his discharge or blocks his discharge, he is unclean. All the days that his body has a discharge or his body blocks his discharge, 244 this is his uncleanness. 245
15:4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, 246 and any furniture he sits on will be unclean. 247 15:5 Anyone who touches his bed 248 must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 249 15:6 The one who sits on the furniture the man with a discharge sits on must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:7 The one who touches the body 250 of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:8 If the man with a discharge spits on a person who is ceremonially clean, 251 that person must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:9 Any means of riding 252 the man with a discharge rides on will be unclean. 15:10 Anyone who touches anything that was under him 253 will be unclean until evening, and the one who carries those items 254 must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:11 Anyone whom the man with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water 255 must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:12 A clay vessel 256 which the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed in water.
15:13 “‘When the man with the discharge becomes clean from his discharge he is to count off for himself seven days for his purification, and he must wash his clothes, bathe in fresh water, 257 and be clean. 15:14 Then on the eighth day he is to take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, 258 and he is to present himself 259 before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent and give them to the priest, 15:15 and the priest is to make one of them a sin offering 260 and the other a burnt offering. 261 So the priest 262 is to make atonement for him before the Lord for 263 his discharge.
15:16 “‘When a man has a seminal emission, 264 he must bathe his whole body in water 265 and be unclean until evening, 15:17 and he must wash in water any clothing or leather that has semen on it, and it will be unclean until evening. 15:18 When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and there is a seminal emission, 266 they must bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
15:19 “‘When a woman has a discharge 267 and her discharge is blood from her body, 268 she is to be in her menstruation 269 seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. 15:20 Anything she lies on during her menstruation will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 15:21 Anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:22 Anyone who touches any furniture she sits on must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:23 If there is something on the bed or on the furniture she sits on, 270 when he touches it 271 he will be unclean until evening, 15:24 and if a man actually has sexual intercourse with her so that her menstrual impurity touches him, 272 then he will be unclean seven days and any bed he lies on will be unclean.
15:25 “‘When a woman’s discharge of blood flows 273 many days not at the time of her menstruation, or if it flows beyond the time of her menstruation, 274 all the days of her discharge of impurity will be like the days of her menstruation – she is unclean. 15:26 Any bed she lies on all the days of her discharge will be to her like the bed of her menstruation, any furniture she sits on will be unclean like the impurity of her menstruation, 15:27 and anyone who touches them will be unclean, and he must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 275
15:28 “‘If 276 she becomes clean from her discharge, then she is to count off for herself seven days, and afterward she will be clean. 15:29 Then on the eighth day she must take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons 277 and she must bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, 15:30 and the priest is to make one a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 278 So the priest 279 is to make atonement for her before the Lord from her discharge of impurity.
15:31 “‘Thus you 280 are to set the Israelites apart from their impurity so that they 281 do not die in their impurity by defiling my tabernacle which is in their midst. 15:32 This is the law of the one with a discharge: the one who has a seminal emission 282 and becomes unclean by it, 283 15:33 the one who is sick in her menstruation, the one with a discharge, whether male or female, 284 and a man 285 who has sexual intercourse with an unclean woman.’”
[13:2] 1 tn Heb “A man, if [or when] he has….” The term for “a man, human being” (אָדָם, ’adam; see the note on Lev 1:2) in this case refers to any person among “mankind,” male or female, since either could be afflicted with infections on the skin.
[13:2] 2 tn Some of the terms for disease or symptoms of disease in this chapter present difficulties for the translator. Most modern English versions render the Hebrew term שְׂאֵת (sÿ’et) as “swelling,” which has been retained here (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 189). Some have argued that “deeper (עָמֹק, ’amoq) than the skin of his body” in v. 3 means that “this sore was lower than the surrounding skin” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:773), in which case “swelling” would be an inappropriate translation of שְׂאֵת in v. 2. Similarly, שְׂאֵת also occurs in v. 19, and then v. 20 raises the issue of whether or not it appears to be “lower (שָׁפָל, shafal) than the skin” (cf. also 14:37 for a mark on the wall of a house), which may mean that the sore sinks below the surface of the skin rather than protruding above it as a swelling would (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 76-77). Thus, one could translate here, for example, “discoloration” (so Milgrom and II שְׂאֵת “spot, blemish on the skin” in HALOT 1301 s.v. II שְׂאֵת) or “local inflammation, boil, mole” (so Levine). However, one could interpret “lower” as “deeper,” i.e., visibly extending below the surface of the skin into the deeper layers as suggested by J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 188, 192. “Swelling” often extends deeply below the surface of the skin, it is certainly a common symptom of skin diseases, and 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 (see also the note on v. 20 below), so it is retained in the present translation.
[13:2] 3 tn The etymology and meaning of this term is unknown. It could mean “scab” (KJV, ASV, NASB) or possibly “rash” (NIV, NLT), “flaking skin,” or an “eruption” (NRSV) of some sort.
[13:2] 4 tn Heb “shiny spot” or “white spot,” but to render this term “white spot” in this chapter would create redundancy in v. 4 where the regular term for “white” occurs alongside this word for “bright spot.”
[13:2] 5 tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29).
[13:2] 6 tn Heb “a mark [or stroke; or plague] of disease.” In some places in this context (vv. 2, 3) it could be translated “a contagious skin disease.” Although the Hebrew term צָרָעַת (tsara’at) rendered here “diseased” is translated in many English versions as “leprosy,” it does not refer to Hanson’s disease, which is the modern technical understanding of the term “leprosy” (HALOT 1057 s.v. צָרְעַת a). There has been much discussion of the proper meaning of the term and the disease(s) to which it may refer (see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:774-76, 816-26; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 187-89; and the literature cited by them). The further description of the actual condition in the text suggests that the regulations are concerned with any kind of infectious diseases that are observable on the surface of the skin and, in addition to that, penetrate below the surface of the skin (vv. 3-4) or spread further across the surface of the skin (vv. 5-8). It is true that, in the OT, the term “disease” is often associated specifically with white “scaly” skin diseases that resemble the wasting away of the skin after death (see Milgrom who, in fact, translates “scale disease”; cf., e.g., Exod 4:6-7 and Num 12:9-12, esp. v. 12), but here it appears to be a broader term for any skin disease that penetrates deep or spreads far on the body. Scaly skin diseases would be included in this category, but also other types. Thus, a “swelling,” “scab,” or “bright spot” on the skin might be a symptom of disease, but not necessarily so. In this sense, “diseased” is a technical term. The term “infection” can apply to any “mark” on the skin whether it belongs to the category of “disease” or not (compare and contrast v. 3, where the “infection” is not “diseased,” with v. 4, where the “infection” is found to be “diseased”).
[13:2] 7 tn Or “it shall be reported to Aaron the priest.” This alternative rendering may be better in light of the parallel use of the same expression in Lev 14:2, where the priest had to go outside the camp in order to inspect the person who had been diseased. Since the rendering “he shall be brought to Aaron the priest” might confuse matters there, this expression should be rendered “it shall be reported” both here in 13:2 (cf. also v. 9) and in 14:2. See, however, the further note on 14:2 below, where it is argued that the diseased person would still need to “be brought” to the priest even if this happened outside the camp. Most English versions retain the idea of the afflicted person being “brought” to the priest for inspection.
[13:3] 8 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”
[13:3] 9 tn There is no “if” expressed, but the contrast between the priestly finding in this verse and the next verse clearly implies it.
[13:3] 10 tn Heb “and the appearance of the infection is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin of the his flesh.” See the note on v. 20 below.
[13:3] 11 tn For the translation “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above. Cf. TEV “a dreaded skin disease”; NIV “an infectious skin disease”; NLT “a contagious skin disease.”
[13:3] 12 tn The pronoun “it” here refers to the “infection,” not the person who has the infection (cf. the object of “examine” at the beginning of the verse).
[13:3] 13 tn Heb “he shall make him unclean.” The verb is the Piel of טָמֵא (tame’) “to be unclean.” Here it is a so-called “declarative” Piel (i.e., “to declare unclean”), but it also implies that the person is put into the category of actually being “unclean” by the pronouncement itself (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 175; cf. the corresponding opposite in v. 6 below).
[13:4] 15 tn Heb “and deep is not its appearance from the skin”; cf. NAB “does not seem to have penetrated below the skin.”
[13:4] 16 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection seven days.”
[13:5] 17 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:5] 18 tn Heb “the infection has stood in his eyes”; ASV “if in his eyes the plague be at a stay.”
[13:5] 19 tn Although there is no expressed “and” at the beginning of this clause, there is in the corresponding clause of v. 6, so it should be assumed here as well.
[13:5] 20 tn Heb “a second seven days.”
[13:6] 21 tn That is, at the end of the second set of seven days referred to at the end of v. 5, a total of fourteen days after the first appearance before the priest.
[13:6] 22 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:6] 23 tn Heb “he shall make him clean.” The verb is the Piel of טָהֵר (taher, “to be clean”). Here it is a so-called “declarative” Piel (i.e., “to declare clean”), but it also implies that the person is put into the category of being “clean” by the pronouncement itself (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 176; cf. the corresponding opposite in v. 3 above).
[13:6] 24 tn On the term “scab” see the note on v. 2 above. Cf. NAB “it was merely eczema”; NRSV “only an eruption”; NLT “only a temporary rash.”
[13:6] 25 tn Heb “and he shall wash his clothes.”
[13:7] 26 tn Heb “And if spreading [infinitive absolute] it spreads [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.
[13:8] 27 tn The “it” is not expressed but is to be understood. It refers to the “infection” (cf. the note on v. 2 above).
[13:8] 28 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:8] 29 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:9] 30 tn Heb “When there is an infection of disease in a man.” The term for “a man; a human being” (אָדָם, ’adam; see the note on Lev 1:2 and cf. v. 2 above) refers to any person among “mankind,” male or female. For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.
[13:10] 31 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).
[13:10] 32 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:10] 33 tn Heb “and rawness [i.e., something living] of living flesh is in the swelling”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “quick raw flesh.”
[13:11] 34 tn The term rendered here “chronic” is a Niphal participle meaning “grown old” (HALOT 448 s.v. II ישׁן nif.2). The idea is that this is an old enduring skin disease that keeps on developing or recurring.
[13:11] 35 tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29; cf. v. 2 above).
[13:11] 36 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:11] 37 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:11] 38 sn Instead of just the normal quarantine isolation, this condition calls for the more drastic and enduring response stated in Lev 13:45-46. Raw flesh, of course, sometimes oozes blood to one degree or another, and blood flows are by nature impure (see, e.g., Lev 12 and 15; cf. J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 191).
[13:12] 39 tn Heb “And if spreading [infinitive absolute] it spreads out [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.
[13:12] 40 tn Heb “all the skin of the infection,” but see v. 4 above.
[13:12] 41 tn Heb “to all the appearance of the eyes of the priest.”
[13:13] 42 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).
[13:13] 43 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:13] 44 tn Heb “he 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).
[13:13] 45 tn Heb “all of him has turned white, and he is clean.”
[13:14] 46 tn Heb “and in the day of there appears in it living flesh.” Some English versions render this as “open sores” (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT).
[13:15] 47 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the living flesh.”
[13:15] 48 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:16] 49 tn Heb “Or if/when.”
[13:16] 50 tn Heb “the living flesh returns and is turned/changed to white.” The Hebrew verb “returns” is שׁוּב (shuv), which often functions adverbially when combined with a second verb as it is here (cf. “and is turned”) and, in such cases, is usually rendered “again” (see, e.g., GKC 386-87 §120.g). Another suggestion is that here שׁוּב means “to recede” (cf., e.g., 2 Kgs 20:9), so one could translate “the raw flesh recedes and turns white.” This would mean that the new “white” skin “has grown over” the raw flesh (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 79).
[13:17] 51 tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”
[13:17] 52 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:17] 53 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).
[13:18] 54 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
[13:19] 55 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.
[13:20] 56 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).
[13:20] 57 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:20] 58 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.
[13:20] 59 tn The declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:20] 60 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.
[13:21] 62 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:21] 63 tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”
[13:22] 65 tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”
[13:22] 66 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:23] 67 tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread.”
[13:23] 68 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:24] 69 tn Heb “Or a body, if there is in its skin a burn of fire.”
[13:25] 70 tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”
[13:25] 71 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:25] 72 tn Heb “and its appearance is deep ‘from’ [comparative מִן (min) meaning ‘deeper than’] the skin.”
[13:25] 73 tn Heb “it is a disease. In the burn it has broken out.”
[13:25] 74 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:25] 75 tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.
[13:26] 77 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and indeed.”
[13:26] 78 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.”
[13:26] 79 tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”
[13:27] 80 tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”
[13:27] 81 tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.
[13:28] 82 tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread in the skin.”
[13:28] 83 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher; cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:29] 84 tn Heb “And a man or a woman if there is in him an infection in head or in beard.”
[13:30] 85 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”
[13:30] 86 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:30] 87 tn Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:30] 88 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:30] 89 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.
[13:30] 90 tn Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”
[13:31] 91 tn Heb “and behold there is not its appearance deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:31] 92 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection of the scall seven days.”
[13:32] 93 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:32] 94 tn Heb “and the appearance of the scall is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:33] 95 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).
[13:33] 96 tn Heb “but the scall shall he not shave” (so KJV, ASV); NIV “except for the diseased area.”
[13:33] 97 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the scall a second seven days.”
[13:34] 98 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:34] 99 tn Heb “and its appearance is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:34] 100 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:35] 101 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.
[13:36] 102 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:36] 103 tn Heb “the priest shall not search to the reddish yellow hair.”
[13:36] 104 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the affected person) is specified in the translation for clarity (likewise in the following verse).
[13:37] 105 tn Heb “and if in his eyes the infection has stood.”
[13:37] 106 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:39] 107 tn Heb “and the priest shall see.”
[13:39] 108 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:39] 109 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.
[13:40] 110 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.
[13:41] 111 tn Heb “And if from the front edge of his face, his head is rubbed bare.” See the note on v. 40 above.
[13:41] 112 tn The rendering “balding in front” corresponds to the location of the bareness at the beginning of the verse.
[13:43] 113 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).
[13:43] 114 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:43] 115 tn Heb “like appearance of disease of skin of flesh.”
[13:44] 116 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.
[13:45] 117 tn Heb “And the diseased one who in him is the infection.”
[13:45] 118 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).
[13:46] 119 tn Heb “All the days which the infection is in him.”
[13:47] 120 tn Heb “And the garment, if there is in it a mark of disease.”
[13:47] 121 tn Heb “in a wool garment or in a linen garment.”
[13:48] 122 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.
[13:48] 123 tn Heb “in any handiwork of skin” (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV); most other modern English versions have “leather.”
[13:49] 124 tn Heb “and the infection is.” This clause is conditional in force, and is translated as such by almost all English versions.
[13:50] 125 tn Heb “And the priest shall see the infection and he shall shut up the infection seven days.”
[13:51] 126 tn Heb “to all which the leather was made into a handiwork.”
[13:53] 127 tn Heb “And if the priest sees and behold”; NASB “and indeed.”
[13:54] 128 tn Heb “a second seven days.”
[13:55] 129 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:55] 130 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.
[13:55] 131 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.
[13:56] 132 tn Heb “And if the priest saw and behold….”
[13:56] 133 tn Heb “and he shall tear it from.”
[13:57] 134 tn Heb “And if”; NIV, NCV “But if”; NAB “If, however.”
[13:58] 135 tn Heb “and the infection turns aside from them.”
[13:59] 136 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.
[13:59] 137 tn These are declarative Piel forms of the verbs טָהֵר (taher) and טָמֵא (tame’) respectively (cf. the notes on vv. 3 and 6 above).
[14:2] 138 tn Heb “and.” Here KJV, ASV use a semicolon; NASB begins a new sentence with “Now.”
[14:2] 139 tn The alternative rendering, “when it is reported to the priest” may be better in light of the fact that the priest had to go outside the camp. Since he or she had been declared “unclean” by a priest (Lev 13:3) and was, therefore, required to remain outside the camp (13:46), the formerly diseased person could not reenter the camp until he or she had been declared “clean” by a priest (cf. Lev 13:6 for “declaring clean.”). See especially J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:831, who supports this rendering both here and in Lev 13:2 and 9. B. A. Levine, however, prefers the rendering in the text (Leviticus [JPSTC], 76 and 85). It is the most natural meaning of the verb (i.e., “to be brought” from בּוֹא [bo’, “to come”] in the Hophal stem, which means “to be brought” in all other occurrences in Leviticus other than 13:2, 9, and 14:2; see only 6:30; 10:18; 11:32; and 16:27), it suits the context well in 13:2, and the rendering “to be brought” is supported by 13:7b, “he shall show himself to the priest a second time.” Although it is true that the priest needed to go outside the camp to examine such a person, the person still needed to “be brought” to the priest there. The translation of vv. 2-3 employed here suggests that v. 2 introduces the proceeding and then v. 3 goes on to describe the specific details of the examination and purification.
[14:3] 140 tn Heb “and he shall be brought to the priest and the priest shall go out to from outside to the camp and the priest shall see [it].” The understood “it” refers to the skin infection itself (see the note on 13:3 above). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:3] 141 tn Heb “And behold, the diseased infection has been healed from the diseased person.” The expression “diseased infection” has been translated as simply “infection” to avoid redundancy here in terms of English style.
[14:4] 142 tn The term rendered here “crimson fabric” consists of two Hebrew words and means literally, “crimson of worm” (in this order only in Lev 14:4, 6, 49, 51, 52 and Num 19:6; for the more common reverse order, “worm of crimson,” see, e.g., the colored fabrics used in making the tabernacle, Exod 25:4, etc.). This particular “worm” is an insect that lives on the leaves of palm trees, the eggs of which are the source for a “crimson” dye used to color various kinds of cloth (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 86). That a kind of dyed “fabric” is intended, not just the dye substance itself, is made certain by the dipping of it along with the other ritual materials listed here into the blood and water mixture for sprinkling on the person being cleansed (Lev 14:6; cf. also the burning of it in the fire of the red heifer in Num 19:6). Both the reddish color of cedar wood and the crimson colored fabric seem to correspond to the color of blood and may, therefore, symbolize either “life,” which is in the blood, or the use of blood to “make atonement” (see, e.g., Gen 9:4 and Lev 17:11). See further the note on v. 7 below.
[14:4] 143 sn Twigs of hyssop (probably one or several species of marjoram thymus), a spice and herb plant that grows out of walls in Palestine (see 1 Kgs 4:33 [5:13 HT], HALOT 27 s.v. אֵזוֹב, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 195), were particularly leafy and therefore especially useful for sprinkling the purifying liquid (cf. vv. 5-7). Many of the details of the ritual procedure are obscure. It has been proposed, for example, that the “cedar wood” was a stick to which the hyssop was bound with the crimson material to make a sort of sprinkling instrument (Hartley, 195). In light of the burning of these three materials as part of the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer in Num 19:5-6, however, this seems unlikely.
[14:4] 144 tn The MT reads literally, “And the priest shall command and he shall take.” Clearly, the second verb (“and he shall take”) contains the thrust of the priest’s command, which suggests the translation “that he take” (cf. also v. 5a). Since the priest issues the command here, he cannot be the subject of the second verb because he cannot be commanding himself to “take” up these ritual materials. Moreover, since the ritual is being performed “for the one being cleansed,” the antecedent of the pronoun “he” cannot refer to him. The LXX, Smr, and Syriac versions have the third person plural here and in v. 5a, which corresponds to other combinations with the verb וְצִוָּה (vÿtsivvah) “and he (the priest) shall command” in this context (see Lev 13:54; 14:36, 40). This suggests an impersonal (i.e., “someone shall take” and “someone shall slaughter,” respectively) or perhaps even passive rendering of the verbs in 14:4, 5 (i.e., “there shall be taken” and “there shall be slaughtered,” respectively). The latter option has been chosen here.
[14:4] 145 tn Heb “the one cleansing himself” (i.e., Hitpael participle of טָהֵר, taher, “to be clean”).
[14:5] 146 tn Heb “And the priest shall command and he shall slaughter.” See the note on “be taken up” (v. 4).
[14:5] 147 tn Heb “into a vessel of clay over living water.” The expression “living [i.e., ‘fresh’] water” (cf. Lev 14:50; 15:13; Num 19:17) refers to water that flows. It includes such water sources as artesian wells (Gen 26:19; Song of Songs 4:15), springs (Jer 2:13, as opposed to cisterns; cf. 17:13), and flowing streams (Zech 14:8). In other words, this is water that has not stood stagnant as, for example, in a sealed-off cistern.
[14:6] 148 tc Heb “the live bird he [i.e., the priest] shall take it.” Although the MT has no ו (vav, “and”) at the beginning of this clause, a few medieval Hebrew
[14:7] 149 tn Heb “the one cleansing himself” (i.e., Hitpael participle of טָהֵר [taher, “to be clean”]).
[14:7] 150 tn Heb “and he shall make him clean.” The verb is the Piel of טָהֵר (taher, “to be clean”), here used as a so-called “declarative” Piel (i.e., “to declare clean”; cf. 13:6, etc.).
[14:7] 151 sn The reddish color of cedar wood and the crimson colored fabric called for in v. 4 (see the note there, esp. the association with the color of blood) as well as the priestly commands to bring “two live” birds (v. 4a), to slaughter one of them “over fresh water” (literally “living water,” v. 5b), and the subsequent ritual with the (second) “live” bird (vv. 6-7) combine to communicate the concept of “life” and “being alive” in this passage. This contrasts with the fear of death associated with the serious skin diseases in view here (see, e.g., Aaron’s description of Miriam’s skin disease in Num 12:12, “Do not let her be like the dead one when it goes out from its mother’s womb and its flesh half eaten away”). Since the slaughtered bird here is not sacrificed at the altar and is not designated as an expiatory “sin offering,” this ritual procedure probably symbolizes the renewed life of the diseased person and displays it publicly for all to see. It is preparatory to the expiatory rituals that will follow (vv. 10-20, esp. vv. 18-20), but is not itself expiatory. Thus, although there are important similarities between the bird ritual here, the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:20-22), and the red heifer for cleansing from corpse contamination (Num 19), this bird ritual is different in that the latter two constitute “sin offerings” (Lev 16:5, 8-10; Num 19:9, 17). Neither of the birds in Lev 14:4-7 is designated or treated as a “sin offering.” Nevertheless, the very nature of the live bird ritual itself and its obvious similarity to the scapegoat ritual suggests that the patient’s disease has been removed far away so that he or she is free from its effects both personally and communally.
[14:8] 152 tn Heb “the one cleansing himself” (i.e., Hitpael participle of טָהֵר [taher, “to be clean”]).
[14:8] 153 tn Heb “and he shall be clean” (so ASV). The end result of the ritual procedures in vv. 4-7 and the washing and shaving in v. 8a is that the formerly diseased person has now officially become clean in the sense that he can reenter the community (see v. 8b; contrast living outside the community as an unclean diseased person, Lev 13:46). There are, however, further cleansing rituals and pronouncements for him to undergo in the tabernacle as outlined in vv. 10-20 (see Qal “be[come] clean” in vv. 9 and 20, Piel “pronounce clean” in v. 11, and Hitpael “the one being cleansed” in vv. 11, 14, 17, 18, and 19). Obviously, in order to enter the tabernacle he must already “be clean” in the sense of having access to the community.
[14:9] 154 tn Heb “And it shall be on the seventh day.”
[14:9] 155 tn Heb “and he shall be clean” (see the note on v. 8).
[14:10] 156 tn The subject “he” probably refers to the formerly diseased person in this case (see the notes on Lev 1:5a, 6a, and 9a).
[14:10] 157 tn This term is often rendered “fine flour,” but it refers specifically to wheat as opposed to barley (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 10) and, although the translation “flour” is used here, it may indicate “grits” rather than finely ground flour (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:179; see the note on Lev 2:1). The unit of measure is most certainly an “ephah” even though it is not stated explicitly (see, e.g., Num 28:5; cf. 15:4, 6, 8), and three-tenths of an ephah would amount to about a gallon, or perhaps one-third of a bushel (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 196; Milgrom, 845). Since the normal amount of flour for a lamb is one-tenth of an ephah (Num 28:4-5; cf. 15:4), three-tenths is about right for the three lambs offered in Lev 14:10-20.
[14:10] 158 tn A “log” (לֹג, log) of oil is about one-sixth of a liter, or one-third of a pint, or two-thirds of a cup.
[14:11] 159 tn The MT here is awkward to translate into English. It reads literally, “and the priest who pronounces clean (Piel participle of טָהֵר, taher) shall cause to stand (Hiphil of עָמַד, ’amad) the man who is cleansing himself (Hitpael participle of טָהֵר) and them” (i.e., the offerings listed in v. 10; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity). Alternatively, the Piel of טָהֵר could be rendered “who performs the cleansing/purification” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:827), perhaps even as a technical term for one who holds the office of “purification priest” (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 87). It is probably better, however, to retain the same meaning here as in v. 7 above (see the note there regarding the declarative Piel use of this verb).
[14:12] 160 tn Heb “And the priest shall take the one lamb.”
[14:12] 161 tn See the note on Lev 5:15 above. The primary purpose of the “guilt offering” (אָשָׁם, ’asham) was to “atone” (כִּפֶּר, kipper, “to make atonement,” see v. 18 below and the note on Lev 1:4) for “trespassing” on the
[14:12] 162 tn Heb “wave them [as] a wave offering before the
[14:13] 163 tn Heb “And he shall slaughter.”
[14:13] 164 tn Heb “in the place which.”
[14:13] 165 sn See the note on Lev 4:3 regarding the term “sin offering.”
[14:13] 166 sn See the note on Lev 1:3 regarding the “burnt offering.”
[14:13] 167 tn Since the priest himself presents this offering as a wave offering (v. 12), it would seem that the offering is already in his hands and he would, therefore, be the one who slaughtered the male lamb in this instance rather than the offerer. Smr and LXX make the second verb “to slaughter” plural rather than singular, which suggests that it is to be taken as an impersonal passive (see J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:852).
[14:13] 168 tn Heb “the guilt offering, it [is] to the
[14:14] 169 tn Heb “and the priest shall put [literally ‘give’] on the lobe of the ear of the one being cleansed, the right one.”
[14:14] 170 tn The term for “big toe” (בֹּהֶן, bohen) is the same as that for “thumb.” It refers to the larger appendage on either the hand or the foot.
[14:15] 171 tn Heb “And the priest…shall pour on the left hand of the priest.” As the Rabbis observe, the repetition of “priest” as the expressed subject of both verbs in this verse may suggest that two priests were involved in this ritual (see m. Nega’im 14:8, referred to by J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:852), but the seemingly unnecessary repetition of “priest” in several verses throughout the chapter argues against this (see esp. vv. 3, 14, 18, 20, 24, and 26). Moreover, in this case, “priest” may be repeated to avoid confusing the priest’s hand with that of the one being cleansed (cf. v. 14).
[14:16] 172 tn Heb “his right finger from the oil.”
[14:17] 173 tn Heb “on his hand.”
[14:18] 174 tn Heb “and the remainder in the oil.”
[14:19] 175 tn Heb “do [or “make”] the sin offering.”
[14:19] 176 tn Heb “And after[ward] he [i.e., the offerer] shall slaughter.” The LXX adds “the priest” as the subject of the verb (as do several English versions, e.g., NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT), but the offerer is normally the one who does the actually slaughtering of the sacrificial animal (cf. the notes on Lev 1:5a, 6a, and 9a).
[14:20] 177 tn Heb “cause to go up.”
[14:21] 178 tn Heb “and his hand does not reach”; NAB, NRSV “and cannot afford so much (afford these NIV).”
[14:21] 179 tn See the notes on v. 10 above.
[14:22] 180 tn Heb “from the sons of the pigeon,” referring either to “young pigeons” or “various species of pigeon” (contrast J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:168 with J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 14; cf. Lev 1:14 and esp. 5:7-10).
[14:22] 181 tn Heb “which his hand reaches”; NRSV “such as (which NIV) he can afford.”
[14:22] 182 tn Heb “and one shall be a sin offering and the one a burnt offering.” The versions struggle with whether or not “one” should or should not have the definite article in its two occurrences in this verse (KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB all have the English definite article with both). The MT has the first without and the second with the article.
[14:23] 183 tn Heb “to the doorway of”; KJV, ASV “unto the door of.”
[14:24] 184 tn Heb “and the priest shall wave them.” In the present translation “priest” is not repeated a second time in the verse for stylistic reasons. With regard to the “waving” of the “wave offering,” see the note on v. 12 above.
[14:25] 185 tn Heb “and the priest shall put [literally ‘give’] on the lobe of the ear of the one being cleansed, the right one.”
[14:25] 186 tn The term for “big toe” (בֹּהֶן, bohen) is the same as that for “thumb.” It refers to the larger appendage on either the hand or the foot.
[14:26] 187 tn Heb “And from the oil the priest shall pour out on the left hand of the priest.” Regarding the repetition of “priest” in this verse see the note on v. 15 above.
[14:27] 188 tn Heb “and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger from the oil which is on his left hand.”
[14:28] 189 tn Heb “on his hand.”
[14:29] 190 tn Heb “on the hand.”
[14:30] 192 tn Heb “the one from the turtledoves.”
[14:30] 193 tc Heb “from which his hand reaches.” The repetition of virtually the same expression at the beginning of v. 31 in the MT is probably due to dittography (cf. the LXX and Syriac). However, the MT may be retained if it is understood as “one of the turtledoves or young pigeons that are within his means – whichever he can afford” (see J. Milgrom’s translation in Leviticus [AB], 1:828, contra his commentary, 862; cf. REB).
[14:31] 194 tn Heb “and the one a burnt offering on the grain offering.”
[14:32] 195 tn Heb “This is the law of who in him [is] a diseased infection.”
[14:32] 196 tn Heb “who his hand does not reach in his purification”; NASB “whose means are limited for his cleansing”; NIV “who cannot afford the regular offerings for his cleansing.”
[14:34] 197 tn Heb “which I am giving” (so NAB, NIV).
[14:34] 199 tn Heb “in the house of the land of your possession” (KJV and ASV both similar).
[14:35] 200 tn Heb “who to him the house.”
[14:36] 201 tn Heb “And the priest shall command and they shall clear the house.” The second verb (“and they shall clear”) states the thrust of the priest’s command, which suggests the translation “that they clear” (cf. also vv. 4a and 5a above), and for the impersonal passive rendering of the active verb (“that the house be cleared”) see the note on v. 4 above.
[14:36] 202 tn Heb “to see the infection”; KJV “to see the plague”; NASB “to look at the mark (mildew NCV).”
[14:36] 203 tn Heb “all which [is] in the house.”
[14:36] 204 sn Once the priest pronounced the house “unclean” everything in it was also officially unclean. Therefore, if they emptied the house of its furniture, etc. before the official pronouncement by the priest those possessions would thereby remain officially “clean” and avoid destruction or purification procedures.
[14:36] 205 tn Heb “and after thus.”
[14:37] 206 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[14:37] 207 tn For “yellowish green and reddish” see Lev 13:49. The Hebrew term translated “eruptions” occurs only here and its meaning is uncertain. For a detailed summary of the issues and views see J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:870. The suggestions include, among others: (1) “depressions” from Hebrew שׁקע (“sink”) or קער as the root of the Hebrew term for “bowl” (LXX, Targums, NAB, NASB, NIV; see also B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 90), (2) “streaks” (ASV, NJPS), (3) and “eruptions” as a loan-word from Egyptian sqr r rwtj (“eruption; rash”); cf. Milgrom, 870; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 198-99. The latter view is taken here.
[14:37] 208 tn The Hebrew term קִיר (qir,“wall”) refers to the surface of the wall in this case, which normally consisted of a coating of plaster made of limestone and sand (see HALOT 1099 s.v. קִיר 1.a; J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:871; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 199).
[14:38] 209 tn Heb “and he shall shut up the house seven days.”
[14:39] 210 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “If the mark has indeed spread.”
[14:40] 211 tn Heb “and the priest shall command and they shall pull out the stones which in them is the infection, and they shall cast them.” The second and third verbs (“they shall pull out” and “they shall throw”) state the thrust of the priest’s command, which suggests the translation “that they pull out…and throw” (cf. also vv. 4a, 5a, and 36a above), and for the impersonal passive rendering of the active verb (“be pulled and thrown”) see the note on v. 4 above.
[14:40] 212 tn Heb “into from outside to the city.”
[14:41] 213 tn Or, according to the plurality of the verb in Smr, LXX, Syriac, and Targums, “Then the house shall be scraped” (cf. NAB, NLT, and the note on v. 40).
[14:41] 214 tn Heb “from house all around.”
[14:41] 215 tn Heb “dust” (so KJV) or “rubble”; NIV “the material”; NLT “the scrapings.”
[14:41] 216 tn Heb “which they have scraped off.” The MT term קִיר (qir, “wall” from קָצָה, qatsah, “to cut off”; BDB 892), the original Greek does not have this clause, Smr has הקיצו (with uncertain meaning), and the BHS editors and HALOT 1123-24 s.v. I קצע hif.a suggest emending the verb to הִקְצִעוּ (hiqtsi’u, see the same verb at the beginning of this verse; cf. some Greek
[14:41] 217 tn Heb “into from outside to the city.”
[14:42] 218 tn Heb “and bring into under the stones.”
[14:43] 219 tn Heb “after he has pulled out the stones, and after scraping (variant form of the Hiphil infinitive construct, GKC 531) the house, and after being replastered (Niphal infinitive construct).”
[14:44] 220 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “If he sees that the mark has indeed spread.”
[14:45] 221 tn Smr, LXX, Syriac, and Tg. Ps.-J. have the plural verb, perhaps suggesting a passive translation, “The house…shall be torn down” (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT, and see the note on v. 4b above).
[14:45] 222 tn Once again, Smr, LXX, and Syriac have the plural verb, perhaps to be rendered passive, “shall be brought.”
[14:46] 223 tn Heb “the one who comes into.”
[14:46] 224 tn Heb “he,” referring to the priest (see v. 38). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:48] 225 tn Heb “And if the priest entering [infinitive absolute] enters [finite verb]” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.
[14:48] 226 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and the mark has not indeed spread.”
[14:49] 227 tn The pronoun “he” refers to the priest mentioned in the previous verse.
[14:49] 228 tn Regarding these ritual materials, see the note on v. 4 above.
[14:49] 229 tn Regarding the Piel of חָטָא (khata’, cf. v. 52) meaning to “decontaminate” or “perform a decontamination,” see the notes on Lev 8:15 and 9:15.
[14:50] 230 tn See the note on v. 5 above.
[14:53] 231 tn Heb “to from outside to the city.”
[14:54] 232 tn Heb “and for the scall”; NASB “a scale”; NIV “any infectious skin disease.” Cf. Lev 13:29-37.
[14:55] 233 sn Cf. Lev 13:47-59.
[14:55] 234 sn Cf. Lev 14:33-53.
[14:56] 235 sn Cf. Lev 13:9-28, 43.
[14:56] 237 sn Cf. Lev 13:4, 18-28, 38-39. For explanations of all these terms for disease in Lev 14:56 see 13:2.
[14:57] 238 tn Heb “to teach in the day of the unclean and in the day of the clean.”
[14:57] 239 tn Heb “This is the law of the disease.” Some English versions specify this as “skin disease” (e.g., NIV, NLT), but then have to add “and (+ infectious NLT) mildew” (so NIV) because a house would not be infected with a skin disease.
[15:2] 240 tn Heb “Man man.” The reduplication is a way of saying “any man” (cf. Lev 17:3; 22:18, etc.; see the distributive repetition of the noun in GKC 395-96 §123.c).
[15:2] 241 tn The term “discharge” actually means “to flow,” whether referring to a full flow as at a spring of water (Ps 78:20 and parallels) or in reference to the promised land as “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exod 3:8 and parallels).
[15:2] 242 tn Heb “man, man when there is a discharge from his flesh.” The repetition of the word “man” is distributive, meaning “any [or “every”] man” (GKC 395-96 §123.c). It is well-recognized that the term “flesh” (i.e., “body”) in this chapter refers regularly and euphemistically to the male and female genital members or areas of the body (HALOT 164 s.v. בָּשָׂר 5.b; see also, e.g., B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 93). The euphemism has been retained in this translation since it is, in fact, intended in the Hebrew text. Some English versions partially remove the euphemism (e.g., NAB “from his private parts”; NRSV “from his member”) while some remove it completely (e.g., NLT “a genital discharge”; TEV “from his penis”; CEV “with an infected penis”).
[15:3] 243 tn The LXX has “this the law of his uncleanness…” (cf. v. 32 and compare, e.g., 13:59; 14:2, 56).
[15:3] 244 tc Smr, LXX, and the Paleo-Hebrew Leviticus Scroll from Qumran (11QpaleoLev; Fragment G contains Lev 14:52-15:5 and 16:2-4, and agrees with the LXX of Lev 15:3b) are in essential (although not complete) agreement against the MT in Lev 15:3b and are to be preferred in this case. The shorter MT text has probably arisen due to a lengthy haplography. See K. A. Mathews, “The Leviticus Scroll (11QpaleoLev) and the Text of the Hebrew Bible,” CBQ 48 (1986): 177-78, 198; D. N. Freedman, “Variant Readings in the Leviticus Scroll from Qumran Cave 11,” CBQ 36 (1974): 528-29; D. N. Freedman and K. A. Mathews, The Paleo-Hebrew Leviticus Scroll, 32. The MT of Lev 15:3 reads: “Now this is his uncleanness in [regard to] his discharge – whether his body secretes his discharge or blocks his discharge, this is his uncleanness.” Smr adds after MT’s “blocks his discharge” the following: “he is unclean; all the days that his body has a discharge or his body blocks his discharge, this is his uncleanness.” Thus, the MT appears to skip from Smr טמא הוא “he is unclean” in the middle of the verse to יא/טמאתו הו “this is his uncleanness” at the end of the verse, leaving out “he is unclean; all the days that his body has a discharge or his body blocks his discharge” (cf. the BHS footnote). 11Q1 (paleoLeva frag. G) is indeed fragmentary, but it does have ימי ז בו כל “…in him, all the days of the fl[ow],” supporting Smr and LXX tradition. The LXX adds after MT “blocks his discharge” the following: “all the days of the flow of his body, by which his body is affected by the flow,” followed by “it is his uncleanness” (i.e., the last two words of the MT).
[15:3] 245 tn Heb “it is his uncleanness,” but the last clause recapitulates the effect of the first clause in this verse, both of which introduce the regulations for such uncleanness in the following verses. In other words, whether his discharge flows from his penis or is blocked in it, he is still unclean and must proceed according to the following regulations (vv. 4ff).
[15:4] 246 tn Heb “All the bed which the man with a discharge sits on it shall be unclean”; cf. NLT “Any bedding.”
[15:4] 247 tn Heb “and all the vessel which he sits on it shall be unclean”; NASB “everything on which he sits.”
[15:5] 248 tn Heb “And a man who touches in his bed”; NLT “touch the man’s bedding.”
[15:5] 249 tn Heb “he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until the evening” (cf. also vv. 6-8, 10-11, etc.).
[15:7] 250 tn Heb “And the one who touches in the flesh.” In this instance, “flesh” (or “body”) probably refers literally to any part of the body, not the genitals specifically (see the discussion in J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:914).
[15:8] 251 tn Heb “And if the man with a discharge spits in the clean one.”
[15:9] 252 tn The Hebrew term for “means of riding” is a cognate noun from the verb “ride” later in this verse. It refers to anything on which one may ride without the feet touching the ground including, for example, a saddle, a (saddle) blanket, or a seat on a chariot (see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:916).
[15:10] 253 tn Heb “which shall be under him.” The verb is perhaps a future perfect, “which shall have been.”
[15:10] 254 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the previously mentioned items which were under the unclean person) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:11] 255 tn Heb “And all who the man with the discharge touches in him and his hands he has not rinsed in water.”
[15:12] 256 tn The Hebrew term כְּלִי (kÿli) can mean “vessel” (v. 12a) or “utensil, implement, article” (v. 12b). An article of clay would refer to a vessel or container of some sort, while one made of wood would refer to some kind of tool or instrument.
[15:13] 257 tn For the expression “fresh water” see the note on Lev 14:5 above.
[15:14] 258 tn Heb “from the sons of the pigeon,” referring either to “young pigeons” or “various species of pigeon” (contrast J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:168 with J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 14; cf. Lev 1:14 and esp. 5:7-10).
[15:14] 259 tc The MT has the Qal form of the verb בּוֹא (bo’) “to come” here, but the LXX (followed generally by the Syriac and Tg. Ps.-J.) reflects the Hiphil form of the same verb, “to bring” as in v. 29 below. In v. 29, however, there is no additional clause “and give them to the priest,” so the Hiphil is necessary in that context while it is not necessary here in v. 14.
[15:15] 260 sn See the note on Lev 4:3 regarding the term “sin offering.”
[15:15] 261 tn Heb “and the priest shall make them one a sin offering and the one a burnt offering.” See the note on Lev 1:3 regarding the “burnt offering.”
[15:15] 262 tn Heb “And the priest.” The Hebrew conjunction ו (vav, “and”) can be considered to have resultative force here.
[15:15] 263 tn Heb “from”; see the note on 4:26.
[15:16] 264 tn Heb “And a man when a lying of seed goes out from him”; KJV, ASV “any man’s seed of copulation”; NIV, NRSV, TEV, NLT “an emission of semen.”
[15:16] 265 tn Heb “and he shall bathe all his flesh in water.”
[15:18] 266 tn Heb “And a woman who a man lies with her a lying of seed.”
[15:19] 267 tn See the note on Lev 15:2 above.
[15:19] 268 tn Heb “blood shall be her discharge in her flesh.” The term “flesh” here refers euphemistically to the female sexual area (cf. the note on v. 2 above).
[15:19] 269 tn See the note on Lev 12:2 and R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:925-27.
[15:23] 270 tn Heb “and if on the bed it (הוּא, hu’) is or on the vessel which she sits on it, when he touches it….” The translation and meaning of this verse is a subject of much debate in the commentaries (see the summary in J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:938-40). It is difficult to determine what הוּא refers to, whether it means “he” referring to the one who does the touching, “it” for the furniture or the seat in v. 22, “she” referring to the woman herself (see Smr היא rather than הוא), or perhaps anything that was lying on the furniture or the bed of vv. 21-22. The latter view is taken here (cf. J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 202).
[15:23] 271 tn The MT accent suggest that “when he touches it” goes with the preceding line, but it seems to be better to take it as an introduction to what follows (see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 202).
[15:24] 272 tn Heb “and if a man indeed lies with her and her menstrual impurity is on him.”
[15:25] 273 tn Heb “And a woman when the flow of her blood flows.”
[15:25] 274 tn Heb “in not the time of her menstruation or when it flows on her menstruation.”
[15:27] 275 tn See the note on v. 5 above.
[15:28] 276 tn Heb “And if…” Although this clause is parallel to v. 13 above, it begins with וְאִם (vÿ’im, “and if”) here rather than וְכִי (vÿkhi, “and when/if”) there.
[15:29] 277 tn Heb “from the sons of the pigeon,” referring either to “young pigeons” or “various species of pigeon” (contrast J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:168 with J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 14; cf. Lev 1:14 and esp. 5:7-10).
[15:30] 278 tn Heb “And the priest shall make the one a sin offering and the one a burnt offering.”
[15:30] 279 tn Heb “And the priest.” The Hebrew conjunction ו (vav, “and”) can be considered to have resultative force here.
[15:31] 280 tn Heb “And you shall.” The Hebrew conjunction ו (vav, “and”) can be considered to have resultative force here (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
[15:31] 281 tn Heb “and they.” Here the Hebrew conjunction ו (vav, “and”) indicates a negative purpose (“lest,” so NAB, NASB).
[15:32] 282 tn Heb “and who a lying of seed goes out from him.”
[15:32] 283 tn Heb “to become unclean in it.”
[15:33] 284 tn Heb “and the one with a discharge, his discharge to the male and the female.”
