New International VersionThe priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease,
New Living TranslationThe priest must examine him, and if he finds swelling around the reddish white sore anywhere on the man’s head and it looks like a skin disease,
English Standard VersionThen the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprous disease in the skin of the body,
Berean Standard BibleThe priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white like a skin disease,
King James BibleThen the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
New King James VersionThen the priest shall examine it; and indeed if the swelling of the sore is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body,
New American Standard BibleThen 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 body,
NASB 1995“Then 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 body,
NASB 1977“Then 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 body,
Legacy Standard BibleThen 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 body,
Amplified BibleThen the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or forehead like the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body,
Christian Standard BibleThe priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the condition on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a serious skin disease on his body,
Holman Christian Standard BibleThe priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a skin disease on his body,
American Standard VersionThen the priest shall look upon him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague be reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh;
English Revised VersionThen the priest shall look upon him: and, behold, if the rising of the plague be reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh;
GOD'S WORD® TranslationThe priest will examine him. If the sore from the disease in the bald places in back or in front is pink like a skin disease somewhere else on the body,
Good News TranslationThe priest shall examine you, and if there is a reddish-white sore,
International Standard VersionWhen the priest examines it and finds that the swelling of the skin rash is white or reddish on his bald head or forehead, similar in appearance to an infectious disease in the skin of the body,
NET BibleThe priest is to examine it, and if the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body,
New Heart English BibleThen the priest shall examine him; and, look, if the rising of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh,
Webster's Bible TranslationThen the priest shall look upon it: and behold, if the rising of the sore is white reddish on his bald head, or on his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white like a skin disease,
World English BibleThen the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the swelling of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body, Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand the priest has seen him, and behold, the rising of the reddish-white plague in the bald back of the head, or in the bald forehead, [is] as the appearance of leprosy, in the skin of the flesh,
Young's Literal Translation and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the rising of the very red white plague in the bald back of the head, or in the bald forehead, is as the appearance of leprosy, in the skin of the flesh,
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd the priest saw it, and behold, the rising of the stroke, a reddish white, in his baldness behind, or in his baldness in front, as the sight of leprosy, in the skin of the flesh; Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the priest perceive this, he shall condemn him undoubtedly of leprosy which is risen in the bald part.
Catholic Public Domain Versionand the priest will have seen this, he shall condemn him without doubt of leprosy, which has arisen in the baldness.
New American BibleIf the priest, upon examination, finds that the infection spot on the bald area on the crown or forehead has the same reddish white appearance as that of a scaly infection of the skin,
New Revised Standard VersionThe priest shall examine him; if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, which resembles a leprous disease in the skin of the body, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the priest shall look on the swelling of the sore; and if the sore is white or reddish on his bald head or on his bald forehead like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body,
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedThe Priest shall see if the sore of disease is white or if it is red in his baldness or in his forehead baldness, like the appearance of leprosy that is in the skin of his flesh; OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then the priest shall look upon him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague be reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh,
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd the priest shall look upon him, and, behold, if the appearance of the plague be white or inflamed in his baldness of head or baldness in front, as the appearance of leprosy in the skin of his flesh,
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Laws about Skin Diseases… 42But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it. 43The priestis to examine him,and ifthe swellingof the infectionon his bald headorforeheadis reddish-whitelikea skindisease,44the man is diseased; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean because of the infection on his head.…
Cross References Numbers 12:10-15As the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, white as snow. Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous, / and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. / Please do not let her be like a stillborn infant whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” ...
2 Kings 5:1-14Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. / At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. / She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.” ...
2 Chronicles 26:19-21Uzziah, with a censer in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But while he raged against the priests in their presence in the house of the LORD before the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead. / When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw his leprous forehead, they rushed him out. Indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had afflicted him. / So King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He lived in isolation, leprous and cut off from the house of the LORD, while his son Jotham had charge of the royal palace and governed the people of the land.
Isaiah 1:6From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.
Isaiah 53:4Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.
Matthew 8:2-4Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. / Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”
Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Mark 1:40-45Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” / And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. ...
Luke 5:12-16While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” / Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. / “Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ...
Luke 17:12-19As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance / and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” / When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed. ...
John 9:1-7Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, / and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” / Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. ...
Acts 10:38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. / And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
2 Corinthians 5:21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Treasury of Scripture Then the priest shall look on it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appears in the skin of the flesh; Jump to Previous AppearanceAppearethBaldBodyBrowDiseaseDiseasedExamineFleshForeheadGrowthHeadInfectionInfectiousLeprosyMarkPlaguePriestReddishReddish-WhiteRisingSkinSoreSwellingSwollenWhiteWhite-ReddishJump to Next AppearanceAppearethBaldBodyBrowDiseaseDiseasedExamineFleshForeheadGrowthHeadInfectionInfectiousLeprosyMarkPlaguePriestReddishReddish-WhiteRisingSkinSoreSwellingSwollenWhiteWhite-ReddishLeviticus 13 1.The laws whereby the priest is to be guided in discerning the leprosy.The priest is to examine himIn ancient Israel, priests held the dual role of spiritual leaders and health inspectors. Their examination was not merely medical but also spiritual, as diseases like leprosy were often seen as physical manifestations of spiritual impurity. This reflects the holistic view of health in biblical times, where physical and spiritual well-being were interconnected. The priest's role in examining diseases underscores the importance of maintaining purity within the community, as outlined in Leviticus. and if the swelling of the infection
The term "swelling" indicates a visible change in the skin, which was crucial for diagnosing skin diseases. In the context of Leviticus, such infections were not only health concerns but also matters of ritual purity. The Hebrew word used here can refer to a variety of skin conditions, not just leprosy as understood today. This highlights the need for careful observation and discernment by the priest. on his bald head or forehead
Baldness in the ancient Near East was not uncommon and could be natural or due to disease. The specific mention of the bald head or forehead suggests a visible and potentially more severe manifestation of the disease. In biblical symbolism, the head often represents leadership or authority, and an affliction there could symbolize a deeper spiritual issue affecting one's standing before God. is reddish-white like a skin disease
The description of the infection as "reddish-white" provides a diagnostic criterion for the priest. This specific coloration was associated with certain types of skin diseases, including leprosy. The comparison to a skin disease indicates the seriousness of the condition, as such diseases rendered individuals ceremonially unclean. This unclean status required separation from the community, reflecting the broader biblical theme of holiness and the need for separation from sin.
This passage, like others in Leviticus, emphasizes the importance of purity and the role of the priesthood in maintaining the community's spiritual and physical health. It also foreshadows the New Testament's emphasis on Jesus as the ultimate High Priest, who heals and purifies not just physically but spiritually, offering a deeper cleansing from sin. Persons / Places / Events 1. The PriestIn ancient Israel, priests served as mediators between God and the people, and they were responsible for diagnosing skin diseases, including leprosy, as part of their duties. 2. The Infected PersonThis refers to an individual who shows symptoms of a skin disease, which required examination by a priest to determine their status and the necessary actions. 3. Bald Head or ForeheadThe specific location of the infection is significant, as it is visible and thus easily identifiable by the priest. 4. Skin DiseaseOften translated as "leprosy" in older versions, the Hebrew term "tzaraath" encompasses a range of skin conditions, not just what is known today as leprosy. 5. Examination ProcessThis was a ritualistic and diagnostic procedure carried out by the priest to maintain the purity of the community and to prevent the spread of disease. Teaching Points The Role of the PriestPriests were not only spiritual leaders but also community health inspectors, showing the integration of physical and spiritual well-being in God's law. Importance of Community HealthThe examination and isolation procedures underscore the importance of protecting the community from contagious diseases, a principle still relevant today. Spiritual Symbolism of LeprosyLeprosy often symbolizes sin in the Bible, representing how sin can spread and defile, requiring cleansing and restoration. God's Provision for RestorationThe detailed laws for dealing with skin diseases reflect God's care for both the individual and the community, providing a way for restoration and reintegration. Holiness and PurityThe laws in Leviticus emphasize the need for holiness and purity, both physically and spiritually, as a reflection of God's nature. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 13
What does the Bible mention about leprosy?
Does commanding people with suspicious spots to remain quarantined align with modern understandings of infectious diseases (Leviticus 13:4-5)?
Why does the text attribute certain skin conditions to divine judgment instead of natural causes (Leviticus 13:9-17)?
How do we reconcile the elaborate purification rituals (Leviticus 14:1-32) with modern understanding of infection and disease transmission?(43) Then the priest shall look.--It is then the duty of the priest to ascertain whether the white-reddish rising in the bald backhead or bald forehead is in appearance like the leprosy in the skin of the flesh described in Leviticus 13:2, excepting, of course, the white hair, which in this case could not exist. As the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh.--Better,in appearance like the leprosy in the skin of the flesh.Though the reddish-white eruption is the only symptom mentioned whereby head-leprosy is to be recognised, and nothing is said about remanding the patient if the distemper should appear doubtful, as in the other cases of leprosy, yet because it is here said "in appearance like the leprosy in the skin of the flesh," the administrators of the law during the second Temple inferred thatallthe criteria specified in one are implied in the other. They interpret this phrase, "they are, and therefore must be treated like, leprosy in the skin of the flesh." Hence they submit that there are two symptoms which render baldness in the front or at the back of the head unclean: viz., (1) live or sound flesh; and (2) spreading. "If live or sound flesh is found in the bright spot on the baldness at the back or in the front of the head, he is pronounced unclean; if there is no live flesh, he is shut up, and examined at the end of the week, and if live flesh has developed itself, and it has spread, he is declared unclean, and if not, he is shut up for another week. If it spreads during this time, or engenders live flesh, he is declared unclean, and if not, he is declared clean. He is also pronounced unclean if it spreads or engenders sound flesh after he has been declared clean." Of course, the fact that the distemper in this instance develops itself on baldness precludes white hair being among the criteria indicating uncleanness.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew The priestהַכֹּהֵ֗ן(hak·kō·hên)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548:Priestis to examine him,וְרָאָ֨ה(wə·rā·’āh)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200:To seeand ifוְהִנֵּ֤ה(wə·hin·nêh)Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009:Lo! behold!the swellingשְׂאֵת־(śə·’êṯ-)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7613:An elevation, leprous scab, elation, cheerfulness, exaltation in rank, characterof the infectionהַנֶּ֙גַע֙(han·ne·ḡa‘)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5061:Mark -- a blow, a spoton his bald headבְּקָרַחְתּ֖וֹ(bə·qā·raḥ·tōw)Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7146:A bald spot, a threadbare spotorא֣וֹ(’ōw)Conjunction
Strong's 176:Desire, ifforeheadבְגַבַּחְתּ֑וֹ(ḇə·ḡab·baḥ·tōw)Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1372:Baldness, a bare spotis reddish-whiteלְבָנָ֣ה(lə·ḇā·nāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 3836:Whitelikeכְּמַרְאֵ֥ה(kə·mar·’êh)Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4758:Sight, appearance, visiona skinע֥וֹר(‘ō·wr)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5785:Skin, hide, leatherdisease,צָרַ֖עַת(ṣā·ra·‘aṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6883:Leprosy
Links Leviticus 13:43 NIVLeviticus 13:43 NLTLeviticus 13:43 ESVLeviticus 13:43 NASBLeviticus 13:43 KJV
Leviticus 13:43 BibleApps.comLeviticus 13:43 Biblia ParalelaLeviticus 13:43 Chinese BibleLeviticus 13:43 French BibleLeviticus 13:43 Catholic Bible
OT Law: Leviticus 13:43 Then the priest shall examine him (Le Lv Lev.) |
