Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Leviticus » Chapter 13 » Verse 1-46

Leviticus 13:1-46 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 saying, H559

2 When a man H120 shall have in the skin H5785 of his flesh H1320 a rising, H7613 a scab, H5597 or bright spot, H934 and it be in the skin H5785 of his flesh H1320 like the plague H5061 of leprosy; H6883 then he shall be brought H935 unto Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 or unto one H259 of his sons H1121 the priests: H3548

3 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the plague H5061 in the skin H5785 of the flesh: H1320 and when the hair H8181 in the plague H5061 is turned H2015 white, H3836 and the plague H5061 in sight H4758 be deeper H6013 than the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 it is a plague H5061 of leprosy: H6883 and the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him, and pronounce him unclean. H2930

4 If the bright spot H934 be white H3836 in the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 and in sight H4758 be not deeper H6013 than the skin, H5785 and the hair H8181 thereof be not turned H2015 white; H3836 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the plague H5061 seven H7651 days: H3117

5 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and, behold, if the plague H5061 in his sight H5869 be at a stay, H5975 and the plague H5061 spread H6581 not in the skin; H5785 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days H3117 more: H8145

6 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him again H8145 the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and, behold, if the plague H5061 be somewhat dark, H3544 and the plague H5061 spread H6581 not in the skin, H5785 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 it is but a scab: H4556 and he shall wash H3526 his clothes, H899 and be clean. H2891

7 But if the scab H4556 spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 after H310 that he hath been seen H7200 of the priest H3548 for his cleansing, H2893 he shall be seen H7200 of the priest H3548 again: H8145

8 And if the priest H3548 see H7200 that, behold, the scab H4556 spreadeth H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a leprosy. H6883

9 When the plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 is in a man, H120 then he shall be brought H935 unto the priest; H3548

10 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 him: and, behold, if the rising H7613 be white H3836 in the skin, H5785 and it have turned H2015 the hair H8181 white, H3836 and there be quick H4241 raw H2416 flesh H1320 in the rising; H7613

11 It is an old H3462 leprosy H6883 in the skin H5785 of his flesh, H1320 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean, H2930 and shall not shut H5462 him up: for he is unclean. H2931

12 And if a leprosy H6883 break out H6524 abroad H6524 in the skin, H5785 and the leprosy H6883 cover H3680 all the skin H5785 of him that hath the plague H5061 from his head H7218 even to his foot, H7272 wheresoever the priest H3548 looketh; H4758 H5869

13 Then the priest H3548 shall consider: H7200 and, behold, if the leprosy H6883 have covered H3680 all his flesh, H1320 he shall pronounce him clean H2891 that hath the plague: H5061 it is all turned H2015 white: H3836 he is clean. H2889

14 But when H3117 raw H2416 flesh H1320 appeareth H7200 in him, he shall be unclean. H2930

15 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 the raw H2416 flesh, H1320 and pronounce him to be unclean: H2930 for the raw H2416 flesh H1320 is unclean: H2931 it is a leprosy. H6883

16 Or if the raw H2416 flesh H1320 turn again, H7725 and be changed H2015 unto white, H3836 he shall come H935 unto the priest; H3548

17 And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 him: and, behold, if the plague H5061 be turned H2015 into white; H3836 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean H2891 that hath the plague: H5061 he is clean. H2889

18 The flesh H1320 also, in which, H3588 even in the skin H5785 thereof, was a boil, H7822 and is healed, H7495

19 And in the place H4725 of the boil H7822 there be a white H3836 rising, H7613 or a bright spot, H934 white, H3836 and somewhat reddish, H125 and it be shewed H7200 to the priest; H3548

20 And if, when the priest H3548 seeth H7200 it, behold, it be in sight H4758 lower H8217 than the skin, H5785 and the hair H8181 thereof be turned H2015 white; H3836 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a plague H5061 of leprosy H6883 broken H6524 out of the boil. H7822

21 But if the priest H3548 look H7200 on it, and, behold, there be no white H3836 hairs H8181 therein, and if it be not lower H8217 than the skin, H5785 but be somewhat dark; H3544 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days: H3117

22 And if it spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a plague. H5061

23 But if the bright spot H934 stay H5975 in his place, and spread H6581 not, it is a burning H6867 boil; H7822 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean. H2891

24 Or if there be any flesh, H1320 in the skin H5785 whereof there is a hot H784 burning, H4348 and the quick H4241 flesh that burneth H4348 have a white H3836 bright spot, H934 somewhat reddish, H125 or white; H3836

25 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon it: and, behold, if the hair H8181 in the bright spot H934 be turned H2015 white, H3836 and it be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 it is a leprosy H6883 broken H6524 out of the burning: H4348 wherefore the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is the plague H5061 of leprosy. H6883

26 But if the priest H3548 look H7200 on it, and, behold, there be no white H3836 hair H8181 in the bright spot, H934 and it be no lower H8217 than the other skin, H5785 but be somewhat dark; H3544 then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 him up seven H7651 days: H3117

27 And the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon him the seventh H7637 day: H3117 and if it be spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin, H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is the plague H5061 of leprosy. H6883

28 And if the bright H934 spot H934 stay H5975 in his place, and spread H6581 not in the skin, H5785 but it be somewhat dark; H3544 it is a rising H7613 of the burning, H4348 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 for it is an inflammation H6867 of the burning. H4348

29 If a man H376 or woman H802 have a plague H5061 upon the head H7218 or the beard; H2206

30 Then the priest H3548 shall see H7200 the plague: H5061 and, behold, if it be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 and there be in it a yellow H6669 thin H1851 hair; H8181 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him unclean: H2930 it is a dry scall, H5424 even a leprosy H6883 upon the head H7218 or beard. H2206

31 And if the priest H3548 look H7200 on the plague H5061 of the scall, H5424 and, behold, it be not in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin, H5785 and that there is no black H7838 hair H8181 in it; then the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the plague H5061 of the scall H5424 seven H7651 days: H3117

32 And in the seventh H7637 day H3117 the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the plague: H5061 and, behold, if the scall H5424 spread H6581 not, and there be in it no yellow H6669 hair, H8181 and the scall H5424 be not in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785

33 He shall be shaven, H1548 but the scall H5424 shall he not shave; H1548 and the priest H3548 shall shut H5462 up him that hath the scall H5424 seven H7651 days H3117 more: H8145

34 And in the seventh H7637 day H3117 the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on the scall: H5424 and, behold, if the scall H5424 be not spread H6581 in the skin, H5785 nor be in sight H4758 deeper H6013 than the skin; H5785 then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean: H2891 and he shall wash H3526 his clothes, H899 and be clean. H2891

35 But if the scall H5424 spread H6581 much H6581 in the skin H5785 after H310 his cleansing; H2893

36 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 on him: and, behold, if the scall H5424 be spread H6581 in the skin, H5785 the priest H3548 shall not seek H1239 for yellow H6669 hair; H8181 he is unclean. H2931

37 But if the scall H5424 be in his sight H5869 at a stay, H5975 and that there is black H7838 hair H8181 grown H6779 up therein; the scall H5424 is healed, H7495 he is clean: H2889 and the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean. H2891

38 If a man H376 also or a woman H802 have in the skin H5785 of their flesh H1320 bright spots, H934 even white H3836 bright spots; H934

39 Then the priest H3548 shall look: H7200 and, behold, if the bright spots H934 in the skin H5785 of their flesh H1320 be darkish H3544 white; H3836 it is a freckled spot H933 that groweth H6524 in the skin; H5785 he is clean. H2889

40 And the man H376 H3588 whose hair is fallen H4803 off his head, H7218 he is bald; H7142 yet is he clean. H2889

41 And he that hath his hair fallen H4803 off from the part H6285 of his head H7218 toward his face, H6440 he is forehead bald: H1371 yet is he clean. H2889

42 And if there be in the bald head, H7146 or bald forehead, H1372 a white H3836 reddish H125 sore; H5061 it is a leprosy H6883 sprung H6524 up in his bald head, H7146 or his bald forehead. H1372

43 Then the priest H3548 shall look H7200 upon it: and, behold, if the rising H7613 of the sore H5061 be white H3836 reddish H125 in his bald head, H7146 or in his bald forehead, H1372 as the leprosy H6883 appeareth H4758 in the skin H5785 of the flesh; H1320

44 He is a leprous H6879 man, H376 he is unclean: H2931 the priest H3548 shall pronounce him utterly H2930 unclean; H2930 his plague H5061 is in his head. H7218

45 And the leper H6879 in whom the plague H5061 is, his clothes H899 shall be rent, H6533 and his head H7218 bare, H6544 and he shall put a covering H5844 upon his upper lip, H8222 and shall cry, H7121 Unclean, H2931 unclean. H2931

46 All the days H3117 wherein the plague H5061 shall be in him he shall be defiled; H2930 he is unclean: H2931 he shall dwell H3427 alone; H910 without H2351 the camp H4264 shall his habitation H4186 be.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Leviticus 13

Commentary on Leviticus 13 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verse 1

Leprosy. - The law for leprosy, the observance of which is urged upon the people again in Deuteronomy 24:8-9, treats, in the first place, of leprosy in men: ( a ) in its dangerous forms when appearing either on the skin (vv. 2-28), or on the head and beard (Leviticus 13:29-37); ( b ) in harmless forms (Leviticus 13:38 and Leviticus 13:39); and ( c ) when appearing on a bald head (Leviticus 13:40-44). To this there are added instructions for the removal of the leper from the society of other men (Leviticus 13:45 and Leviticus 13:46). It treats, secondly , of leprosy in linen, woollen, and leather articles, and the way to treat them (Leviticus 13:47-59); thirdly , of the purification of persons recovered from leprosy (Lev 14:1-32); and fourthly , of leprosy in houses and the way to remove it (vv. 33-53). - The laws for leprosy in man relate exclusively to the so-called white leprosy, λεύκη λέπρα , lepra , which probably existed at that time in hither Asia alone, not only among the Israelites and Jews (Numbers 12:10.; 2 Samuel 3:29; 2 Kings 5:27; 2 Kings 7:3; 2 Kings 15:5; Matthew 8:2-3; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 26:6, etc.), but also among the Syrians (2 Kings 5:1.), and which is still found in that part of the world, most frequently in the countries of the Lebanon and Jordan and in the neighbourhood of Damascus, in which city there are three hospitals for lepers ( Seetzen , pp. 277, 278), and occasionally in Arabia ( Niebuhr, Arab. pp. 135ff.) and Egypt; though at the present time the pimply leprosy, lepra tuberosa s. articulorum (the leprosy of the joints), is more prevalent in the East, and frequently occurs in Egypt in the lower extremities in the form of elephantiasis. Of the white leprosy (called Lepra Mosaica ), which is still met with in Arabia sometimes, where it is called Baras , Trusen gives the following description: “Very frequently, even for years before the actual outbreak of the disease itself, white, yellowish spots are seen lying deep in the skin, particularly on the genitals, in the face, on the forehead, or in the joints. They are without feeling, and sometimes cause the hair to assume the same colour as the spots. These spots afterwards pierce through the cellular tissue, and reach the muscles and bones. The hair becomes white and woolly, and at length falls off; hard gelatinous swellings are formed in the cellular tissue; the skin gets hard, rough, and seamy, lymph exudes from it, and forms large scabs, which fall off from time to time, and under these there are often offensive running sores. The nails then swell, curl up, and fall off; entropium is formed, with bleeding gums, the nose stopped up, and a considerable flow of saliva... The senses become dull, the patient gets thin and weak, colliquative diarrhea sets in, and incessant thirst and burning fever terminate his sufferings” ( Krankheiten d. alten Hebr. p. 165).


Verses 2-28

The symptoms of leprosy, whether proceeding directly from eruptions in the skin, or caused by a boil or burn . - Leviticus 13:2-8. The first case: “When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh (body) a raised spot or scab, or a bright spot.” שׂאת , a lifting up (Genesis 4:7, etc.), signifies here an elevation of the skin in some part of the body, a raised spot like a pimple. ספּחת , an eruption, scurf, or scab, from ספח to pour out, “a pouring out as it were from the flesh or skin” ( Knobel ). בּהרת .)le , from בּהר , in the Arabic and Chaldee to shine, is a bright swollen spot in the skin. If ether of these signs became “a spot of leprosy,” the person affected was to be brought to the priest, that he might examine the complaint. The term zaraath , from an Arabic word signifying to strike down or scourge, is applied to leprosy as a scourge of God, and in the case of men it always denotes the white leprosy, which the Arabs call baras . נגע , a stroke (lit., “stroke of leprosy”), is applied not only to the spot attacked by the leprosy, the leprous mole (Leviticus 13:3, Leviticus 13:29-32, Leviticus 13:42, etc.), but to the persons and even to things affected with leprosy (Leviticus 13:4, Leviticus 13:12, Leviticus 13:13, Leviticus 13:31, Leviticus 13:50, Leviticus 13:55).

Leviticus 13:3

A person so diseased was to be pronounced unclean, ( a ) if the hair of his head had turned white on the mole, i.e., if the dark hair which distinguished the Israelites had become white; and ( b ) if the appearance of the mole was deeper than the skin of the flesh, i.e., if the spot, where the mole was, appeared depressed in comparison with the rest of the skin. In that case it was leprosy. These signs are recognised by modern observers (e.g., Hensler ); and among the Arabs leprosy is regarded as curable if the hair remains black upon the white spots, but incurable if it becomes whitish in colour.

Leviticus 13:4-6

But if the bright spot was white upon the skin, and its appearance was not deeper than the skin, and the place therefore was not sunken, nor the hair turned white, the priest was to shut up the leper, i.e., preclude him from intercourse with other men, for seven days, and on the seventh day examine him again. If he then found that the mole still stood, i.e., remained unaltered, “in his eyes,” or in his view, that it had not spread any further, he was to shut him up for seven days more. And if, on further examination upon the seventh day, he found that the mole had become paler, had lost its brilliant whiteness, and had not spread, he was to declare him clean, for it was a scurf, i.e., a mere skin eruption, and not true leprosy. The person who had been pronounced clean, however, was to wash his clothes, to change himself from even the appearance of leprosy, and then to be clean.

Leviticus 13:7-8

But if the scurf had spread upon the skin “after his (first) appearance before the priest with reference to his cleansing,” i.e., to be examined concerning his purification; and if the priest notice this on his second appearance, he was to declare him unclean, for in that case it was leprosy.

Leviticus 13:9-17

The second case (Leviticus 13:9-17): if the leprosy broke out without previous eruptions.

Leviticus 13:9-11

“If a mole of leprosy is in a man, and the priest to whom he is brought sees that there is a white rising in the skin, and this has turned the hair white, and there is raw (proud) flesh upon the elevation, it is an old leprosy.” The apodosis to Leviticus 13:9 and Leviticus 13:10 commences with Leviticus 13:11. חי בּשׂר living, i.e., raw, proud flesh. מחיה the preservation of life (Genesis 45:5), sustenance (Judges 6:4); here, in Leviticus 13:10 and Leviticus 13:24, it signifies life in the sense of that which shows life, not a blow or spot ( נגע , from מחה to strike), as it is only in a geographical sense that the verb has this signification, viz., to strike against, or reach as far as (Numbers 34:11). If the priest found that the evil was an old, long-standing leprosy, he was to pronounce the man unclean, and not first of all to shut him up, as there was no longer any doubt about the matter.

Leviticus 13:12-13

If, on the other hand, the leprosy broke out blooming on the skin, and covered the whole of the skin from head to foot “with regard to the whole sight of the eyes of the priest,” i.e., as far as his eyes could see, the priest was to pronounce the person clean. “He has turned quite white,” i.e., his dark body has all become white. The breaking out of the leprous matter in this complete and rapid way upon the surface of the whole body was the crisis of the disease; the diseased matter turned into a scurf, which died away and then fell off.

Leviticus 13:14-19

“But in the day when proud flesh appears upon him, he is unclean,...the proud flesh is unclean; it is leprosy.” That is to say, if proud flesh appeared after the body had been covered with a white scurf, with which the diseased matter had apparently exhausted itself, the disease was not removed, and the person affected with it was to be pronounced unclean.

The third case: if the leprosy proceeded from an abscess which had been cured. In Leviticus 13:18 בּשׂר is first of all used absolutely, and then resumed with בּו , and the latter again is more closely defined in בּעורו : “if there arises in the flesh, in him, in his skin, an abscess, and (it) is healed, and there arises in the place of the abscess a white elevation, or a spot of a reddish white, he (the person so affected) shall appear at the priest's.”

Leviticus 13:20

If the priest found the appearance of the diseased spot lower than the surrounding skin, and the hair upon it turned white, he was to pronounce the person unclean. “It is a mole of leprosy: it has broken out upon the abscess.”

Leviticus 13:21-23

But if the hair had not turned white upon the spot, and there was no depression on the skin, and it (the spot) was pale, the priest was to shut him up for seven days. If the mole spread upon the skin during this period, it was leprosy; but if the spot stood in its place, and had not spread, it was השּׁחין צרבת , “the closing of the abscess:” literally “the burning;” here, that part of the skin or flesh which has been burnt up or killed by the inflammation or abscess, and gradually falls off as scurf ( Knobel ).

Leviticus 13:24-28

The fourth case (Leviticus 13:24-28): if there was a burnt place upon the skin of the flesh ( מבות־אשׁ , a spot where he had burnt himself with fire, the scar of a burn), and the “life of the scar” - i.e., the skin growing or forming upon the scar (see Leviticus 13:10), - “becomes a whitish red, or white spot,” i.e., if it formed itself into a bright swollen spot. This was to be treated exactly like the previous case. המּכוה שׂאת (Leviticus 13:28), rising of the scar of the burn, i.e., a rising of the flesh and skin growing out of the scar of the burn.


Verses 29-31

Leprosy upon the head or chin . - If the priest saw a mole upon the head or chin of a man or woman, the appearance of which was deeper than the skin, and on which the hair was yellow ( צהב golden, reddish, fox-colour) and thin, he was to regard it as נתק . Leprosy on the head or chin is called נתק , probably from נתק to pluck or tear, from its plucking out the hair, or causing it to fall off; like κνήφη , the itch, from κνάω , to itch or scratch, and scabies , from scabere . But if he did not observe these two symptoms, if there was no depression of the skin, and the hair was black and not yellow, he was to shut up the person affected for seven days. In בּו אין שׁחר (Leviticus 13:31) there is certainly an error of the text: either שׁחר must be retained and אין dropped, or שׁהר must be altered into צהב , according to Leviticus 13:37. The latter is probably the better of the two.


Verses 32-34

If the mole had not spread by that time, and the two signs mentioned were not discernible, the person affected was to shave himself, but not to shave the nethek, the eruption or scurfy place, and the priest was to shut him up for seven days more, and then to look whether any alteration had taken place; and if not, to pronounce him clean, whereupon he was to wash his clothes (see Leviticus 13:6).


Verse 35-36

But if the eruption spread even after his purification, the priest, on seeing this, was not to look for yellow hair. “He is unclean:” that is to say, he was to pronounce him unclean without searching for yellow hairs; the spread of the eruption was a sufficient proof of the leprosy.


Verse 37

But if, on the contrary, the eruption stood (see Leviticus 13:5), and black hair grew out of it, he was healed, and the person affected was to be declared clean.


Verse 38-39

Harmless leprosy . - This broke out upon the skin of the body in בּהרת plaits, “white rings.” If these were dull or a pale white, it was the harmless bohak , ἀλφός (lxx), which did not defile, and which even the Arabs, who still call it bahak , consider harmless. It is an eruption upon the skin, appearing in somewhat elevated spots or rings of inequal sizes and a pale white colour, which do not change the hair; it causes no inconvenience, and lasts from two months to two years.


Verse 40-41

The leprosy of bald heads . - קרח is a head bald behind; גּבּח , in front, “bald from the side, or edge of his face, i.e., from the forehead and temples.” Bald heads of both kinds were naturally clean.


Verses 42-44

But if a white reddish mole was formed upon the bald place before or behind, it was leprosy breaking out upon it, and was to be recognised by the fact that the rising of the mole had the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the body. In that case the person was unclean, and to be pronounced so by the priest. “On his head is his plague of leprosy,” i.e., he has it in his head.


Verse 45-46

With regard to the treatment of lepers , the lawgiver prescribed that they should wear mourning costume, rend their clothes, leave the hair of their head in disorder (see at Leviticus 10:6), keep the beard covered (Ezekiel 24:17, Ezekiel 24:22), and cry “Unclean, unclean,” that every one might avoid them for fear of being defiled (Lamentations 4:15); and as long as the disease lasted they were to dwell apart outside the camp (Numbers 5:2., Numbers 12:10., cf. 2 Kings 15:5; 2 Kings 7:3),

(Note: At the present day there are pest-houses specially set apart for lepers outside the towns. In Jerusalem they are situated against the Zion-gate (see Robinson, Pal. i.p. 364).)

a rule which implies that the leper rendered others unclean by contact. From this the Rabbins taught, that by merely entering a house, a leper polluted everything within it ( Mishnah , Kelim i. 4; Negaim xiii. 11).


Verses 47-52

Leprosy in linen, woollen, and leather fabrics and clothes . - The only wearing apparel mentioned in Leviticus 13:47 is either woollen or linen, as in Deuteronomy 22:11; Hosea 2:7; Proverbs 31:13; and among the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks these were the materials usually worn. In Leviticus 13:48. שׁתי and ערב , “the flax and the wool,” i.e., for linen and woollen fabrics, are distinguished from clothes of wool or flax. The rendering given to these words by the early translators is στήμων and κρόκη , stamen et subtegmen (lxx, Vulg.), i.e., warp and weft. The objection offered to this rendering, that warp and weft could not be kept so separate from one another, that the one could be touched and rendered leprous without the other, has been met by Gussetius by the simple but correct remark, that the reference is to the yarn prepared for the warp and weft, and not to the woven fabrics themselves. So long as the yarn was not woven into a fabric, the warp-yarn and weft-yarn might very easily be separated and lie in different places, so that the one could be injured without the other. In this case the yarn intended for weaving is distinguished from the woven material, just as the leather is afterwards distinguished from leather-work (Leviticus 13:49). The signs of leprosy were, if the mole in the fabric was greenish or reddish. In that case the priest was to shut up the thing affected with leprosy for seven days, and then examine it. If the mole had spread in the meantime, it was a “grievous leprosy.” ממארת , from מאר irritavit, recruduit ( vulnus ), is to be explained, as it is by Bochart , as signifying lepra exasperata . הנּגע ממארת making the mole bad or angry; not, as Gesenius maintains, from מאר = מרר acerbum faciens , i.e., dolorem acerbum excitans , which would not apply to leprosy in fabrics and houses (Leviticus 14:44), and is not required by Ezekiel 28:24. All such fabrics were to be burned as unclean.


Verses 53-55

If the mole had not spread during the seven days, the priest was to cause the fabric in which the mole appeared to be washed, and then shut it up for seven days more. If the mole did not alter its appearance after being washed, even though it had not spread, the fabric was unclean, and was therefore to be burned. “It is a corroding in the back and front” (of the fabric of leather). פּחתת , from פּחת , in Syriac fodit , from which comes פּחת a pit, lit., a digging: here a corroding depression. קרחת a bald place in the front or right side, גּבּחת a bald place in the back or left side of the fabric or leather.


Verse 56

But if the mole had turned pale by the seventh day after the washing, it (the place of the mole) was to be separated (torn off) from the clothes, leather or yarn, and then (as is added afterwards in Leviticus 13:58) the garment or fabric from which the mole had disappeared was to be washed a second time, and would then be clean.


Verses 57-59

But if the mole appeared again in any such garment or cloth, i.e., if it appeared again after this, it was a leprosy bursting forth afresh, and the thing affected with it was to be burned. Leprosy in linen and woollen fabrics or clothes, and in leather, consisted in all probability in nothing but so-called mildew, which commonly arises from damp and want of air, and consists, in the case of linen, of round, partially coloured spots, which spread, and gradually eat up the fabric, until it falls to pieces like mould. In leather the mildew consists most strictly of “holes eaten in,” and is of a “greenish, reddish, or whitish colour, according to the species of the delicate cryptogami by which it has been formed.”