Leviticus 13

Infections on the Skin

1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:2 “When someone hast a swellingt or a scabt or a bright spott on the skin of his bodyt that may become a diseased infection,t he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests.t

3 The priest must then examine the infectiont on the skin of the body, and if the hairt in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body,t then it is a diseased infection,t so when the priest examines itt he must pronounce the person unclean.t

A Bright Spot on the Skin

4 “Ift it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,t and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days.t5 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if,t as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the samet and has not spread on the skin,t then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days.t6 The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day,t and ift the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean.t It is a scab,t so he must wash his clothest and be clean.7 If, however, the scab is spreading furthert on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his purification, then he must show himself to the priest a second time.

8 The priest must then examine it,t and ift the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean.t It is a disease.

A Swelling on the Skin

9 “When someone has a diseased infection,t he must be brought to the priest.10 The priest will then examine it,t and ift a white swelling is on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling,t11 it is a chronict disease on the skin of his body,t so the priest is to pronounce him unclean.t The priestt must not merely quarantine him, for he is unclean.s12 If, however, the disease breaks outt on the skin so that the disease covers all the skin of the person with the infectiont from his head to his feet, as far as the priest can see,t13 the priest must then examine it,t and ift the disease covers his whole body, he is to pronounce the person with the infection clean.t He has turned all white, so he is clean.t14 But whenever raw flesh appears in itt he will be unclean,15 so the priest is to examine the raw flesht and pronounce him uncleant – it is diseased.16 If, however,t the raw flesh once again turns white,t then he must come to the priest.

17 The priest will then examine it,t and ift the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection cleant – he is clean.

A Boil on the Skin

18 “When someone’s body has a boil on its skins and it heals,19 and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish white bright spot, he must show himself to the priest.t20 The priest will then examine it,t and ift it appears to be deeper than the skint and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean.t It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil.t21 If, however,t the priest examines it, andt there is no white hair in it, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days.t22 Ift it is spreading furthert on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean.t It is an infection.

23 But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread,t it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean.t

A Burn on the Skin

24 “When a body has a burn on its skint and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot,25 the priest must examine it,t and ift the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin,t it is a disease that has broken out in the burn.t The priest is to pronounce the person unclean.t It is a diseased infection.t26 If, however,t the priest examines it andt there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin,t and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days.t27 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading furthert on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection.t

28 But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin,t and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean,t because it is the scar of the burn.

Scall on the Head or in the Beard

29 “When a man or a woman has an infection on the head or in the beard,ts30 the priest is to examine the infection,t and ift it appears to be deeper than the skint and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean.t It is scall,t a disease of the head or the beard.t31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,t and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days.t32 The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and ift the scall has not spread, there is no reddish yellow hair in it, and the scall does not appear to be deeper than the skin,t33 then the individual is to shave himself,t but he must not shave the area affected by the scall,t and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days.t34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and ift the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,t then the priest is to pronounce him clean.t So he is to wash his clothes and be clean.35 If, however, the scall spreads furthert on the skin after his purification,36 then the priest is to examine it, and ift the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair.t The persont is unclean.

37 If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the samet and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean.t

Bright White Spots on the Skin

38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots – white bright spots – on the skin of their body,

39 the priest is to examine them,t and ift the bright spots on the skin of their body are faded white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin. The person is clean.t

Baldness on the Head

40 “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back,t he is clean.41 If his head is bare on the foreheadt so that he is balding in front,t he is clean.42 But if there is a reddish white infection in the back or front bald area, it is a disease breaking out in his back or front bald area.43 The priest is to examine it,t and ift the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body,t

44 he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head.t

The Life of the Person with Skin Disease

45 “As for the diseased person who has the infection,t his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache,t and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

46 The whole time he has the infectiont he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp.

Infections in Garments, Cloth, or Leather

47 “When a garment has a diseased infection in it,t whether a wool or linen garment,t48 or in the warp or woofs of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather,t49 if the infectiont in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection and it must be shown to the priest.50 The priest is to examine and then quarantine the article with the infection for seven days.t51 He must then examine the infection on the seventh day. If the infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the leather – whatever the article into which the leather was madet – the infection is a malignant disease. It is unclean.52 He must burn the garment or the warp or the woof, whether wool or linen, or any article of leather which has the infection in it. Because it is a malignant disease it must be burned up in the fire.53 But if the priest examines it andt the infection has not spread in the garment or in the warp or in the woof or in any article of leather,54 the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the infection and quarantine it for another seven days.t55 The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and ift the infection has not changed its appearancet even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn it up in the fire. It is a fungus, whether on the back side or front side of the article.t56 But if the priest has examined it andt the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out oft the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof.57 Then ift it still appears again in the garment or the warp or the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak. Whatever has the infection in it you must burn up in the fire.

58 But the garment or the warp or the woof or any article of leather which you wash and infection disappears from itt is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.”

Summary of Infection Regulations

59 This is the laws of the diseased infection in the garment of wool or linen, or the warp or woof, or any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.t

LEVITICUS 13

Skin Diseases

1 The [Lord] told Moses and Aaron to say to the people:
2 If sores or boils or a skin rash should break out and start spreading on your body, you must be brought to Aaron or to one of the other priests.

3 If the priest discovers that the hair in the infected area has turned white and that the infection seems more than skin deep, he will say, “This is leprosyt—you are unclean.”
4 But if the infected area is white and only skin deep, and if the hair in it hasn't turned white, the priest will order you to stay away from everyone else for seven days. 5 If the disease hasn't spread by that time, he will order you to stay away from everyone else for another seven days.

6 Then if the disease hasn't become any worse or spread, the priest will say, “You are clean. It is only a sore. After you wash your clothes, you may go home.”
7 However, if the disease comes back, you must return to the priest.

8 If it is discovered that the disease has started spreading, he will say, “This is leprosy—you are unclean.”
9 Any of you with a skin disease must be brought to a priest. 10 If he discovers that the sore spot is white with pus and that the hair around it has also turned white, 11 he will say, “This is leprosy. You are unclean and must stay away from everyone else.” 12-13 But if the disease has run its course and only the scars remain, he will say, “You are clean.”

14-15 If the sores come back and turn white again, he will say, “This is leprosy—you are unclean.”

16-17 However, if the sores heal and only white spots remain, the priest will say, “You are now clean.”
18-19 If you have a sore that either swells or turns reddish-white after it has healed, then you must show it to a priest. 20 If he discovers that the hair in the infected area has turned white and that the infection seems more than skin deep, he will say, “This is leprosy—you are unclean.”

21 But if the white area is only on the surface of the skin and hasn't become any worse, and if the hair in it hasn't turned white, he will tell you to stay away from everyone else for seven days.
22 If the sore begins spreading during this time, the priest will say, “You are unclean because you have a disease.”

23 But if it doesn't spread, and only a scar remains, he will say, “You are now clean.”
24 If you have a burn that gets infected and turns red or reddish-white, 25 a priest must examine it. Then if he discovers that the hair in the infected area has turned white and that the infection seems more than skin deep, he will say, “The burn has turned into leprosy, and you are unclean.” 26 But if the priest finds that the hair in the infected area hasn't turned white and that the sore is only skin deep and it is healing, he will tell you to stay away from everyone else for seven days. 27 On the seventh day the priest will examine you again, and if the infection is spreading, he will say, “This is leprosy—you are unclean.”

28 However, if the infection hasn't spread and has begun to heal, and if only a scar remains, he will say, “Only a scar remains from the burn, and you are clean.”
29 If you have a sore on your head or chin, 30 it must be examined by a priest. If the infection seems more than skin deep, and the hair in it has thinned out and lost its color, he will say, “This is leprosy—you are unclean.” 31 On the other hand, if he discovers that the itchy spot is only skin deep, but that the hair still isn't healthy, he will order you to stay away from everyone else for seven days. 32 By that time, if the itch hasn't spread, if the hair seems healthy, and if the itch is only skin deep, 33 you must shave off the hair around the infection, but not those on it. Then the priest will tell you to stay away from everyone else for another seven days.

34 By that time, if the itch hasn't spread and seems no more than skin deep, he will say, “You are clean; now you must wash your clothes.”
35-36 Later, if the itch starts spreading, even though the hair is still healthy, the priest will say, “You are unclean.”

37 But if he thinks you are completely well, he will say, “You are clean.”
38 If white spots break out on your skin,

39 but the priest discovers that it is only a rash, he will say, “You are clean.”
40-41 If you become bald on any part of your head, you are still clean. 42-43 But if a priest discovers that a reddish-white sore has broken out on the bald spot and looks like leprosy, he will say,

44 “This is leprosy—you are unclean.”
45 If you ever have leprosy, you must tear your clothes, leave your hair uncombed, cover the lower part of your face, and go around shouting, “I'm unclean! I'm unclean!”

46 As long as you have the disease, you are unclean and must live alone outside the camp.
47-50 If a greenish or reddish spott appears anywhere on any of your clothing or on anything made of leather, you must let the priest examine the clothing or the leather. He will put it aside for seven days, 51 and if the mildew has spread in that time, he will say, “This is unclean

52 because the mildew has spread.” Then he will burn the clothing or the piece of leather.
53 If the priest discovers that the mildew hasn't spread, 54 he will tell you to wash the clothing or leather and put it aside for another seven days, 55 after which he will examine it again. If the spot hasn't spread, but is still greenish or reddish, the clothing or leather is unclean and must be burned. 56 But if the spot has faded after being washed, he will tear away the spot. 57 Later, if the spot reappears elsewhere on the clothing or the leather, you must burn it.

58 Even if the spot completely disappears after being washed, it must be washed again before it is clean.
59 These are the rules for deciding if clothing is clean or unclean after a spot appears on it.