Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Leviticus 13
Leviticus 13:2-3When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. And the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
These verses establish the entire procedure, placing the responsibility of diagnosis on the priests. Their examination was the first step in maintaining the ritual purity of the camp.Leviticus 13:45-46"The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.'" He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
This passage starkly outlines the consequences of being unclean: total isolation from the community. This physical separation was a powerful symbol of being cut off from God's presence and His people.Leviticus 13:59This is the law for a case of leprous disease in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or the woof, or in any article made of skin, to determine whether it is clean or unclean.
This concluding verse summarizes the purpose of the preceding laws. It was a divine system for making a clear distinction between what was clean and unclean in daily life.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Community Concerned with Holiness
This chapter is situated within a larger section of Leviticus (chapters 11-15) that focuses entirely on the laws of cleanness and uncleanness. Having already addressed clean and unclean animals and purification after childbirth, the law now turns to diseases that defile a person. For ancient Israel, this was a deeply spiritual concern. Impurity prevented a person from participating in worship and community life at the tabernacle, where God's presence dwelled.
The Priest as Diagnostician
The instructions are given directly from God to Moses and Aaron, establishing the priests as the sole authorities in these matters. They were tasked with acting as public health officials and spiritual diagnosticians. Their careful examination and judgment were crucial for protecting the entire camp of Israel from both physical contagion and, more importantly, ritual defilement. The priest's declaration determined a person's place within the covenant community.
Diagnosing Disease in People and Possessions
Leviticus 13 functions as a detailed diagnostic manual for Israel's priests. It addresses a variety of skin conditions, broadly translated as 'leprosy,' which included more than the modern disease of that name. The process described in these verses involves careful observation, periods of quarantine, and re-examination to determine a person's ritual status. This status - clean or unclean - significantly affected an individual's ability to participate in the life of the community.
Initial Examination of Skin Diseases (Leviticus 13:1-17)
1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
2 When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.
3 And the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
4 If the case of leprous disease is deeper than the skin of his body, then the priest shall examine him, and if the leprous disease has spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease.
5 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up for another seven days.
6 And the priest shall look, and if the itch has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease.
7 But if the eruption spreads in the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest.
8 And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the diseased area has faded and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption.
9 "When the infection of leprosy is on a man, then he shall be brought to the priest,"
10 And the priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
11 It is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not shut him up, for he is unclean.
12 And if the leprous disease breaks out in the skin, so that the leprous disease covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see,
13 then the priest shall look, and if the leprous disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; it has all turned white, and he is clean.
14 But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean.
15 And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean, for the raw flesh is unclean; it is a leprous disease.
16 And if the priest examines, and if the disease has faded after it has been washed, he shall tear it out of the garment, or the warp or the woof, or the skin.
17 And the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has turned white in the skin and has affected the hair, and the itch appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
Commentary:
Priests examine skin sores, using depth and hair color as key signs, and quarantine uncertain cases.
Diseases from Boils and Burns (Leviticus 13:18-28)
18 "If there is in the skin of one's body a boil and it heals,"
19 And in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a reddish-white spot, reddish-white, like a spot of leprous disease in the skin of the body.
20 And if, when the priest sees it, behold, it appears lower than the skin, and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil.
21 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall shut him up seven days.
22 And if it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease.
23 But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread, it is the scar of the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24 Or if there is any flesh in the skin of the body and it is healed and the fresh appears in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil.
25 the priest shall examine it, and if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall shut him up seven days.
27 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up for another seven days.
28 And if the itch spreads in the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest.
Commentary:
The law provides specific rules for diagnosing sores that appear after a boil or burn has healed.
Sores on the Head, Beard, and Body (Leviticus 13:29-44)
29 "When a man or woman has a disease on the head or the beard,"
30 then the priest shall examine the disease. And if it appears deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch, a leprous disease of the head or the beard.
31 But if the priest examines the itching disease and it does not appear deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for seven days.
32 And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the disease. If the disease has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall shut him up for another seven days.
33 then the man shall be shaven, but the woman shall not be shaven.
34 And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the itch, and if the itch has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean.
35 But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,
36 then the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean.
37 But if in his eyes the itch is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed and he is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
38 When a man or a woman has spots on the skin of the body, white spots,
39 "And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection, and if the infection has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean."
40 "If a man's hair falls out from his head, he is bald; he is clean."
41 But if in his eyes the itch is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed and he is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
42 But if there is in the bald head or the bald forehead a reddish-white diseased area, it is a leprous disease breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead.
43 "Then the priest shall examine it, and if the swelling of the itch is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead like the appearance of leprous disease in the skin of the body,"
44 he is a leprous man; he is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Commentary:
Rules are given for head and beard infections, while making it clear that normal baldness is not unclean.
The Life of the Unclean Person (Leviticus 13:45-46)
45 "The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.'"
46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Commentary:
A person diagnosed with a defiling disease must live in isolation outside the camp, publicly identifying as unclean.
Diagnosing Contamination in Fabrics (Leviticus 13:47-59)
47 "If there is any garment of wool or linen in the warp or the woof of the linen or of the wool or in a skin or in any article made of skin,
48 If the priest examines the itching disease and it appears no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for seven days.
49 if the disease is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin or in the warp or the woof or in any article made of skin, it is a case of leprous disease, and it shall be shown to the priest.
50 The priest shall examine the plague and shut up the person for seven days.
51 He shall examine the disease on the seventh day. If the disease has spread in the garment, in the warp or the woof, or in the skin, whatever be the use of the skin, the disease is a persistent leprous disease; it is unclean.
52 He shall burn the garment, whether diseased in warp or woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of skin, for it is a persistent leprous disease. It shall be burned in the fire.
53 "But if the priest examines, and the disease has not spread in the skin and it appears no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall shut up the person with the disease for seven days."
54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the disease, and he shall shut it up for seven days.
And the priest shall examine the disease after it has been washed. And behold, if the diseased area has not changed color, though the disease has not spread, it is unclean. You shall burn it in the fire, whether the rot is on the back or on the front.
56 And if the priest examines, and if the disease has faded after it has been washed, he shall tear it out of the garment, or the warp or the woof, or the skin.
57 And if it appears again in the garment, in the warp or the woof, or in any article made of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn with fire that in which it is.
58 But the garment, or the warp or the woof, or any article made of skin from which the disease departs when you have washed it, shall then be washed a second time, and be clean."
59 This is the law for a case of leprous disease in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or the woof, or in any article made of skin, to determine whether it is clean or unclean.
Commentary:
The laws extend to fabrics and leather, which must be examined for mildew and burned if the contamination spreads.
Purity, Community, and God's Presence
The Importance of Ritual Purity
These laws underscore that being 'clean' was a prerequisite for belonging to the community and approaching God. Uncleanness represented a state of disorder, decay, or death that was fundamentally incompatible with the life and holiness of God, who dwelled among His people.
Protecting the Community
Beyond the spiritual symbolism, these regulations served a vital public health function. By isolating individuals with contagious diseases and destroying contaminated objects, the law protected the physical well-being of the entire nation, preventing widespread outbreaks.
Sin as a Spiritual Disease
Throughout Scripture, leprosy is used as a powerful metaphor for sin. Like the skin disease described here, sin isolates us from God and others, corrupts us from within, and spreads if left unchecked. The diagnosis and separation in this chapter foreshadow our deep need for a spiritual cleansing that only God can provide.
Applying Principles of Purity Today
Leviticus 13 treats skin disease as a serious corruption that requires immediate and careful examination. This teaches you to view sin with the same gravity. Just as the priests looked for signs of spreading disease (Leviticus 13:7-8), you are called to honestly examine your heart and deal with sin before it can cause further damage to your relationship with God and others.
The laws to isolate the unclean were designed to protect the health and holiness of the entire camp (Leviticus 13:46). You can apply this principle by being mindful of how your actions and words affect the spiritual health of your church and family. This means refusing to participate in gossip, division, or harmful behaviors that can spread like a spiritual contagion and weaken the community.
The painful isolation described in Leviticus 13:45-46 reveals the tragedy of being cut off from God and community. This should fill you with immense gratitude for Jesus, who did the unthinkable by touching the unclean to make them clean (Mark 1:40-42). It challenges you to be a person who moves toward those who feel isolated or rejected, offering them the radical acceptance and healing found in Christ.
Holiness Demands Careful Discernment
Leviticus 13 reveals a God who is deeply concerned with the holiness and health of His people, down to the smallest detail. These intricate laws were a tangible way to teach Israel about the pervasive nature of corruption and the need for purity in a community where God Himself dwelled. The message is both practical and symbolic: just as physical decay must be identified and removed to protect the camp, spiritual decay must be addressed to protect our relationship with a holy God.
What This Means for Us Today
The laws of Leviticus 13 highlight the significant separation caused by uncleanness. Yet, the New Testament shows us Jesus, who willingly touches the unclean to make them whole, bridging the very gap these laws defined. This chapter invites us to recognize our own spiritual uncleanness and run to the only One who can declare us clean, not by examination, but by His grace.
- In what areas of my life do I need to ask for God's cleansing touch?
- How can I show compassion to those who feel isolated or 'unclean' in my community?
- Am I quick to judge external appearances, or do I seek to understand the heart as God does?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter discusses ritual purification after childbirth, setting the stage for the broader topic of bodily cleanness.
This chapter provides the detailed rituals for cleansing a person who has been healed of a leprous disease, completing the process started in chapter 13.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage reinforces the command to remove anyone with a defiling disease from the camp because God's holy presence dwells there.
The story of Naaman's healing from leprosy demonstrates God's sovereign power to cleanse, a power far greater than the priests' ability to simply diagnose.
Jesus heals a man with leprosy by touching him, showing His authority over both the disease and the laws of uncleanness that separated people from God.
Discussion Questions
- Leviticus 13 focuses on external signs of uncleanness. How does this relate to Jesus' teachings about inner purity, such as in Matthew 15:18-20?
- The person with a leprous disease was physically and socially isolated. In what ways do people experience similar isolation today, and how can the church be a place of healing and inclusion?
- These laws required careful, patient observation before a final judgment was made. How can we apply this principle of patience and discernment before making judgments about others or situations in our own lives?