Leviticus 13:12 kjv
And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
Leviticus 13:12 nkjv
"And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the one who has the sore, from his head to his foot, wherever the priest looks,
Leviticus 13:12 niv
"If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot,
Leviticus 13:12 esv
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,
Leviticus 13:12 nlt
"Now suppose the disease has spread all over the person's skin, covering the body from head to foot.
Leviticus 13 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 13:1-11 | General laws and various signs of tsara'at requiring isolation. | Context for initial inspection and isolation |
| Lev 13:13 | The accompanying verse explaining why the total white is clean: because it is all turned white. | Direct explanation of cleanness |
| Lev 13:16-17 | Laws regarding a "raw spot" appearing on healed skin making it unclean again. | Demonstrates strictness and specific criteria |
| Lev 14:2 | The law for the tsara'at sufferer when he is cleansed: "This shall be the law..." | Rituals for declaration of cleansing and restoration |
| Num 12:9-15 | Miriam becomes leprous as white as snow due to rebellion, healed after intercession. | Tsara'at as divine judgment/affliction |
| 2 Ki 5:1 | Naaman the commander, "but he was a leper." | Example of tsara'at in prominent individual |
| 2 Ki 5:27 | Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, struck with Naaman's leprosy for greed. | Tsara'at as judgment for specific sin |
| Dt 24:8 | "Be careful in a case of leprous disease... as the priests, the Levites, instruct you." | Emphasis on priestly instruction/authority |
| Isa 1:6 | "From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises..." | Symbolic imagery of full spiritual disease/wounds |
| Isa 53:5 | "By His stripes we are healed." | Atonement and spiritual healing |
| Matt 8:2-4 | A leper came to Jesus and worshipped Him, and Jesus touched him and cleansed him. | Jesus' authority over tsara'at and impurity |
| Mk 1:40-45 | Jesus shows compassion, stretches out His hand, and touches the leper. | Jesus breaking ritual barriers |
| Lk 17:12-19 | Ten lepers healed by Jesus, only one returned to give thanks. | Miraculous healing by Christ's power |
| Lk 5:12-16 | Jesus' ability to physically and ritually cleanse those with tsara'at. | Cleansing as divine act, beyond human capability |
| Matt 10:8 | Jesus commands disciples: "Cleanse lepers, cast out demons, raise the dead..." | Ministry extending divine cleansing |
| Heb 9:13-14 | "For if the blood of goats and bulls... sanctify for the purification of the flesh..." | Old covenant ritual purification |
| Heb 9:28 | "So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time..." | Christ's singular atonement for sin/impurity |
| Heb 10:1-4 | Old Testament sacrifices could not take away sins. | Limits of animal sacrifices for true cleansing |
| Rom 3:23-24 | "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace." | Humanity's universal spiritual "sickness" and grace |
| Col 2:13-14 | "He has forgiven us all our trespasses, having canceled out the certificate of debt..." | Christ cancelling the condemnation of sin |
| Gal 3:13 | "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us..." | Christ dealing with the curse, including sickness |
| Ps 51:7 | "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." | Purification prayer, "whiter than snow" imagery |
| Jas 5:15-16 | Prayer of faith will heal the sick and sins will be forgiven. | Connection between sin, sickness, and forgiveness |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin..." | Spiritual healing and new life in Christ |
| Eph 5:26-27 | Christ "sanctify and cleanse" the church "without spot or wrinkle... holy and blameless." | Cleansing of the Church, spotless and pure |
Leviticus 13 verses
Leviticus 13 12 Meaning
Leviticus 13:12 states a paradoxical yet divinely ordained regulation regarding tsara'at (often mistranslated as leprosy). If an eruption or affliction spreads across the entire body of a person, completely covering them from head to foot, and appears entirely white to the examining priest, that individual is declared ceremonially clean. This condition, which might seem dire, surprisingly signifies the completion or full manifestation of the skin ailment, indicating its potential subsidence and the restoration of ritual purity. The entire whitening indicates that the "active" or "unclean" phase has passed, implying that the affected person is no longer a source of ritual contamination.
Leviticus 13 12 Context
Leviticus Chapter 13 primarily details the comprehensive and strict laws concerning tsara'at (skin afflictions), including its identification, diagnosis by the priest, periods of isolation, and criteria for cleanness or uncleanness. These laws were crucial for maintaining ritual purity within the Israelite community, a reflection of God's holiness. The overall purpose of these regulations was not medical treatment but ritual distinction—determining who was ritually impure and therefore separate from the camp and worship. The entire chapter emphasizes the visual inspection by the priest as the sole means of determining status. Verse 12 is a counter-intuitive provision, contrasting with the immediate concern for isolation shown in previous verses where any localized spot often meant impurity. This verse implies that a condition reaching full, complete manifestation across the entire body signals that the disease has run its course, or has been "purged" completely, leaving behind uniformly white skin that is deemed stable and inactive. This full coverage, surprisingly, allows for readmission into the community.
Leviticus 13 12 Word analysis
- And if (וְכִי ve’khi): Introduces a conditional clause, indicating a specific scenario or case in the law.
- the eruption (הַנֶּגַע ha'nega): Refers to the "stroke," "plague," or "affliction." It's not just a lesion but a mark of divine displeasure or judgment. In the context of tsara'at, it signifies the specific skin condition under scrutiny.
- spreads (פָּשָׂה pasah): To "spread" or "break out." This verb denotes a rapid, aggressive, or extensive diffusion over an area. Its common usage would imply progression and worsening.
- over the skin (בַּעוֹר ba'or): Lit. "in the skin." Refers to the visible outer covering of the body.
- so that the eruption covers (וְכִסָּה הַנֶּגַע ve’khisah ha'nega): Lit. "and the eruption covers." Kasah means to cover, conceal, or overwhelm. This signifies a complete envelopment, implying the skin is entirely overcome by the eruption.
- all the skin (כָּל־עוֹר kol-or): Emphasizes totality, not a partial covering.
- of the diseased person (הַנֶּגַע hannega): Lit. "of him who has the plague/affliction." It identifies the individual as being characterized by this particular eruption.
- from his head to his feet (מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד רַגְלָיו mero'sho ve'ad raglav): A Hebrew idiom indicating the entire body, from top to bottom, absolute completeness or thoroughness. This signifies no part of the body being unaffected by the white lesion.
- wherever the priest looks (לְכָל מַרְאֵה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵן le'khol mar'eh 'eynei ha'kohen): Lit. "to all the appearance of the eyes of the priest." This highlights the priest's critical role as the divinely appointed examiner. The diagnosis rests solely on his visual observation, not on any medical expertise.
Words-group analysis:
- And if the eruption spreads over the skin, so that the eruption covers all the skin: This phrase underscores the expansive and pervasive nature of the condition, stressing its visible and total manifestation. The double emphasis on "eruption" and "covers all" points to an overwhelming spread.
- from his head to his feet, wherever the priest looks: This comprehensive scope (head to feet) combined with the definitive visual assessment by the priest, reinforces the idea of the condition being entirely overt and thoroughly examined. The phrase highlights both the objective full spread and the subjective yet authoritative priestly observation.
Leviticus 13 12 Bonus section
The symbolic interpretation of this verse suggests that in some spiritual analogies, a "complete" breaking out, or full acknowledgment of one's depravity or total sinfulness, can lead to God's intervention and cleansing grace. If only a portion of sin is recognized, leaving "hidden" parts, one might remain "unclean" in God's sight, just as a partial outbreak of tsara'at implied a continuing, unseen impurity. When the entirety is revealed or transformed (symbolized by being "all white"), then the path to divine restoration and purification is opened. This hints at the New Covenant principle that total reliance on Christ's covering, which makes us "white as snow" (Isa 1:18, Ps 51:7) and perfectly pure in God's eyes, is necessary for true spiritual cleansing, rather than attempting to hide or manage portions of sin.
Leviticus 13 12 Commentary
Leviticus 13:12 presents a profound paradox in the ancient Israelite purity laws: complete affliction leading to purity, rather than amplified impurity. This seemingly counter-intuitive law underscores that tsara'at was not merely a physical malady but a divinely ordained ritual state. When the eruption spread entirely, turning the person uniformly white, it indicated that the active, virulent phase of the disease was over. There was no more underlying, "raw" flesh for the disease to further consume or from which it could resurface. The crisis had passed, and the body had purged the active contagion, leaving a static, completely white state that was considered healed and clean, allowing for re-integration into the community. This law distinguished tsara'at from common diseases and emphasized God's sovereign definition of clean and unclean. It perhaps symbolizes how complete surrender or full exposure of one's sin to God, without reservation or hidden areas, is a necessary step towards receiving divine grace and being cleansed.