Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 13

Verse 2

13:2 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 {a} [like] the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

(a) That it may be suspected to be leprosy.

Verse 3

13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and [when] the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight [be] {b} deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

(b) That is, shrunken in, and be lower than the rest of the skin.

Verse 6

13:6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, [if] the plague [be] somewhat {c} dark, [and] the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it [is but] a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

(c) As having the skin drawn together, or blackish.

Verse 8

13:8 And [if] the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him {d} unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

(d) Concerning his bodily disease: for his disease was not imputed to him for sin before God even though it were the punishment of sin.

Verse 13

13:13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, [if] the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [him] {e} clean [that hath] the plague: it is all turned white: he [is] clean.

(e) For it is not that contagious leprosy that infects, but a form of scales which does not leave the skin raw as leprosy does.

Verse 15

13:15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: [for] the raw flesh [is] {f} unclean: it [is] a leprosy.

(f) That is, declares that the flesh is not found, but is in danger of being leprous.

Verse 20

13:20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it [be] in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him {g} unclean: it [is] a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

(g) No one was exempted, but if the priest pronounced him unclean, he was put out from among the people: as appears by the example of Mary the prophetess, Numbers 12:14 and by king Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:20.

Verse 24

13:24 Or if there be [any] flesh, in the skin whereof [there is] a hot burning, and the quick [flesh] that burneth have a {h} white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;

(h) If he has a white spot in the place where the burning was and was later healed.

Verse 30

13:30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it [be] in sight deeper than the skin; [and there be] in it a yellow thin {i} hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a dry scall, [even] a leprosy upon the head or beard.

(i) Which was not wont to be there, or else smaller than in any other part of the body.

Verse 36

13:36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not {k} seek for yellow hair; he [is] unclean.

(k) He shall not care whether the yellow hair is there or not.

Verse 41

13:41 And he that hath his {l} hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he [is] forehead bald: [yet is] he clean.

(l) By sickness or any other inconvenience.

Verse 45

13:45 And the leper in whom the plague [is], his clothes shall be {m} rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper {n} lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

(m) In sign of sorrow and lamentation.

(n) Either in token of mourning, or for fear of infecting others.

Verse 49

13:49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of {o} skin; it [is] a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:

(o) Whether it be garment, vessel, or instrument.

Verse 53

13:53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not {p} spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

(p) But abide still in one place, as in Leviticus 13:37.

Verse 55

13:55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, [if] the plague have not changed his {q} colour, and the plague be not spread; it [is] unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it [is] fret inward, {r} [whether] it [be] bare within or without.

(q) But remain as it did before.

(r) Or, whether it be in any bare place before, or behind.

Verse 58

13:58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin [it be], which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed {s} the second time, and shall be clean.

(s) So that he might be sure that the leprosy was departed, and that all opportunity for infection might be taken away.