Keraia
Leviticus 13

Leviticus 13:45

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

Translations

Modern
A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
Traditional
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Literal
And the leper who has in him the plague, his clothes shall be torn, and his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache. And he shall call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
Latin
…habebit vestimenta dissuta, caput nudum, os veste contectum, contaminatum ac sordidum se clamabit.

Interlinear

Hebrew
English
A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’

Notes

Leviticus 13:45

  • People often tore their clothing, left their hair uncombed, and covered their mouths to show they were mourning (Leviticus 10:6).

  • Unclean, unclean!: This cry indicated both social rejection and a health risk. It warned others that the person's skin disorder might be contagious and that holy items should not touch the ceremonially unclean person.

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

Glossary

Biblical Concept of Law 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

Defilement: Caused by Leprosy Head of the Leper Always Uncovered Leprosy: Those Afflicted With: To Cry Unclean when Approached Leprosy: Those Afflicted With: To Have Their Heads Bare, Clothes Rent, and Lip Covered Mourning: Covering: The Upper Lip Priests: Services of Deciding in Cases of Leprosy Sanitation: Contagion Sanitation: Quarantine Sickness: Illustrative of Sin