But if the rash continues to spread after the person has been examined by the priest and has been pronounced clean, the infected person must return to be examined again.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:
- BSB But if the rash spreads further on his skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must present himself again to the priest.
- NKJV But if the scab should at all spread over the skin, after he has been seen by the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again.
- NASB “But if the rash spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest.
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 scab spreads after being declared clean, the person must return to the priest. Cleanness once pronounced can be reversed if the disease advances.
Overview
Should the scab spread after the person has shown himself for cleansing, he must present himself to the priest again. The law accounts for changing conditions, requiring honest re-examination. This guards against presuming on a former verdict, much as the believer is called to ongoing watchfulness rather than complacency.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Tim 2:16–17But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness,
- Lev 13:35–36But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,
- Rom 6:12–14Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
- Ps 38:3There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
- Isa 1:5–6Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
- Lev 13:27The 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.
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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 13:7 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.