Leviticus chapter 13

Eight strategies for infectious skin disease. Mildew in clothing and personal articles.

 


 

EIGHT STRATEGIES FOR INFECTIOUS SKIN DISEASE

 

VERSE 1. The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

 

VERSE 2. “When a man shall have a swelling in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.

This verse begins Strategy #1 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

the plague. In our day we understand leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, to be a long-term infection by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis

In our day, leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy.

leprosy. The Hebrew word is tsaraat. It covers any form of spreading surface discoloration or flaking, whether in humans or in objects subject to mold or mildew.

Then word has traditionally been translated as “leprosy.” However, the Hebrew word is quite broad.

In one instance the NIV translated it with an entire phrase: “infectious skin diseases and mildew.”

Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. The priest is to function like a public health officer, diagnosing a contagious skin disease and isolating the patient.

 

VERSE 3. The priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body. If the hair in the plague has turned white, and the appearance of the plague is deeper than the body’s skin, it is the plague of leprosy; so the priest shall examine him and pronounce him unclean.

pronounce him unclean. In those days, to be diagnosed with leprosy was almost a death-sentence.

There was no known cure. To protect itself, society banished the sufferer.

However, Jesus Christ healed lepers.

 

VERSE 4. If the bright spot is white in the skin of his body, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and its hair hasn’t turned white, then the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.

This verse provides the priest with three diagnostic criteria necessary to put the patient in isolation:

  1. the bright spot is white
  2. its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin
  3. its hair hasn’t turned white

 

VERSE 5. The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. Behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days.

The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. After being isolated for seven days, the patient is re-examined.

 

VERSE 6. The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

 

VERSE 7. But if the scab spreads on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again.

 

VERSE 8. The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

if the scab has spread. This verse provides the priest with the criteria for the final diagnosis of leprosy.

 

VERSE 9. “When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest;

This verse begins Strategy #2 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 10. and the priest shall examine him. Behold, if there is a white swelling in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling,

This verse provides the priest with three diagnostic criteria necessary to declare leprosy:

  1. there is a white swelling in the skin
  2. it has turned the hair white
  3. raw flesh in the swelling

 

VERSE 11. it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not isolate him, for he is already unclean.

 

VERSE 12. “If the leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the infected person from his head even to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest,

 

VERSE 13. then the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean.

 

VERSE 14. But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean.

 

VERSE 15. The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.

 

VERSE 16. Or if the raw flesh turns again, and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest.

 

VERSE 17. The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.

 

VERSE 18. “When the body has a boil on its skin, and it has healed,

This verse begins Strategy #3 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 19. and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest.

 

VERSE 20. The priest shall examine it. Behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil.

 

VERSE 21. But if the priest examines it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.

 

VERSE 22. If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague.

 

VERSE 23. But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

 

VERSE 24. “Or when the body has a burn from fire on its skin, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white,

This verse begins Strategy #4 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 25. then the priest shall examine it; and behold, if the hair in the bright spot has turned white, and its appearance is deeper than the skin, it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.

 

VERSE 26. But if the priest examines it, and behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall isolate him seven days.

 

VERSE 27. The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.

 

VERSE 28. If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn.

 

VERSE 29. “When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard,

This verse begins Strategy #5 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 30. then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch. It is leprosy of the head or of the beard.

 

VERSE 31. If the priest examines the plague of itching, and behold, its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person infected with itching seven days.

 

VERSE 32. On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn’t deeper than the skin,

 

VERSE 33. then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch. Then the priest shall isolate the one who has the itch seven more days.

 

VERSE 34. On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.

 

VERSE 35. But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,

 

VERSE 36. then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean.

 

VERSE 37. But if in his eyes the itch is arrested and black hair has grown in it, then the itch is healed. He is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.

 

VERSE 38. “When a man or a woman has bright spots in the skin of the body, even white bright spots,

This verse begins Strategy #6 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 39. then the priest shall examine them. Behold, if the bright spots on the skin of their body are a dull white, it is a harmless rash. It has broken out in the skin. He is clean.

 

VERSE 40. “If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean.

This verse begins Strategy #7 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean. It is OK to be bald.

Whew!

Many men breath a sign of relief.

Proverbs 16:31. Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by virtuous living. (NAB translation)

 

VERSE 41. If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean.

 

VERSE 42. But if a reddish-white plague is in the bald head or the bald forehead, it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head or his bald forehead.

 

VERSE 43. Then 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,

 

VERSE 44. he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head.

 

VERSE 45. “The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

This verse begins Strategy #8 of 8 for skin disease:

  1. skin disease test series 1 (verse 2)
  2. skin disease test series 2 (verse 9)
  3. skin disease in scars (verse 18)
  4. skin disease in burns (verse 24)
  5. skin disease in scalp or beard (verse 29)
  6. a ceremonially clean skin disease (verse 38)
  7. skin disease versus baldness (verse 40)
  8. the treatment of those diagnosed as ceremonially unclean (verse 45)

 

VERSE 46. All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the camp.

 

MILDEW IN CLOTHING AND PERSONAL ARTICLES

Like infectious skin diseases, mold and mildew can disfigure the outside surface of certain articles, causing them to flake or peel.

 

VERSE 47. “The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment;

 

VERSE 48. whether it is in warp or woof; of linen or of wool; whether in a leather, or in anything made of leather;

warp or woof. Warp and Woof are the vertical and horizontal threads in woven cloth

 

VERSE 49. if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the leather, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of leather; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest.

 

VERSE 50. The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days.

 

VERSE 51. He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean.

 

VERSE 52. He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, in which the plague is, for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.

He shall burn the garment. If clothing is infested by leprosy, it must be destroyed by fire.

 

VERSE 53. “If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;

 

VERSE 54. then the priest shall command that they wash the thing that the plague is in, and he shall isolate it seven more days.

 

VERSE 55. Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and the plague hasn’t spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside.

 

VERSE 56. If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof;

 

VERSE 57. and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn what the plague is in with fire.

 

VERSE 58. The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.”

 

VERSE 59. This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

 


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LEVITICUS

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