Lexical Summary
bohaq: Bright spot, whiteness
Original Word:בֹּהק
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:bohaq
Pronunciation:bo-hak'
Phonetic Spelling:(bo'-hak)
KJV: freckled spot
NASB:eczema
Word Origin:[from an unused root meaning to be pale]
1. white scurf
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
freckled spot
From an unused root meaning to be pale; white scurf -- freckled spot.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiontetter
NASB Translationeczema (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id., Aramaic ; Arabic
)
Leviticus 13:39.
(Late Hebrew Hiph`ilbe bright, shine; compare Aramaic ,
(not Pe`al) & derivatives; Ethiopic
Arabic
surpass, especially in brightness,shine brightly).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Contextבֹּהק appears once in Scripture, within the laws of skin ailments inLeviticus 13:39. It denotes a dull, non-inflammatory white spot regarded as medically and ceremonially harmless. While other lesions could render an Israelite unclean and isolate him from the community, בֹּהק carried no such penalty. By divine instruction, the priest—Israel’s public health officer—was to “examine them, and if the spots on their skin are dull white, it is a harmless rash… the person is clean” (Leviticus 13:39).
Historical Background
Ancient Near Eastern societies often feared skin disorders, attributing them to divine displeasure. The Mosaic Law provided an objective, priest-administered diagnostic process that distinguished between contagious or defiling disease and benign conditions. This spared individuals with בֹּהק from unnecessary exclusion while maintaining communal health. The text underscores Israel’s unique balance of holiness and mercy, contrasting with pagan cultures that frequently stigmatized any visible blemish.
Theological Significance
1. Holiness with Justice: The differentiation of בֹּהק from more serious eruptions illustrates God’s fairness; He does not burden His people with arbitrary rituals.
2. Symbolism of Sin and Mercy: Severe skin diseases typified the pervasive corruption of sin (Isaiah 1:6). By contrast, בֹּהק embodied minor imperfections that nonetheless required priestly assessment, reminding Israel that nothing escapes divine scrutiny, yet not all is condemned.
3. Priestly Mediation: The priest’s declaration “clean” prefigures the mediatorial role of Christ (Hebrews 7:26-27), whose authoritative word alone secures spiritual cleansing.
Practical Ministry Insights
• Discernment: Pastoral care must distinguish between moral failure demanding confrontation and mere human frailty requiring compassion, echoing the priest’s careful evaluation.
• Community Health: The passage models responsible stewardship—neither minimizing potential harm nor imposing unnecessary restrictions.
• Assurance: Believers wrestling with guilt over non-sin issues can be reminded that Scripture makes room for harmless imperfections.
Christological Foreshadowing
As the priest’s verdict released the afflicted from anxiety and isolation, so Christ’s pronouncement of forgiveness liberates the believer (Mark 2:5). He perfectly discriminates between what truly defiles (Matthew 15:18-20) and what is inconsequential, fulfilling the law’s intention and embodying its compassion.
Related Biblical Themes and References
• Laws of skin disease:Leviticus 13–14
• Holiness and wholeness:Exodus 15:26;1 Peter 1:15-16
• The compassionate High Priest:Hebrews 4:14-16
• Cleansing versus outward appearance:1 Samuel 16:7;Matthew 23:25-26
Summary
בֹּהק highlights the precision of God’s holiness code, the mercy woven into His law, and the anticipatory glimpse of Christ’s discerning, liberating ministry.
Forms and Transliterations
בֹּ֥הַק בהק bō·haq Bohak bōhaq
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
