Discovery BoxLeviticus 12:2
Context12:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring 1 and bears a male child, 2 she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation. 3
Leviticus 12:1
Context12:1 The Lord spoke to Moses:
Leviticus 8:1-36
Context8:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 4 8:2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, the sin offering bull, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 8:3 and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.” 5 8:4 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 8:5 Then Moses said to the congregation: “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
8:6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 8:7 Then he 6 put the tunic 7 on Aaron, 8 wrapped the sash around him, 9 and clothed him with the robe. 10 Next he put the ephod on him 11 and placed on him 12 the decorated band of the ephod, and fastened the ephod closely to him with the band. 13 8:8 He then set the breastpiece 14 on him and put the Urim and Thummim 15 into the breastpiece. 8:9 Finally, he set the turban 16 on his head and attached the gold plate, the holy diadem, 17 to the front of the turban just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 18 8:11 Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar, all its vessels, and the wash basin and its stand to consecrate them. 8:12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him. 8:13 Moses also brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, 19 and wrapped headbands on them 20 just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8:14 Then he brought near the sin offering bull 21 and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the sin offering bull, 8:15 and he slaughtered it. 22 Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and decontaminated the altar, 23 and he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and so consecrated it to make atonement on it. 24 8:16 Then he 25 took all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, 26 and Moses offered it all up in smoke on the altar, 27 8:17 but the rest of the bull – its hide, its flesh, and its dung – he completely burned up 28 outside the camp just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 29
8:18 Then he presented the burnt offering ram and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, 8:19 and he slaughtered it. 30 Moses then splashed the blood against the altar’s sides. 8:20 Then he 31 cut the ram into parts, 32 and Moses offered the head, the parts, and the suet up in smoke, 8:21 but the entrails and the legs he washed with water, 33 and Moses offered the whole ram up in smoke on the altar – it was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma, a gift to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 34
8:22 Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, 35 and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram 8:23 and he slaughtered it. 36 Moses then took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, 37 on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe 38 of his right foot. 8:24 Next he brought Aaron’s sons forward, and Moses put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet, and Moses splashed the rest of the blood against the altar’s sides.
8:25 Then he took the fat (the fatty tail, 39 all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat 40 ) and the right thigh, 41 8:26 and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with olive oil, and one wafer, 42 and placed them on the fat parts and on the right thigh. 8:27 He then put all of them on the palms 43 of Aaron and his sons, who waved 44 them as a wave offering before the Lord. 45 8:28 Moses then took them from their palms and offered them up in smoke on the altar 46 on top of the burnt offering – they were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was a gift to the Lord. 8:29 Finally, Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord from the ram of ordination. It was Moses’ share just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8:30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. So he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him. 8:31 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and there you are to eat it and the bread which is in the ordination offering basket, just as I have commanded, 47 saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it,’ 8:32 but the remainder of the meat and the bread 48 you must burn with fire. 8:33 And you must not go out from the entrance of the Meeting Tent for seven days, until the day when your days of ordination are completed, because you must be ordained over a seven-day period. 49 8:34 What has been done 50 on this day the Lord has commanded to be done 51 to make atonement for you. 8:35 You must reside at the entrance of the Meeting Tent day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the Lord so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.” 8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all the things the Lord had commanded through 52 Moses.
Leviticus 13:1-59
Context13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 13:2 “When someone has 53 a swelling 54 or a scab 55 or a bright spot 56 on the skin of his body 57 that may become a diseased infection, 58 he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests. 59 13:3 The priest must then examine the infection 60 on the skin of the body, and if the hair 61 in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, 62 then it is a diseased infection, 63 so when the priest examines it 64 he must pronounce the person unclean. 65
13:4 “If 66 it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 67 and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days. 68 13:5 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if, 69 as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the same 70 and has not spread on the skin, 71 then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days. 72 13:6 The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day, 73 and if 74 the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. 75 It is a scab, 76 so he must wash his clothes 77 and be clean. 13:7 If, however, the scab is spreading further 78 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, 79 and if 80 the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 81 It is a disease.
13:9 “When someone has a diseased infection, 82 he must be brought to the priest. 13:10 The priest will then examine it, 83 and if 84 a white swelling is on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, 85 13:11 it is a chronic 86 disease on the skin of his body, 87 so the priest is to pronounce him unclean. 88 The priest 89 must not merely quarantine him, for he is unclean. 90 13:12 If, however, the disease breaks out 91 on the skin so that the disease covers all the skin of the person with the infection 92 from his head to his feet, as far as the priest can see, 93 13:13 the priest must then examine it, 94 and if 95 the disease covers his whole body, he is to pronounce the person with the infection clean. 96 He has turned all white, so he is clean. 97 13:14 But whenever raw flesh appears in it 98 he will be unclean, 13:15 so the priest is to examine the raw flesh 99 and pronounce him unclean 100 – it is diseased. 13:16 If, however, 101 the raw flesh once again turns white, 102 then he must come to the priest. 13:17 The priest will then examine it, 103 and if 104 the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection clean 105 – he is clean.
13:18 “When someone’s body has a boil on its skin 106 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. 107 13:20 The priest will then examine it, 108 and if 109 it appears to be deeper than the skin 110 and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 111 It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil. 112 13:21 If, however, 113 the priest examines it, and 114 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. 115 13:22 If 116 it is spreading further 117 on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. 118 It is an infection. 13:23 But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, 119 it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean. 120
13:24 “When a body has a burn on its skin 121 and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot, 13:25 the priest must examine it, 122 and if 123 the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, 124 it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. 125 The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 126 It is a diseased infection. 127 13:26 If, however, 128 the priest examines it and 129 there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin, 130 and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 131 13:27 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading further 132 on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection. 133 13:28 But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin, 134 and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean, 135 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, 136 13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, 137 and if 138 it appears to be deeper than the skin 139 and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. 140 It is scall, 141 a disease of the head or the beard. 142 13:31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 143 and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days. 144 13:32 The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and if 145 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, 146 13:33 then the individual is to shave himself, 147 but he must not shave the area affected by the scall, 148 and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days. 149 13:34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if 150 the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 151 then the priest is to pronounce him clean. 152 So he is to wash his clothes and be clean. 13:35 If, however, the scall spreads further 153 on the skin after his purification, 13:36 then the priest is to examine it, and if 154 the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. 155 The person 156 is unclean. 13:37 If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same 157 and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean. 158
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, 159 and if 160 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. 161
13:40 “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, 162 he is clean. 13:41 If his head is bare on the forehead 163 so that he is balding in front, 164 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, 165 and if 166 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, 167 13:44 he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head. 168
13:45 “As for the diseased person who has the infection, 169 his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, 170 and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 13:46 The whole time he has the infection 171 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, 172 whether a wool or linen garment, 173 13:48 or in the warp or woof 174 of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather, 175 13:49 if the infection 176 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. 177 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 178 – 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 179 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. 180 13:55 The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if 181 the infection has not changed its appearance 182 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. 183 13:56 But if the priest has examined it and 184 the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of 185 the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof. 13:57 Then if 186 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 187 is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.”
13:59 This is the law 188 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. 189
Leviticus 1:1
Context1:1 Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him 190 from the Meeting Tent: 191
[12:2] 1 tn Heb “produces seed” (Hiphil of זָרַע, zara’; used only elsewhere in Gen 1:11-12 for plants “producing” their own “seed”), referring to the process of childbearing as a whole, from conception to the time of birth (H. D. Preuss, TDOT 4:144; cf. J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 164-65; and J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:742-43). Smr and LXX have Niphal “be impregnated” (see, e.g., Num 5:28); note KJV “If a woman have conceived seed” (cf. ASV, NAB, NRSV; also NIV, NLT “becomes pregnant”).
[12:2] 2 sn The regulations for the “male child” in vv. 2-4 contrast with those for the “female child” in v. 5 (see the note there).
[12:2] 3 tn Heb “as the days of the menstrual flow [nom.] of her menstruating [q. inf.] she shall be unclean” (R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:925-26; the verb appears only in this verse in the OT). Cf. NASB “as in the days of her menstruation”; NLT “during her menstrual period”; NIV “during her monthly period.”
[8:1] 4 sn Lev 8 is the fulfillment account of the ordination legislation recorded in Exod 29, and is directly connected to the command to ordain the tabernacle and priesthood in Exod 40:1-16 as well as the partial record of its fulfillment in Exod 40:17-38.
[8:3] 7 sn For “tent of meeting” see the note on Lev 1:1 above.
[8:7] 10 sn Here Moses actually clothes Aaron (cf. v. 13 below for Aaron’s sons). Regarding the various articles of clothing see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 111-12 and esp. J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:501-13.
[8:7] 11 sn The term “tunic” refers to a shirt-like garment worn next to the skin and, therefore, put on first (cf. Exod 28:4, 39-40; 29:5, 8; 39:27). Traditionally this has been translated “coat” (so KJV, ASV), but that English word designates an outer garment.
[8:7] 12 tn Heb “on him”; the referent (Aaron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:7] 13 tn Heb “girded him with the sash” (so NASB); NCV “tied the cloth belt around him.”
[8:7] 14 sn The robe was a long shirt-like over-garment that reached down below the knees. Its hem was embroidered with pomegranates and golden bells around the bottom (Exod 28:4, 31-35; 29:5; 39:22-26).
[8:7] 15 sn The ephod was an apron like garment suspended from shoulder straps. It draped over the robe and extended from the chest down to the thighs (Exod 28:4, 6-14, 25-28; 29:5; 39:2-7).
[8:7] 16 tn Heb “girded him with.”
[8:7] 17 sn The decorated band of the ephod served as a sort of belt around Aaron’s body that would hold the ephod closely to him rather than allowing it to hang loosely across his front (Exod 28:8, 27; 29:5; 39:5, 20).
[8:8] 13 sn The breastpiece was made of the same material as the ephod and was attached to it by means of gold rings and chains on its four corners (Exod 28:15-30; 29:5; 39:8-21). It had twelve stones attached to it (representing the twelve tribes of Israel), and a pocket in which the Urim and Thummim were kept (see following).
[8:8] 14 sn The Urim and Thummim were two small objects used in the casting of lots to discern the will of God (see Exod 28:30; Num 27:21; Deut 33:8; 1 Sam 14:41 in the LXX and 28:6; Ezra 2:63 and Neh 7:65). It appears that by casting them one could obtain a yes or no answer, or no answer at all (1 Sam 28:6; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 111-12). See the extensive discussion in J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:507-11.
[8:9] 16 tn Although usually thought to be a “turban” (and so translated by the majority of English versions) this object might be only a “turban-like headband” wound around the forehead area (HALOT 624 s.v. מִצְנֶפֶת).
[8:9] 17 sn The gold plate was attached as a holy diadem to the front of the turban by means of a blue cord, and had written on it “Holy to the
[8:10] 19 sn The expression “and consecrated it” refers to the effect of the anointing earlier in the verse (cf. “to consecrate them/him” in vv. 11 and 12). “To consecrate” means “to make holy” or “make sacred”; i.e., put something into the category of holy/sacred as opposed to common/profane (see Lev 10:10 below). Thus, the person or thing consecrated is put into the realm of God’s holy things.
[8:13] 22 tc The MT has here “sash” (singular), but the context is clearly plural and Smr has it in the plural.
[8:13] 23 tn Heb “wrapped headdresses to them”; cf. KJV “bonnets”; NASB, TEV “caps”; NIV, NCV “headbands”; NAB, NLT “turbans.”
[8:14] 25 sn See Lev 4:3-12 above for the sin offering of the priests. In this case, however, the blood manipulation is different because Moses, not Aaron (and his sons), is functioning as the priest. On the one hand, Aaron and his sons are, in a sense, treated as if they were commoners so that the blood manipulation took place at the burnt offering altar in the court of the tabernacle (see v. 15 below), not at the incense altar inside the tabernacle tent itself (contrast Lev 4:5-7 and compare 4:30). On the other hand, since it was a sin offering for the priests, therefore, the priests themselves could not eat its flesh (Lev 4:11-12; 6:30 [23 HT]), which was the normal priestly practice for sin offerings of commoners (Lev 6:26[19], 29[22]).
[8:15] 28 sn Contrary to some English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT), Aaron (not Moses) most likely slaughtered the bull, possibly with the help of his sons, although the verb is singular, not plural. Moses then performed the ritual procedures that involved direct contact with the altar. Compare the pattern in Lev 1:5-9, where the offerer does the slaughtering and the priests perform the procedures that involve direct contact with the altar. In Lev 8 Moses is functioning as the priest in order to consecrate the priesthood. The explicit reintroduction of the name of Moses as the subject of the next verb seems to reinforce this understanding of the passage (cf. also vv. 19 and 23 below).
[8:15] 29 tn The verb is the Piel of חָטָא (khata’, “to sin”) and means “to de-sin” the altar. This verse is important for confirming the main purpose of the sin offering, which was to decontaminate the tabernacle and its furniture from any impurities. See the note on Lev 4:3.
[8:15] 30 tn Similar to v. 10 above, “and consecrated it” refers to the effect of the blood manipulation earlier in the verse. The goal here was to consecrate the altar in order that it might become a place on which it would be appropriate “to make atonement” before the
[8:16] 31 tn Again, Aaron probably performed the slaughter and collected the fat parts (v. 16a), but Moses presented it all on the altar (v. 16b; cf. the note on v. 15 above).
[8:16] 32 sn See Lev 3:3-4 for the terminology of fat and kidneys here.
[8:16] 33 tn Heb “toward the altar” (see the note on Lev 1:9).
[8:17] 34 tn Heb “he burned with fire,” an expression which is sometimes redundant in English, but here means “burned up,” “burned up entirely.”
[8:17] 35 sn See Lev 4:11-12, 21; 6:30 [23 HT].
[8:19] 37 tn Aaron probably did the slaughtering (cf. the notes on Lev 8:15-16 above).
[8:20] 40 tn Again, Aaron probably cut the ram up into parts (v. 20a), but Moses presented them on the altar (v. 20b; cf. the note on v. 15 above).
[8:20] 41 tn Heb “cut it into its parts.” One could translate here, “quartered it” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:133; cf. Lev 1:6, 12 above).
[8:21] 43 tn Again, Aaron probably did the washing (v. 21a), but Moses presented the portions on the altar (v. 21b; cf. the note on v. 15 above).
[8:21] 44 tn See Lev 1:9, 13.
[8:22] 46 tn For “ordination offering” see Lev 7:37
[8:23] 49 tn Again, Aaron probably did the slaughtering (cf. the notes on Lev 8:15-16 above).
[8:23] 50 tn Heb “on the lobe of the ear of Aaron, the right one.”
[8:23] 51 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.
[8:25] 54 tn See Lev 7:32-34.
[8:27] 58 sn The “palms” refer to the up-turned hands, positioned in such a way that the articles of the offering could be placed on them.
[8:27] 59 tn Heb “and he waved.” The subject of the verb “he waved” is Aaron, but Aaron’s sons also performed the action (see “Aaron and his sons” just previously). See the similar shifts from Moses to Aaron as the subject of the action above (vv. 15, 16, 19, 20, 23), and esp. the note on Lev 8:15. In the present translation this is rendered as an adjectival clause (“who waved”) to indicate that the referent is not Moses but Aaron and his sons. Cf. CEV “who lifted it up”; NAB “whom he had wave” (with “he” referring to Moses here).
[8:27] 60 sn See Lev 7:30-31, 34.
[8:28] 61 tn Heb “toward the altar” (see the note on Lev 1:9).
[8:31] 64 tn Several major ancient versions have the passive form of the verb (see BHS v. 31 note c; cf. Lev 8:35; 10:13). In that case we would translate, “just as I was commanded.”
[8:32] 67 tn Heb “but the remainder in the flesh and in the bread”; NAB, CEV “what is left over”; NRSV “what remains.”
[8:33] 70 tn Heb “because seven days he shall fill your hands”; KJV “for seven days shall he consecrate you”; CEV “ends seven days from now.”
[8:34] 73 tn Heb “just as he has done” (cf. the note on v. 33).
[8:34] 74 tn Heb “the
[8:36] 76 tn Heb “by the hand of” (so KJV).
[13:2] 79 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] 80 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] 81 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] 82 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] 83 tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29).
[13:2] 84 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] 85 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] 82 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”
[13:3] 83 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] 84 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] 85 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] 86 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] 87 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] 86 tn Heb “and deep is not its appearance from the skin”; cf. NAB “does not seem to have penetrated below the skin.”
[13:4] 87 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection seven days.”
[13:5] 88 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:5] 89 tn Heb “the infection has stood in his eyes”; ASV “if in his eyes the plague be at a stay.”
[13:5] 90 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] 91 tn Heb “a second seven days.”
[13:6] 91 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] 92 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:6] 93 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] 94 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] 95 tn Heb “and he shall wash his clothes.”
[13:7] 94 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] 97 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] 98 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:8] 99 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:9] 100 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] 103 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] 104 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:10] 105 tn Heb “and rawness [i.e., something living] of living flesh is in the swelling”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “quick raw flesh.”
[13:11] 106 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] 107 tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29; cf. v. 2 above).
[13:11] 108 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:11] 109 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:11] 110 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] 109 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] 110 tn Heb “all the skin of the infection,” but see v. 4 above.
[13:12] 111 tn Heb “to all the appearance of the eyes of the priest.”
[13:13] 112 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] 113 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:13] 114 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] 115 tn Heb “all of him has turned white, and he is clean.”
[13:14] 115 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] 118 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the living flesh.”
[13:15] 119 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:16] 121 tn Heb “Or if/when.”
[13:16] 122 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] 124 tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”
[13:17] 125 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:17] 126 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] 127 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] 130 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] 133 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] 134 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:20] 135 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] 136 tn The declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:20] 137 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] 137 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[13:21] 138 tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”
[13:22] 140 tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”
[13:22] 141 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:23] 142 tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread.”
[13:23] 143 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:24] 145 tn Heb “Or a body, if there is in its skin a burn of fire.”
[13:25] 148 tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”
[13:25] 149 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:25] 150 tn Heb “and its appearance is deep ‘from’ [comparative מִן (min) meaning ‘deeper than’] the skin.”
[13:25] 151 tn Heb “it is a disease. In the burn it has broken out.”
[13:25] 152 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:25] 153 tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.
[13:26] 152 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and indeed.”
[13:26] 153 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] 154 tn Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”
[13:27] 154 tn Heb “is indeed spreading.”
[13:27] 155 tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.
[13:28] 157 tn Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread in the skin.”
[13:28] 158 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher; cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:29] 160 tn Heb “And a man or a woman if there is in him an infection in head or in beard.”
[13:30] 163 tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”
[13:30] 164 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:30] 165 tn Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:30] 166 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).
[13:30] 167 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] 168 tn Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”
[13:31] 166 tn Heb “and behold there is not its appearance deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:31] 167 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection of the scall seven days.”
[13:32] 169 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:32] 170 tn Heb “and the appearance of the scall is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:33] 172 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] 173 tn Heb “but the scall shall he not shave” (so KJV, ASV); NIV “except for the diseased area.”
[13:33] 174 tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the scall a second seven days.”
[13:34] 175 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:34] 176 tn Heb “and its appearance is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”
[13:34] 177 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:35] 178 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] 181 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:36] 182 tn Heb “the priest shall not search to the reddish yellow hair.”
[13:36] 183 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the affected person) is specified in the translation for clarity (likewise in the following verse).
[13:37] 184 tn Heb “and if in his eyes the infection has stood.”
[13:37] 185 tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).
[13:39] 187 tn Heb “and the priest shall see.”
[13:39] 188 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:39] 189 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] 190 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] 193 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] 194 tn The rendering “balding in front” corresponds to the location of the bareness at the beginning of the verse.
[13:43] 196 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] 197 tn Heb “and behold.”
[13:43] 198 tn Heb “like appearance of disease of skin of flesh.”
[13:44] 199 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] 202 tn Heb “And the diseased one who in him is the infection.”
[13:45] 203 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] 205 tn Heb “All the days which the infection is in him.”
[13:47] 208 tn Heb “And the garment, if there is in it a mark of disease.”
[13:47] 209 tn Heb “in a wool garment or in a linen garment.”
[13:48] 211 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] 212 tn Heb “in any handiwork of skin” (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV); most other modern English versions have “leather.”
[13:49] 214 tn Heb “and the infection is.” This clause is conditional in force, and is translated as such by almost all English versions.
[13:50] 217 tn Heb “And the priest shall see the infection and he shall shut up the infection seven days.”
[13:51] 220 tn Heb “to all which the leather was made into a handiwork.”
[13:53] 223 tn Heb “And if the priest sees and behold”; NASB “and indeed.”
[13:54] 226 tn Heb “a second seven days.”
[13:55] 229 tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).
[13:55] 230 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] 231 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] 232 tn Heb “And if the priest saw and behold….”
[13:56] 233 tn Heb “and he shall tear it from.”
[13:57] 235 tn Heb “And if”; NIV, NCV “But if”; NAB “If, however.”
[13:58] 238 tn Heb “and the infection turns aside from them.”
[13:59] 241 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] 242 tn These are declarative Piel forms of the verbs טָהֵר (taher) and טָמֵא (tame’) respectively (cf. the notes on vv. 3 and 6 above).
[1:1] 244 tn Heb “And he (the
[1:1] 245 sn The second clause of v. 1, “and the
