The Test for Leprosy

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “When someone has on the skin of his [a]body a swelling, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes an infection of [b]leprosy on the skin of his [c]body, (A)then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. The priest shall look at the infected area on the skin of the [d]body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his [e]body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean. But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his [f]body, and [g]it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has not turned white, then the priest shall [h]isolate the person who has the infection for seven days. Then the priest shall look at him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the infection has [i]not changed and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall [j]isolate him for seven more days. The priest shall then look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infected area has faded and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a rash. And he shall (B)wash his clothes and be clean.

“But if the rash spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest. And the priest shall look, and if the rash has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

“When the infection of leprosy is on someone, then he shall be brought to the priest. 10 The priest shall then look, and if there is a (C)white swelling on the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is new raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is [k]a chronic leprosy on the skin of his [l]body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not [m]isolate him, for he is unclean. 12 If the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the person who has the infection from his head even to his feet, [n]as far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest shall look, and behold, if the leprosy has covered his entire [o]body, he shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; it has all turned white and he is clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. 15 The priest shall look at the raw flesh, and he shall pronounce him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy. 16 Or if the raw flesh turns back and is changed to white, then he shall (D)come to the priest, 17 and the priest shall look at him, and behold, if the infected area has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; he is clean.

18 “Now when the [p]body has a boil on its skin and it is healed, 19 and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish-white, bright spot, then it shall be shown to the priest; 20 and the priest shall look, and behold, if [q]it appears to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the infection of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil. 21 But if the priest looks at it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it and it is not deeper than the skin and is faded, then the priest shall [r]isolate him for seven days; 22 and if it spreads farther on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. 23 But if the bright spot remains in its place and does not spread, it is only the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24 “Or if the [s]body sustains in its skin a burn by fire, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white, 25 then the priest shall look at it. And if the hair in the bright spot has (E)turned white and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is leprosy; it has broken out in the burn. Therefore, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. 26 But if the priest looks at it, and indeed, there is no white hair in the bright spot and it is no deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall [t]isolate him for seven days; 27 and the priest shall look at him on the seventh day. If it spreads farther in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. 28 But if the bright spot remains in its place and has not spread in the skin, but is dim, it is the swelling from the burn; and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar of the burn.

29 “Now if a man or woman has an infection on the head or on the beard, 30 then the priest shall look at the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and there is thin yellowish hair in it, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a scale, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31 But if the priest looks at the infection of the scale, and indeed, it appears to be no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall [u]isolate the person with the scaly infection for seven days. 32 And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection, and if the scale has not spread and no yellowish hair has [v]grown in it, and the appearance of the scale is no deeper than the skin, 33 then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the scale; and the priest shall [w]isolate the person with the scale for seven more days. 34 Then on the seventh day the priest shall look at the scale, and if the scale has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean. 35 But if the scale spreads farther in the skin after his cleansing, 36 then the priest shall look at him, and if the scale has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for the yellowish hair; he is unclean. 37 If in his sight the scale has remained, however, and black hair has grown in it, the scale has healed, and he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the [x]body, white bright spots, 39 then the priest shall look, and if the bright spots on the skin of their [y]bodies are a faint white, it is [z]eczema that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.

40 “Now if a man [aa]loses the hair of his head, he is only (F)bald; he is clean. 41 And if his head becomes bald at the [ab]front and sides, he is bald on the forehead; he is clean. 42 But if on the bald head or the bald forehead there occurs a reddish-white infection, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or on his bald forehead. 43 Then (G)the priest shall look at him; and if the swelling of the infection is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the [ac]body, 44 he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; his infection is on his head.

45 “As for the person who has the leprous infection, his clothes shall be torn and (H)the hair of his head shall be [ad]uncovered, and he shall (I)cover his [ae]mustache and call out, ‘(J)Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; he shall live (K)outside the camp.

47 “When a garment has [af]a mark of leprosy in it, whether it is a wool garment or a linen garment, 48 whether in [ag]warp or [ah]woof, of linen or of wool, whether in leather or in any article made of leather, 49 if the [ai]mark is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the [aj]warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is a leprous [ak]mark and it shall be shown to the priest. 50 Then (L)the priest shall look at the mark and shall [al]quarantine the article with the mark for seven days. 51 He shall then look at the mark on the seventh day; if the mark has spread in the garment, whether in the [am]warp or in the woof, or in the leather, whatever the purpose for which the leather is used, the mark is a [an]leprous malignancy, it is unclean. 52 So he shall burn the garment, whether it is the [ao]warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any article of leather, in which the mark occurs; for it is a [ap]leprous malignancy. It shall be burned in the fire.

53 “But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has not spread in the garment, either in the [aq]warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, 54 then the priest shall order them to wash the thing in which the mark occurs, and he shall [ar]quarantine it for seven more days. 55 After the article with the mark has been washed, the priest shall again look, and if the mark has not changed its appearance, even if the mark has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire, whether an eating away has produced bareness on the back or on the front of it.

56 “But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has faded after it has been washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment or out of the leather, whether from the [as]warp or from the woof; 57 yet if it appears again in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak; the article with the mark shall be burned in the fire. 58 But the garment, whether the warp or the woof, or any article of leather from which the mark has disappeared when you washed it, shall then be washed a second time and will be clean.”

59 This is the law for the mark of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.

Law of Cleansing a Person with Leprosy

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This shall be the law of the person with leprosy on the day of his cleansing. (M)Now he shall be brought to the priest; and the priest shall go (N)out to a place outside of the camp. Then the priest shall look, and if the [at]leprous infection has been healed in the person with leprosy, then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds, (O)cedar wood, a [au]scarlet string, and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. The priest shall also give orders to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over [av]running water. As for the live bird, he shall take it together with (P)the cedar wood, the [aw]scarlet string, and the (Q)hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the [ax]running water. (R)He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. (S)The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair, and bathe in water and (T)be clean. And afterward he may enter the camp, but he (U)shall stay outside his tent for seven days. Then it shall be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his [ay]body in water and (V)be clean.

10 “Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an [az]ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one [ba](W)log of oil; 11 and the priest who is going to pronounce him clean shall present the person to be cleansed and [bb]the offerings before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 12 Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it as a (X)guilt offering, with the [bc](Y)log of oil, and present them as a (Z)wave offering before the Lord. 13 Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in (AA)the place where they slaughter the [bd]sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, (AB)like the [be]sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest shall then take some of the blood of the (AC)guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on (AD)the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall also take some of the [bf](AE)log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; 16 the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. 17 Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall (AF)put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; 18 as for the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put it on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make (AG)atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 19 The priest shall next offer the [bg](AH)sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. 20 The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and (AI)he will be clean.

21 (AJ)But if he is poor and his [bh]means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a (AK)guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and a tenth of an [bi]ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and a [bj](AL)log of oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young doves, which [bk]are within his means. (AM)The one shall be a [bl](AN)sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. 23 (AO)Then on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and (AP)the [bm]log of oil, and the priest shall offer them as a wave offering before the Lord. 25 Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on (AQ)the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; 27 and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. 29 Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 30 He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young doves, [bn]which are within his means. 31 He shall offer what [bo]he can afford, (AR)the one as a [bp]sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. 32 This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose [bq]means are limited for his cleansing.”

Cleansing a Leprous House

33 The Lord further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

34 (AS)When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I put a spot of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, 35 then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something like (AT)a spot of leprosy has become visible to me in the house.’ 36 The priest shall then command that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the spot, so that everything in the house need not become unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to look at the house. 37 So he shall look at the spot, and if the spot on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the [br]surface, 38 the priest shall come out of the house, to the [bs]doorway, and [bt]quarantine the house for seven days. 39 Then the priest shall return on the seventh day and [bu]make an inspection. If the spot has indeed spread on the walls of the house, 40 the priest shall order them to pull out the stones with the spot on them and throw them away [bv]at an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the house scraped all around [bw]inside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and replace the discarded stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house.

43 “If, however, the spot breaks out again in the house after he has pulled out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, 44 then the priest shall come in and [bx]make an inspection. If he sees that the spot has indeed spread in the house, it is (AU)a malignant spot in the house; it is unclean. 45 The owner shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an (AV)unclean place. 46 Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has [by]quarantined it, becomes (AW)unclean until evening. 47 Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 “If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and [bz]makes an inspection and the spot has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the spot has [ca]not reappeared. 49 To cleanse the house then, he shall take (AX)two birds, cedar wood, a [cb]scarlet string, and hyssop, 50 and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over [cc]running water. 51 Then he shall take the cedar wood, the (AY)hyssop, and the [cd]scarlet string, with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird as well as in the [ce]running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 So he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the [cf]running water, along with the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the [cg]scarlet string. 53 However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.”

54 This is the law for any spot of leprosy—even for a (AZ)scale, 55 and for the (BA)leprous garment or house, 56 and (BB)for a swelling, for a scab, and for a bright spot— 57 to teach [ch]when they are unclean and [ci]when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 Lit flesh
  2. Leviticus 13:2 I.e., or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch
  3. Leviticus 13:2 Lit flesh
  4. Leviticus 13:3 Lit flesh
  5. Leviticus 13:3 Lit flesh
  6. Leviticus 13:4 Lit flesh
  7. Leviticus 13:4 Lit the appearance of it is not deeper
  8. Leviticus 13:4 Lit separate
  9. Leviticus 13:5 Lit stood
  10. Leviticus 13:5 Lit separate
  11. Leviticus 13:11 Lit aging
  12. Leviticus 13:11 Lit flesh
  13. Leviticus 13:11 Lit separate
  14. Leviticus 13:12 Lit to the entire sight of the priest’s eyes
  15. Leviticus 13:13 Lit flesh
  16. Leviticus 13:18 Lit flesh
  17. Leviticus 13:20 Lit the appearance of it is deeper
  18. Leviticus 13:21 Lit separate
  19. Leviticus 13:24 Lit flesh
  20. Leviticus 13:26 Lit separate
  21. Leviticus 13:31 Lit separate
  22. Leviticus 13:32 Lit been
  23. Leviticus 13:33 Lit separate
  24. Leviticus 13:38 Lit flesh
  25. Leviticus 13:39 Lit flesh
  26. Leviticus 13:39 Lit vitiligo
  27. Leviticus 13:40 Lit becomes bald on his head
  28. Leviticus 13:41 Lit border of his face
  29. Leviticus 13:43 Lit flesh
  30. Leviticus 13:45 Or disheveled
  31. Leviticus 13:45 I.e., mouth
  32. Leviticus 13:47 Lit an infection, and so throughout the ch
  33. Leviticus 13:48 I.e., lengthwise material in weaving
  34. Leviticus 13:48 I.e., material woven crosswise
  35. Leviticus 13:49 Lit infestation; possibly material already contaminated prior to weaving
  36. Leviticus 13:49 See notes v 48
  37. Leviticus 13:49 Lit infestation; possibly material already contaminated prior to weaving
  38. Leviticus 13:50 Lit separate
  39. Leviticus 13:51 See notes v 48
  40. Leviticus 13:51 Lit malignant leprosy
  41. Leviticus 13:52 See notes v 48
  42. Leviticus 13:52 Lit malignant leprosy
  43. Leviticus 13:53 See notes v 48
  44. Leviticus 13:54 Lit separate
  45. Leviticus 13:56 See notes v 48
  46. Leviticus 14:3 I.e., or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch
  47. Leviticus 14:4 Lit scarlet color and
  48. Leviticus 14:5 Lit living
  49. Leviticus 14:6 Lit scarlet color and
  50. Leviticus 14:6 Lit living
  51. Leviticus 14:9 Lit flesh
  52. Leviticus 14:10 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  53. Leviticus 14:10 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  54. Leviticus 14:11 Lit them
  55. Leviticus 14:12 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  56. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering
  57. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering
  58. Leviticus 14:15 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  59. Leviticus 14:19 Or purification offering
  60. Leviticus 14:21 Lit hand is not reaching
  61. Leviticus 14:21 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  62. Leviticus 14:21 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  63. Leviticus 14:22 Lit his hand reaches
  64. Leviticus 14:22 Or purification offering
  65. Leviticus 14:24 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  66. Leviticus 14:30 Lit from which his hand reaches
  67. Leviticus 14:31 Lit his hand reaches
  68. Leviticus 14:31 Or purification offering
  69. Leviticus 14:32 Lit hand does not reach
  70. Leviticus 14:37 Lit wall
  71. Leviticus 14:38 Lit doorway of the house
  72. Leviticus 14:38 Lit separate
  73. Leviticus 14:39 Lit look
  74. Leviticus 14:40 Lit to
  75. Leviticus 14:41 Lit from the house
  76. Leviticus 14:44 Lit look
  77. Leviticus 14:46 Lit separated
  78. Leviticus 14:48 Lit looks
  79. Leviticus 14:48 Lit healed
  80. Leviticus 14:49 Lit scarlet color
  81. Leviticus 14:50 Lit living
  82. Leviticus 14:51 Lit scarlet color
  83. Leviticus 14:51 Lit living
  84. Leviticus 14:52 Lit living
  85. Leviticus 14:52 Lit scarlet color
  86. Leviticus 14:57 Lit on the day of uncleanness
  87. Leviticus 14:57 Lit on the day of cleanness

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When anyone has a swelling(A) or a rash or a shiny spot(B) on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,[a](C) they must be brought to Aaron the priest(D) or to one of his sons[b] who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.(E) If the shiny spot(F) on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(G) On the seventh day(H) the priest is to examine them,(I) and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean;(J) it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes,(K) and they will be clean.(L) But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again.(M) The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.

“When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. 10 The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic skin disease(N) and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.

12 “If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, 13 the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean. 15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.(O) 16 If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest. 17 The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean;(P) then they will be clean.

18 “When someone has a boil(Q) on their skin and it heals, 19 and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white(R) spot(S) appears, they must present themselves to the priest. 20 The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease(T) that has broken out where the boil was. 21 But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days. 22 If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease. 23 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.(U)

24 “When someone has a burn on their skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 25 the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.(V) 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days.(W) 27 On the seventh day the priest is to examine that person,(X) and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease. 28 If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a scar from the burn.(Y)

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on their head(Z) or chin, 30 the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin. 31 But if, when the priest examines the sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(AA) 32 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AB) and if it has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, 33 then the man or woman must shave themselves, except for the affected area, and the priest is to keep them isolated another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AC) and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce them clean. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.(AD) 35 But if the sore does spread in the skin after they are pronounced clean, 36 the priest is to examine them, and if he finds that the sore has spread in the skin, he does not need to look for yellow hair; they are unclean.(AE) 37 If, however, the sore is unchanged so far as the priest can see, and if black hair has grown in it, the affected person is healed. They are clean, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.

38 “When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, 39 the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.

40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald(AF) is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.

45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes,(AG) let their hair be unkempt,[c] cover the lower part of their face(AH) and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’(AI) 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.(AJ)

Regulations About Defiling Molds

47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.(AK) 50 The priest is to examine the affected area(AL) and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it,(AM) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.(AN) 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.(AO)

53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”

59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

14 The Lord said to Moses, “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:(AP) The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.(AQ) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[d](AR) the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop(AS) be brought for the person to be cleansed.(AT) Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.(AU) He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.(AV) Seven times(AW) he shall sprinkle(AX) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.(AY)

“The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes,(AZ) shave off all their hair and bathe with water;(BA) then they will be ceremonially clean.(BB) After this they may come into the camp,(BC) but they must stay outside their tent for seven days. On the seventh day(BD) they must shave off all their hair;(BE) they must shave their head, their beard, their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves with water, and they will be clean.(BF)

10 “On the eighth day(BG) they must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb(BH) a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah[e](BI) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering,(BJ) and one log[f] of oil.(BK) 11 The priest who pronounces them clean shall present(BL) both the one to be cleansed and their offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BM)

12 “Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering,(BN) along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(BO) 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area(BP) where the sin offering[g] and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest;(BQ) it is most holy. 14 The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(BR) 15 The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand,(BS) 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the Lord seven times.(BT) 17 The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.(BU) 18 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed(BV) and make atonement for them before the Lord.

19 “Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from their uncleanness.(BW) After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 20 and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for them,(BX) and they will be clean.(BY)

21 “If, however, they are poor(BZ) and cannot afford these,(CA) they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah[h] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two doves or two young pigeons,(CB) such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.(CC)

23 “On the eighth day they must bring them for their cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting,(CD) before the Lord.(CE) 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering,(CF) together with the log of oil,(CG) and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(CH) 25 He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(CI) 26 The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,(CJ) 27 and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. 28 Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering—on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. 29 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for them before the Lord.(CK) 30 Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, such as the person can afford,(CL) 31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering,(CM) together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed.(CN)

32 These are the regulations for anyone who has a defiling skin disease(CO) and who cannot afford the regular offerings(CP) for their cleansing.

Cleansing From Defiling Molds

33 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 34 “When you enter the land of Canaan,(CQ) which I am giving you as your possession,(CR) and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land, 35 the owner of the house must go and tell the priest, ‘I have seen something that looks like a defiling mold in my house.’ 36 The priest is to order the house to be emptied before he goes in to examine the mold, so that nothing in the house will be pronounced unclean. After this the priest is to go in and inspect the house. 37 He is to examine the mold on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish(CS) depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 38 the priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.(CT) 39 On the seventh day(CU) the priest shall return to inspect the house. If the mold has spread on the walls, 40 he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town.(CV) 41 He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. 42 Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.

43 “If the defiling mold reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, 44 the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mold has spread in the house, it is a persistent defiling mold; the house is unclean.(CW) 45 It must be torn down—its stones, timbers and all the plaster—and taken out of the town to an unclean place.

46 “Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening.(CX) 47 Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash their clothes.(CY)

48 “But if the priest comes to examine it and the mold has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean,(CZ) because the defiling mold is gone. 49 To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop.(DA) 50 He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.(DB) 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop,(DC) the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.(DD) 52 He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. 53 Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields(DE) outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.(DF)

54 These are the regulations for any defiling skin disease,(DG) for a sore, 55 for defiling molds(DH) in fabric or in a house, 56 and for a swelling, a rash or a shiny spot,(DI) 57 to determine when something is clean or unclean.

These are the regulations for defiling skin diseases and defiling molds.(DJ)

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
  2. Leviticus 13:2 Or descendants
  3. Leviticus 13:45 Or clothes, uncover their head
  4. Leviticus 14:3 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 7, 32, 54 and 57.
  5. Leviticus 14:10 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  6. Leviticus 14:10 That is, about 1/3 quart or about 0.3 liter; also in verses 12, 15, 21 and 24
  7. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering; also in verses 19, 22 and 31
  8. Leviticus 14:21 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms