The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body; and if the hair on the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore. Then the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.
Parallel translations
- WEB and the priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body: and 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; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.
- KJV 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 deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
- BSB The priest is to examine the infection on his skin, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.
- NASB The priest shall look at the infected area on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
- NLT The priest will examine the affected area of the skin. If the hair in the affected area has turned white and the problem appears to be more than skin-deep, it is a serious skin disease, and the priest who examines it must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If the hair turns white and the sore is deeper than the skin, the priest declares the person unclean. Clear signs mark a genuinely defiling disease.
Overview
The priest examines the sore, and if the hair has whitened and the affliction is deeper than the skin, he pronounces the person unclean with the plague. These diagnostic signs gave objective criteria for judgment. The spreading, disfiguring nature of the disease made it a vivid emblem of sin, which likewise corrupts and isolates apart from cleansing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Rom 3:19–20Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- Gen 13:3He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
- Ezek 16:30“‘“How weak is your heart,” says the Lord Yahweh, “since you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute;
- Hos 7:9Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn’t realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn’t realize it.
- Lev 13:2“When a man shall have a rising 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:
- Matt 18:17–18If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
- 2 Th 3:14–15If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.
- 2 Tim 3:13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- 2 Tim 2:16–17But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,
- Rom 7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
- Ezek 44:23They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
- 1 Cor 5:4–6In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Matt 16:19I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”
- Heb 13:7Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
- Acts 20:28Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.
- Mal 2:7For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.
- John 20:23If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
- Hag 2:11“Yahweh of Armies says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
- 1 Tim 1:20of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Lev 10:10You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 13:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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