Leviticus 13
BSA1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said [to speak, communicate, or utter] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet, and lawgiver] and Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses], word study 2 “When someone has a swelling [or a rising, possibly a tumor] or rash [a scab or eruption] or bright spot [a shiny or white area] on his skin [the outer layer of his body, his flesh] that could become an infectious skin disease [like the plague of leprosy, a dreaded disease], he must be brought to Aaron [the first high priest, the brother of Moses] the priest [a spiritual leader, one who serves God] or to one of his sons [his descendants, a priestly lineage] who is a priest. word study 3 The priest [who serves God, a spiritual leader] is to examine [look carefully, inspect] the infection [plague, disease] on his skin [flesh, body], and if the hair [a sign of health or sickness] in the infection [plague, leprosy] has turned white [become pure, a sign of disease] and the sore [wound, affliction] appears to be deeper [more profound, severe] than the skin [surface, outer layer], it is a skin disease [leprosy, a condition of separation]. After the priest [spiritual authority] examines him, he must pronounce [declare, judge] him unclean [impure, separated from community]. word study 4 If, however, the spot [bright spot, shining whiteness] on his skin [flesh, body] is white [pure, clean] and does not appear [seem, look] to be deeper [lower, more profound] than the skin [surface, outer layer], and the hair [locks, growth] in it has not turned [changed, overturned] white [to white, pure], the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] shall isolate [shut up, separate] the infected person [one with the plague, diseased individual] for seven days. word study 5 On the seventh [appointed, sacred] day the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] is to reexamine [look carefully, inspect] him, and if he sees [perceives, beholds] that the infection [plague, disease, an affliction or calamity] is unchanged [at a standstill, stationary] and has not spread [grown, increased] on the skin [the outer covering of the body], the priest must isolate [shut up, separate] him for another seven [complete, perfect] days. word study 6 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] will examine him again [on the second occasion, for the seventh time] on the seventh day [a day of completion, rest], and if the sore [plague, affliction] has faded [become weak, dim] and has not spread [extended, increased] on the skin [the outer covering, flesh], the priest [the one who serves God] shall pronounce him clean [pure, ritually acceptable]; it is [nothing more than] a rash [scab, eruption]. The person must wash [cleanse, purify] his clothes [garments, outer covering] and be clean [pure, holy]. word study 7 But if the rash [scab, eruption on the skin] spreads further [abroad, greatly] on his skin [human skin, outer covering] after he has shown [presented, been seen] himself to the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God] for his cleansing [purification, ceremonial purity], he must present [show, be seen] himself again [a second time, once more] to the priest [one who leads in worship]. word study 8 The priest [who serves God and leads others in worship] will reexamine him, and if the rash [scab or eruption on the skin] has spread [to increase or extend] on the skin [the outer covering of the body], the priest must pronounce him unclean [to be foul or contaminated, ceremonially impure]; he has a skin disease [leprosy, a condition of ceremonial impurity]. word study 9 When anyone develops [is afflicted with] a skin disease [leprosy, plague, infectious skin condition], he must be brought [taken, come] to the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God]. word study 10 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] will examine [look carefully, inspect] him, and if there is a white [pure, clean] swelling [elevation, rising] on the skin [the outer covering, flesh] that has turned [overturned, changed] the hair [the growth on the head] white [clean, pure], and there is raw [living, sensitive] flesh [the body, mortal skin] in the swelling [the elevated area, lump], word study 11 it is a chronic [old] skin disease [leprosy] and the priest [the spiritual leader] must pronounce him unclean [ceremonially impure]. He need not isolate [shut up] him, for [because] he is [already, evidently] unclean [spiritually defiled]. word study 12 But if the skin disease [leprosy, a serious skin condition] breaks out all over his skin [from head to toe, completely covering] so that it covers all the skin [every part, entirely] of the infected person [one who has the plague, a disease] from head [the top of the body] to foot [the lowest part], as far as [to the extent that, wherever] the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] can see [with his eyes, observe], word study 13 the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] shall examine [look carefully, inspect] him, and if the disease [leprosy, a skin condition] has covered [to cover, overwhelm] his entire body [all his flesh], he is to pronounce [declare, judge] the infected person [the one with the plague] clean [pure, ceremonially clean]. Since it has all turned white [completely changed, transformed], he is clean [pure, free from defilement]. word study 14 But whenever [in the day of, at the time of] raw [diseased, open] flesh [body, living thing] appears [is seen, becomes visible] on someone [in him, on a person], he will be [shall be considered, becomes] unclean [defiled, contaminated, morally or ceremonially impure]. word study 15 When the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] sees [examines, looks at] the raw [living, diseased] flesh [body, mortal body], he must pronounce [declare, judge] him unclean [impure, defiled]. The raw [living, diseased] flesh [human body, physical form] is unclean [impure, contaminated]; it is [characterized as, identified with] a skin disease [leprosy, infectious affliction]. word study 16 But if the raw [diseased, infected] flesh [body, living thing] changes [turns back, is transformed] and turns [is changed, becomes] white [pure, clean], he must go [come, approach] to the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God]. word study 17 The priest [who serves God and leads others in worship] will reexamine him, and if the infection [plague, disease] has turned [to overturn, changed completely] white [pure, clean], the priest [the one who pronounces judgment] is to pronounce the infected person [the one who hath the plague] clean [pure, ceremonially clean]; then he is [declared to be] clean [free from defilement]. word study 18 When a boil [inflamed spot, skin condition] appears on someone’s skin [human hide, outer covering] and it heals [is mended, made whole, to cure], word study 19 and a white [or bright, shining] swelling [elevation, a raised area] or a reddish-white [somewhat reddish, having a reddish tint] spot [bright spot, a shiny mark] develops [appears, comes into being] where the boil [inflamed spot, ulcer] was, he must present [show, bring] himself to the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God]. word study 20 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] shall examine [look carefully, inspect] it, and if it appears [seems, is visible] to be beneath [lower than, under] the skin [the outer covering, flesh] and the hair [the growth from the body] in it has turned [changed, been transformed] white [pure, clean], the priest [the one who serves God] shall pronounce [declare, judge] him unclean [defiled, polluted]; it is a diseased [harmful, corrupt] infection [plague, affliction] that has broken out [sprouted, flourished] in the boil [the inflamed spot, sore]. word study 21 But when the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] examines it, if there is no white [pure, clean] hair in it, and it is not [lower] beneath the skin [the outer covering, flesh] and has [become, grown] faded [dim, weak, faint], the priest [the one who serves God] shall isolate [shut up, separate] him for seven days [a period of time, a season]. word study 22 If [under these conditions, whether] it spreads [to a greater extent, further] any further on the skin [human skin, the body’s outer layer], the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] must pronounce him unclean [defiled, ceremonially impure]; it is [namely, constitutes] an infection [a plague, a disease, a contagious affliction]. word study 23 But if the spot [bright mark, inflamed area] remains unchanged [stays in its place] and does not [will not, is not able to] spread [grow, become larger], it is only [nothing more than] the scar [mark, sign] from the boil [inflamed spot, burning ulcer], and the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] shall pronounce [declare, make clean] him clean [pure, ceremonially acceptable]. word study 24 When there is a burn [a fiery burning, a hot burning] on someone’s skin [the body’s outer covering, flesh and skin] and the raw area [the quick flesh, the diseased flesh] of the burn becomes [is healed, has a bright spot] reddish-white [somewhat reddish, having a red and white color] or white [a bright white, pure and clean], word study 25 the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] must examine [look carefully, inspect] it. If the hair [the growth on the human body] in the spot [the bright spot, the infected area] has turned [changed, been transformed] white [pure, clean] and the spot [the infected area, the leprosy] appears [seems, is perceived] to be deeper [more profound, further in] than the skin [the outer layer, the surface], it is a disease [a plague, a leprosy] that has broken out [sprouted, flourished] in the burn [the scar, the wound]. The priest [the spiritual authority] must pronounce [declare, proclaim] him unclean [impure, contaminated]; it is a diseased [infected, contaminated] infection [plague, leprosy]. word study 26 But if [in the event that, when] the priest [the one who serves God, a spiritual leader] examines [looks carefully at, inspects] it and there is no [none, not any] white [pure, clean] hair [a growth from the skin] in the spot [the bright spot, a mark on the skin], and it is not [is not located] beneath [under, lower than] the skin [the outer covering of the body] but has [has become] faded [dim, weak], the priest [the spiritual leader] shall isolate [separate, set apart] him for seven days [a period of time]. word study 27 On the seventh [appointed, special] day the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] is to reexamine [look carefully at, inspect] him, and if it has spread [grown, increased] further on the skin [human skin, the outer covering of the body], the priest must pronounce [declare, judge] him unclean [defiled, contaminated]; it is a diseased [harmful, corrupting] infection [plague, leprosy, a skin disease]. word study 28 But if the spot [bright spot, possibly a scar or boil] is unchanged and has not spread [not grown or increased] on the skin [human skin, the outer covering of the body] but has faded [become weak or dim, lost its brightness], it is a swelling [elevation, a raised area] from the burn [a mark left by fire, a burn scar], and the priest [a person who serves God and leads others in worship] is to pronounce him clean [declare him ritually pure, free from defilement]; for it is only the scar [a mark left by a burn or disease, a lasting reminder] from the burn [a physical burn or a burning sensation]. word study 29 If a man [or male person] or woman [female person] has an infection [plague, disease, or skin condition] on the head [upper part of the body] or chin [beard area, indicating age or wisdom], word study 30 the priest [a spiritual leader, mediator] shall examine [look carefully, inspect] the infection [plague, disease], and if it appears [seems, is visible] to be deeper [more profound, severe] than the skin [the outer layer, surface] and the hair [locks, growth] in it is yellow [pale, discolored] and thin [fragile, weak], the priest must pronounce [declare, judge] him unclean [impure, contaminated]; it is a scaly [dry, crusty] outbreak [eruption, affliction], an infectious [contagious, spreading] disease [sickness, plague] of the head [the mind, the seat of thought] or chin [the beard, the jaw]. word study 31 But if the priest [who serves God and leads others in worship] examines [looks carefully at, inspects] the scaly infection [plague of the scall, skin eruption] and it does not appear [seem, is not in sight] to be deeper [more profound, physically or emotionally] than the skin [human skin, outer layer], and there is no [none, absence of] black [dark, shadowy] hair [growth on the human head or body] in it, the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God] shall isolate [shut up, separate from others] the infected person [one who has the plague, is diseased] for seven days [a period of time, 24 hours]. word study 32 On the seventh [appointed, sacred] day the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] is to reexamine [look carefully, inspect] the infection [plague, disease], and if the scaly outbreak [scab, skin eruption] has not spread [grown, increased] and there is no yellow [golden, shining] hair in it, and it does not appear [seem, look] to be deeper [more profound, severe] than the skin [outer layer, surface], word study 33 then the person must shave [be shaven, lay waste] himself except for the scaly area [scab, skin eruption]. Then the priest [one who serves God, leads in worship] shall isolate [shut up, close off] him for another [a second, seven more] seven days. word study 34 On the seventh day the priest [a spiritual leader, one who serves God] shall examine [look carefully at, inspect] the scaly outbreak [scab, a skin eruption], and if it has not [lo, not at all] spread [to spread out, to grow] on the skin [the outer layer, the flesh] and does not appear [seem, have the appearance] to be deeper [more profound, below the surface] than the skin [the outer layer, the flesh], the priest is to pronounce [declare, speak on behalf of God] him clean [pure, ceremonially acceptable]. He must wash [cleanse, purify] his clothes [garments, outer coverings], and he will be [become, be considered] clean [pure, without blemish]. word study 35 If, however, the scaly outbreak [or scab, a skin eruption] spreads [to spread out, become larger] further on the skin [human skin, the outer covering] after his cleansing [purifying, ceremonial purification, becoming clean], word study 36 the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to examine [inspect, investigate] him, and if the scaly outbreak [scab, skin eruption] has spread [increased, grown] on the skin [human skin, outer covering], the priest need not look [seek, search] for yellow [golden, shining] hair; the person [individual, human being] is unclean [spiritually impure, defiled]. word study 37 If, however, in his sight [before his eyes, in his opinion] the scaly outbreak [scall, skin eruption] is unchanged [at a stay, remained] and black [dark, shadows] hair has grown [sprung up, to spring] in it, then it has healed [been mended, cured]. He is clean [pure, ceremonially clean], and the priest [the one who serves God] is to pronounce him clean [declare pure, to be pure]. word study 38 When a man [or male person, individual] or a woman [female person, wife] has white [pure, clean] spots [bright marks, blisters] on the skin [human skin, flesh], word study 39 the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] shall examine [look carefully, inspect] them, and if the spots [bright spots, blemishes] are dull [faint, dim] white [pure, clean], it is a harmless [not serious, non-threatening] rash [skin disease, infection] that has broken out [sprouted, appeared] on the skin [the outer layer, flesh]; the person [he, she, the individual] is clean [pure, ceremonially acceptable]. word study 40 Now if a man [a male person, individual] loses his hair [his head is polished, becomes smooth] and is bald [on the back of his head, with a shiny scalp], he is still [remains, continues to be] clean [pure, ceremonially undefiled]. word study 41 Or if his hairline recedes [falls off from the front part] and he is bald [forehead bald, having a high or bare forehead area] on his forehead [toward his face], he is still [yet, nonetheless] clean [pure, ceremonially clean]. word study 42 But if there is a [reddish-white, very red white] reddish-white sore [plague, disease] on the bald [back of the] head [baldness, a bald spot] or forehead [baldness, a bare spot], it is an infectious [contagious] disease [leprosy, a skin disease] breaking out [sprouting, flourishing] on it. word study 43 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to examine [look upon, inspect] him, and if the swelling [elevation, rising] of the infection [plague, disease] on his bald [with baldness, lacking hair] head or forehead is reddish-white [like the color of leprosy] like a skin disease [leprosy, a condition of uncleanness], word study 44 the man [a male person, individual] is diseased [afflicted with leprosy, a skin disease]; he is unclean [spiritually impure, defiled]. The priest [a person who serves God, leads in worship] must pronounce him unclean [utterly defiled, contaminated] because of the infection [plague, disease] on his head [upper part of the body]. word study 45 A diseased person [afflicted with leprosy, having a contagious skin disease] must wear torn [rent, ripped] clothes and let his hair hang loose [be uncovered, uncombed], and he must cover his mouth [upper lip, mustache] and cry out, ‘Unclean [defiled, spiritually impure], unclean [having a plague]!’ word study 46 As long as he has the infection [plague, disease, or defilement], he remains [is considered, or is to be regarded as] unclean [morally or ceremonially impure]. He must live [dwell, reside, or sit] alone [in solitude, or by himself] in a place outside [or without] the camp [community, or gathering of people]. word study 47 If any fabric [material, clothing] is contaminated [infected, affected] with mildew [a plague, leprosy] —any wool [from sheep, like a woolen garment] or linen [made from flax, a plant used to make thread] garment [a covering, like a robe], word study 48 any [woven or knitted] weave or knit [in the warp or woof] of linen [flax, a plant used to make thread] or wool [a natural fiber from sheep], or any article [made from] of leather [skin, like animal hide]— word study 49 and if the mark [plague, disease, or contagion] in the fabric [garment, clothing], leather [skin, hide], weave [warp], knit [woof], or leather [skin, hide] article is green [greenish, yellowish] or red [reddish, ruddy], then it is contaminated [infected, affected] with mildew [leprosy, a spreading disease] and must be shown [presented, exhibited] to the priest [spiritual leader, mediator]. word study 50 And the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to examine [look upon, inspect carefully] the mildew [plague, disease] and isolate [shut up, set apart] the contaminated [affected by the plague] fabric [item, thing] for seven days [a period of time, opportunity for purification]. word study 51 On the seventh [appointed, special] day the priest shall reexamine [look carefully, inspect] it, and if the mildew [plague, leprosy] has spread [grown, increased] in the fabric [garment, clothing], weave [warp], knit [woof], or leather [skin, hide], then regardless of how it is used [whatever its purpose], it is a harmful [destructive, fretting] mildew [leprosy, disease]; the article [thing, object] is unclean [impure, defiled]. word study 52 He is to burn [completely destroy, set on fire] the fabric [garment, article of clothing], weave [warp], or knit [woof], whether the contaminated item [plague-infested object] is wool [made of wool, like a woolen robe] or linen [made of flax, a plant used to make linen thread] or leather [made from animal skin, like a leather hide]. Since the mildew [leprosy, a skin disease] is harmful [causing pain or bitterness, malignant], the article [object, utensil] must be burned up [consumed by fire, utterly destroyed]. word study 53 But when the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] reexamines it, if the mildew [plague, disease, a strike or affliction] has not spread [to increase, grow] in the fabric [garment, clothing], weave [warp], knit [woof], or leather [skin] article [utensil, tool], word study 54 the priest [the spiritual leader] is to order the contaminated article [the thing wherein the plague is, affected item] to be washed [to clean] and isolated [shut up] for another [a second] seven [a week, a complete cycle] days. word study 55 After it has been washed [cleaned, purified], the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] is to reexamine [look again, inspect carefully] it, and if the mildewed article [infected garment, diseased fabric] has not changed [altered, transformed] in appearance [outward show, visible condition], it is unclean [impure, defiled, tainted with sin]. Even though the mildew [disease, corruption] has not spread [extended, increased], you must burn [consume with fire, utterly destroy] it, whether the rot [decay, corruption] is on the front [outside, surface] or back [inside, underlying structure]. word study 56 If the priest examines [examines carefully, looks] it and the mildew [plague, disease] has faded [become weak, dim] after it has been washed [cleaned, purified], he must cut [tear, rend] the contaminated [affected, infected] section out of the fabric [garment, clothing], leather [skin, hide], weave [warp, foundation threads], or knit [woof, woven material]. word study 57 But if it reappears [still visible, comes back] in the fabric [garment, clothing], weave [warp], or knit [woof], or on any leather [skin, animal hide] article [utensil, object], it is spreading [a plague, breaking out, flourishing]. You must burn [set on fire, kindle flames] the contaminated [affected, diseased] article [object, thing]. word study 58 If the mildew [plague, disease] disappears from the fabric [garment, clothing], weave [warp], or knit [woof], or any leather [skin] article after washing [being cleansed], then it is to be washed [cleaned, purified] again [a second time], and it will be clean [pure, ceremonially acceptable]. word study 59 This [the present instruction] is the law [instruction, guiding principle] concerning a mildew [leprosy, plague] contamination [disease, defilement] in wool [from sheep, natural fiber] or linen [from flax, plant-based material] fabric [garment, clothing], weave [warp, foundation threads], or knit [interlocking loops], or any leather [animal skin, hide] article [object, utensil], for pronouncing [declaring, judging] it clean [pure, ceremonially acceptable] or unclean [defiled, contaminated].” word study