Keraia
Leviticus 13

Leviticus 13:2

Laws about Skin Diseases · Leviticus 13:1–46
Read Leviticus 13

Translations

Modern
“When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that may be an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.
Traditional
When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
Literal
“When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes a plague of leprosy in the skin of his flesh, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one from his sons, the priests.
Latin
Homo, in cujus cute et carne ortus fuerit diversus color, sive pustula, aut quasi lucens quippiam, id est, plaga lepræ, adducetur ad Aaron sacerdotem, vel ad unum quemlibet filiorum ejus.

Interlinear

Hebrew
English
“When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that may be an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.

Notes

Leviticus 13:2

  • Skin disorders that could become contagious required precautions to stop their spread. These included swelling, rashes, or discolored skin. Until healed, the person was ceremonially unclean. The diseases mentioned here had a broad range. These included allergic rash, ringworm, or eczema, as well as serious conditions like gangrene. In Old Testament times, people diagnosed skin conditions by observation. Priests served in religious and medical roles.

  • one of his sons: These priestly duties were meant for future generations of priests too.

Leviticus 13:1–46

a skin disease: The Hebrew word tsaraʿat refers to more than Hansen’s disease (leprosy), which is rare and severely disfiguring. In Leviticus, the word describes many different conditions. These include:

A key test was whether the condition spread to other parts of the body (13:5–8). If it did, they quarantined the person while the disorder lasted (13:46). Not only people, but also clothing and even buildings could become infected (13:47–59; 14:33–53).

Leviticus 13:1–14:57

Regarding regulations for infections, the idea of "normal" and "abnormal" is important (see “Clean, Unclean, and Holy” Theme Note). Infections in people, clothing, or buildings are not normal. They indicate disease and death. This is the opposite of wholeness. So, infections make a person ceremonially unclean.

Parallels

Numbers 5:1–4

People

Aaron: Moses' brother, first high priest of Israel

Glossary

Biblical Concept of Law Boil Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Deuteronomy, Book of History of Israel Law of Moses Leper, Leprosy Leviticus, Book of Medicine and Medical Practice Naaman Priesthood Worship

Topics

Diseases: Leprosy Leprosy: Often Began with a Bright Red Spot Leprosy: The Priests: Examined Persons Suspected of Priests: Services of Deciding in Cases of Leprosy Sanitation: Contagion Sanitation: Quarantine Scab: Disease of the Skin