Cleansing of Skin Diseases

14 The Lord spoke to Moses: “This is the law(A) concerning the person afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing.(B) He is to be brought to the priest,(C) who will go outside the camp(D) and examine him.(E) If the skin disease has disappeared from the afflicted person,[a] the priest will order that two live clean birds,(F) cedar wood,(G) scarlet(H) yarn, and hyssop(I) be brought for the one who is to be cleansed. Then the priest will order that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot. He is to take the live bird together with the cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, and dip them all into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. He will then sprinkle the blood seven times on the one who is to be cleansed from the skin disease. He is to pronounce him clean and release the live bird over the open countryside.(J) The one who is to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; he is clean. Afterward he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days. He is to shave off all his hair again on the seventh day: his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; he is clean.

10 “On the eighth day he must take two unblemished(K) male lambs, an unblemished year-old ewe lamb, a grain offering of three quarts[b] of fine flour mixed with olive oil, and one-third of a quart[c] of olive oil. 11 The priest who performs the cleansing will place the person who is to be cleansed, together with these offerings, before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 The priest is to take one male lamb and present it as a restitution offering,(L) along with the one-third quart[d] of olive oil, and he must wave them as a presentation offering(M) before the Lord. 13 He is to slaughter the male lamb at the place in the sanctuary area where the sin offering(N) and burnt offering(O) are slaughtered,(P) for like the sin offering, the restitution offering belongs to the priest;(Q) it is especially holy.(R) 14 The priest is to take some of the blood from the restitution offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.(S) 15 Then the priest will take some of the one-third quart[e] of olive oil and pour it into his left palm. 16 The priest will dip his right finger into the oil in his left palm and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 17 From the oil remaining in his palm the priest will put some on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the restitution offering.(T) 18 What is left of the oil in the priest’s palm he is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the Lord. 19 The priest must sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness.(U) Afterward he will slaughter the burnt offering. 20 The priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. The priest will make atonement for him, and he will be clean.(V)

21 “But if he is poor(W) and cannot afford these,[f](X) he is to take one male lamb for a restitution offering to be waved in order to make atonement for him, along with two quarts[g] of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, one-third of a quart[h] of olive oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whatever he can afford,[i] one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 23 On the eighth day he is to bring these things for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord. 24 The priest will take the male lamb for the restitution offering and the one-third quart[j] of olive oil, and wave them as a presentation offering before the Lord. 25 After he slaughters the male lamb for the restitution offering, the priest is to take some of the blood of the restitution offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 Then the priest will pour some of the oil into his left palm. 27 With his right finger the priest will sprinkle some of the oil in his left palm seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest will also put some of the oil in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the same place as the blood of the restitution offering. 29 What is left of the oil in the priest’s palm he is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord.(Y) 30 He must then sacrifice one type of what he can afford,[k] either the turtledoves or young pigeons, 31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, sacrificing what he can afford[l][m] together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord for the one to be cleansed. 32 This is the law for someone who has[n] a skin disease and cannot afford[o] the cost of his cleansing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 14:3 Lit the person afflicted with skin disease
  2. Leviticus 14:10 Lit three-tenths; probably 3⁄10 of an ephah
  3. Leviticus 14:10 Lit one log
  4. Leviticus 14:12 Lit one log
  5. Leviticus 14:15 Lit one log
  6. Leviticus 14:21 Lit and his hand is not
  7. Leviticus 14:21 Lit him, and one-tenth; probably 1⁄10 of an ephah
  8. Leviticus 14:21 Lit one log
  9. Leviticus 14:22 Lit pigeons, for which his hand is sufficient
  10. Leviticus 14:24 Lit one log
  11. Leviticus 14:30 Lit of that for which his hand is sufficient
  12. Leviticus 14:31 LXX, Syr, Vg omit what he can afford
  13. Leviticus 14:31 Lit [sacrificing] that for which his hand is sufficient
  14. Leviticus 14:32 Lit someone on whom there is
  15. Leviticus 14:32 Lit disease whose hand is not sufficient for

Purification Requirements

14 The Lord told Moses, “This is the law concerning those who have infectious skin diseases, after they have been cleansed: The priest is to go outside the camp and examine the infectious skin disease to confirm that the person has been healed. If he has been healed, then the priest is to command that two live and clean birds, some cedar[a] wood, some crimson thread, and hyssop be brought for the one cleansed. Then the priest is to command that one bird be slaughtered on an earthen vessel over flowing water. He is to take the live bird, the cedar wood, the crimson thread, and the hyssop, and dip them together in the blood of the bird that had been slaughtered over the flowing water. He is to sprinkle the blood[b] seven times on the person with the infectious skin disease and then pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird into the open fields. The person who is clean is to wash his clothes, shave all his hair, and bathe in water, after which he is to be declared clean. Then he can be brought back to the camp, but he is to remain outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day, he is to shave the hair on his head, chin, back, and eyebrows. After he has shaved all his hair, washed his clothes, and bathed himself with water, then he will be clean.”

Reconsecration after Infections

10 “On the eighth day, he is to take two lambs without defect, a one year old ewe lamb without defect, one third of a measure of[c] fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering, and one log[d] of oil. 11 The priest who will pronounce him clean is to present the person to be cleansed and these offerings[e] in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 12 The priest is to take one of the lambs and present it as a guilt offering, along with one log[f] of olive oil, which he is to wave as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. 13 Then he is to slaughter the lamb in the place where he slaughtered the sin and burnt offerings—that is, at a place in the sanctuary. Just as the sin offering is for the priest, so also is the guilt offering. It’s a most holy thing.

14 “Then the priest is to take some of the blood from the guilt offering and place it on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, and on his right great toe. 15 Then the priest is to take some of the log[g] of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand. 16 The priest is to dip his right finger in the olive oil that is in his left palm and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times in the Lord’s presence.

17 “As to the remainder of the olive oil in his palm, he is to place some on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, on his right great toe, and on the blood of the guilt offering. 18 Then he is to place the rest of the oil in his palm on the head of the person to be cleansed, thus making atonement for him in the Lord’s presence. 19 This is how[h] the priest is to present the sin offering to make atonement for the person being cleansed of his impurity. After this, he is to slaughter the whole burnt offering. 20 The priest is to offer both the whole burnt and the grain offerings on the altar. After the priest makes atonement for him, he will be clean.”

Alternate Offerings

21 “If the offeror[i] is poor and cannot afford the regular offering,[j] then he is to take one lamb for a guilt offering that will be presented in the form of a wave offering to atone for him, one tenth of a measure of[k] fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, one log[l] of olive oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford. One is for a sin offering and the other is for a whole burnt offering.

23 “On the eighth day, he is to bring them for cleansing to the priest in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 24 The priest is to take the lamb for a guilt offering and the olive oil and wave them as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. 25 Then he[m] is to take the lamb for the guilt offering and place some blood from the guilt offering on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, and on his right great toe. 26 Then the priest is to pour olive oil into his left palm 27 and use his right finger to sprinkle oil from his left palm seven times in the Lord’s presence. 28 The priest is to place oil from his palm on the right earlobe of the person being cleansed, on his right thumb, on his right great toe, and where the blood for the guilt offering is poured.

29 “As to the remainder of the oil in his palm, the priest is to use it to anoint the head of the person to be cleansed, in order to make atonement for him in the Lord’s presence. 30 Then he is to offer one of the turtledoves or the young pigeons, whichever he can afford. 31 Based on what he can afford, one is for a sin offering and the other is for a whole burnt offering. Along with the grain offering, the priest is to make atonement for the person to be cleansed in the Lord’s presence. 32 This is the regulation concerning one who has an infectious skin disease but who cannot afford his cleansing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 14:4 I.e. a genus of coniferous evergreen in the family Pinaceae; and so throughout the book
  2. Leviticus 14:7 Lit. it
  3. Leviticus 14:10 The unit of measurement is not specified in MT
  4. Leviticus 14:10 Lit. log; i.e., a liquid measure equal to one twelfth of a hin or about /3 pint; a hin held about one gallon
  5. Leviticus 14:11 The Heb. lacks offerings
  6. Leviticus 14:12 Lit. log; i.e., a liquid measure equal to one twelfth of a hin or about /3 pint; a hin held about one gallon
  7. Leviticus 14:15 Lit. log; i.e., a liquid measure equal to one twelfth of a hin or about /3 pint; a hin held about one gallon
  8. Leviticus 14:19 Lit. If he
  9. Leviticus 14:21 The Heb. lacks person
  10. Leviticus 14:21 Lit. and his hand can’t reach; and so throughout the chapter
  11. Leviticus 14:21 The unit of measurement is not specified in MT, but cf. Lev. 5:11, 6:20.
  12. Leviticus 14:21 Lit. log; i.e., a liquid measure equal to one twelfth of a hin or about /3 pint; a hin held about one gallon
  13. Leviticus 14:25 Lit. the priest