Leviticus 2:2

2:2 Then he must bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priests, and the priest ¹  must scoop out from there a handful of its choice wheat flour and some of its olive oil in addition to all of its frankincense, and the priest must offer its memorial portion ²  up in smoke on the altar – it is ³  a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Leviticus 4:31

4:31 Then he must remove all of its fat (just as fat was removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the Lord. So the priest will make atonement ⁴  on his behalf and he will be forgiven. ⁵ 

Leviticus 4:35

4:35 Then the one who brought the offering ⁶  must remove all its fat (just as the fat of the sheep is removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar on top of the other gifts of the Lord. So the priest will make atonement ⁷  on his behalf for his sin which he has committed and he will be forgiven. ⁸ 

Leviticus 5:16

5:16 And whatever holy thing he violated ⁹  he must restore and must add one fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest will make atonement ¹⁰  on his behalf with the guilt offering ram and he will be forgiven.” ¹¹ 

Leviticus 5:18

5:18 and must bring a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels, ¹²  for a guilt offering to the priest. So the priest will make atonement ¹³  on his behalf for his error which he committed ¹⁴  (although he himself had not known it) and he will be forgiven. ¹⁵ 

Leviticus 13:2-3

13:2 “When someone has ¹⁶  a swelling ¹⁷  or a scab ¹⁸  or a bright spot ¹⁹  on the skin of his body ²⁰  that may become a diseased infection, ²¹  he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests. ²²  13:3 The priest must then examine the infection ²³  on the skin of the body, and if the hair ²⁴  in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, ²⁵  then it is a diseased infection, ²⁶  so when the priest examines it ²⁷  he must pronounce the person unclean. ²⁸ 

Leviticus 13:6

13:6 The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day, ²⁹  and if ³⁰  the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. ³¹  It is a scab, ³²  so he must wash his clothes ³³  and be clean.

Leviticus 13:25

13:25 the priest must examine it, ³⁴  and if ³⁵  the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, ³⁶  it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. ³⁷  The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. ³⁸  It is a diseased infection. ³⁹ 

Leviticus 13:30-31

13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, ⁴⁰  and if ⁴¹  it appears to be deeper than the skin ⁴²  and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. ⁴³  It is scall, ⁴⁴  a disease of the head or the beard. ⁴⁵  13:31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, ⁴⁶  and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days. ⁴⁷ 

Leviticus 13:34

13:34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if ⁴⁸  the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, ⁴⁹  then the priest is to pronounce him clean. ⁵⁰  So he is to wash his clothes and be clean.

Leviticus 14:14

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, ⁵¹  on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe ⁵²  of his right foot.

Leviticus 14:48

14:48 “If, however, the priest enters ⁵³  and examines it, and the ⁵⁴  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.

Leviticus 27:14

Redemption of Vowed Houses

27:14 “‘If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand. ⁵⁵ 

[2:2]  ¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. The syntax is strange here and might suggest that it was the offerer who scooped out a handful of the grain offering for the memorial portion (G. J. Wenham, Leviticus [NICOT], 66), but based on v. 9 below it should be understood that it was the priest who performed this act (see, e.g., NRSV “After taking from it a handful of the choice flour and oil…the priest shall…”; see also J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:177, 181 and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 30).

[2:2]  ² sn The “memorial portion” (אַזְכָרָה, ’azkharah) was the part of the grain offering that was burnt on the altar (see the previous clause), as opposed to the remainder, which was normally consumed by the priests (v. 3; see the full regulations in Lev 6:14-23[7-16]). It was probably intended to call to mind (i.e., memorialize) before the Lord the reason for the presentation of the particular offering (see the remarks in R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:335-39).

[2:2]  ³ tn The words “it is” have been supplied. See the notes on Lev 1:9 and 2:3. There is no text critical problem here, but the syntax suggests the same translation.

[4:31]  ⁴ sn The focus of sin offering “atonement” was purging impurities from the tabernacle (see the note on Lev 1:4).

[4:31]  ⁵ tn Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” (KJV similar).

[4:35]  ⁷ tn Heb “Then he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here “he” refers to the offerer rather than the priest (contrast the clauses before and after).

[4:35]  ⁸ sn The focus of sin offering “atonement” was purging impurities from the tabernacle (see the note on Lev 1:4).

[4:35]  ⁹ tn Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” (KJV similar).

[5:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and which he sinned from the holy thing.”

[5:16]  ¹¹ sn Regarding “make atonement” see the note on Lev 1:4.

[5:16]  ¹² tn Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” (KJV similar).

[5:18]  ¹³ tn The statement here is condensed. See the full expression in 5:15 and the note there.

[5:18]  ¹⁴ sn Regarding “make atonement” see the note on Lev 1:4.

[5:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “on his straying which he strayed.” See the note on Lev 4:2.

[5:18]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” (KJV and NASB both similar).

[13:2]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29).

[13:2]  ²¹ 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]  ²² 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]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”

[13:3]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ 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]  ²² 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]  ²³ 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]  ²⁴ 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).

[13:6]  ²² 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]  ²³ tn Heb “and behold.”

[13:6]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and he shall wash his clothes.”

[13:25]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and the priest shall see it.”

[13:25]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

[13:25]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and its appearance is deep ‘from’ [comparative מִן (min) meaning ‘deeper than’] the skin.”

[13:25]  ²⁸ tn Heb “it is a disease. In the burn it has broken out.”

[13:25]  ²⁹ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).

[13:25]  ³⁰ tn For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.

[13:30]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”

[13:30]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and behold.”

[13:30]  ³⁰ tn Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, “deeper than”) the skin.”

[13:30]  ³¹ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא (tame’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).

[13:30]  ³² 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]  ³³ tn Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”

[13:31]  ³¹ tn Heb “and behold there is not its appearance deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”

[13:31]  ³² tn Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection of the scall seven days.”

[13:34]  ³⁴ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).

[13:34]  ³⁵ tn Heb “and its appearance is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן, min, meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”

[13:34]  ³⁶ tn This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר (taher, cf. the note on v. 6 above).

[14:14]  ³⁷ 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]  ³⁸ 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.

[14:48]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and the mark has not indeed spread.”

[27:14]  ⁴³ tn The expression “it shall stand” may be a technical term for “it shall be legally valid”; cf. NLT “assessment will be final.”