Leviticus 13:2 kjv
When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
Leviticus 13:2 nkjv
"When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his body like a leprous sore, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.
Leviticus 13:2 niv
"When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.
Leviticus 13:2 esv
"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,
Leviticus 13:2 nlt
"If anyone has a swelling or a rash or discolored skin that might develop into a serious skin disease, that person must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons.
Leviticus 13 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 13:1 | The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: | Introduces the divine law concerning tsara'at. |
| Lev 14:1-32 | Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "This shall be the law of the leper..." | Details the lengthy cleansing ritual for a "leper" declared clean. |
| Num 5:1-4 | The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the people of Israel that they send..." | Commands separation of unclean individuals from the holy camp. |
| Deut 24:8 | "Be careful in a case of leprous disease to observe diligently and do..." | Reiterates the importance of following priestly instructions for tsara'at. |
| Deut 28:27 | "The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors, and..." | Describes physical ailments, including tsara'at-like symptoms, as covenant curses. |
| Exod 4:6-7 | Again the LORD said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." | Moses' hand becoming leprous (white as snow), demonstrating divine power. |
| Num 12:9-10 | And the anger of the LORD burned against them, and he departed... | Miriam struck with tsara'at as judgment for challenging Moses. |
| 2 Kgs 5:1 | Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man... | Naaman, a mighty warrior, afflicted with tsara'at, healed by God. |
| 2 Kgs 5:27 | Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your offspring... | Gehazi struck with Naaman's tsara'at as judgment for greed. |
| 2 Chr 26:19-21 | But when he became strong, he grew proud, to his destruction... | King Uzziah struck with tsara'at for usurping the priestly function. |
| Matt 8:1-3 | When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him... | Jesus touching and cleansing a leper, demonstrating divine authority. |
| Mark 1:40-42 | A leper came to him, imploring him and kneeling..."If you will, you can make..." | Jesus' compassion and power to instantly remove tsara'at. |
| Luke 5:12-14 | While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy... | Jesus commands healed leper to show himself to the priest, fulfilling the Law. |
| Luke 17:12-19 | As he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance... | Ten lepers healed by Jesus, highlighting the importance of gratitude. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons... | Old Covenant rituals foreshadow Christ's blood as superior, spiritual cleansing. |
| Heb 12:14 | Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one... | Emphasizes the New Covenant call to spiritual holiness. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct... | God's character as the foundation for believers' call to holiness. |
| 2 Cor 6:17-18 | Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord... | Calls for spiritual separation from all forms of defilement. |
| Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy... | Basis of all purity laws: God's holiness demands holiness from His people. |
| Isa 1:6 | From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it... | Prophetic imagery using physical disease to depict Israel's spiritual sickness. |
| Ps 51:7 | Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter... | Prayer for spiritual cleansing, alluding to the ritual purification process. |
| Rom 6:19 | For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness... | Compares spiritual defilement (sin) to the physical impurity of the Law. |
Leviticus 13 verses
Leviticus 13 2 Meaning
Leviticus 13:2 establishes the initial steps for identifying a person potentially afflicted with tsara'at, a broad biblical term for various severe skin conditions that rendered an individual ritually unclean. It instructs that any suspect lesion—described as a "rising" (swelling), "scab" (eruption), or "bright spot" (discoloration)—appearing on the skin must prompt the immediate presentation of the individual to a priest for diagnosis. The purpose is not merely medical, but crucially ritualistic, to determine if the person is ceremonially impure, requiring temporary separation from the holy community to protect its sanctity and the tabernacle.
Leviticus 13 2 Context
Leviticus 13 stands within the broader "Holiness Code" (chapters 11-27), which delineates God's standards for Israel's conduct and purity. This chapter immediately follows laws concerning clean and unclean animals (Lev 11) and purity after childbirth (Lev 12), underscoring a divine concern for comprehensive cleanliness—physical, dietary, and ritual. The original audience, the newly redeemed Israelites at Mount Sinai, were learning how to live as a distinct and holy people in the presence of a holy God who dwelled in their midst via the Tabernacle. Unlike surrounding pagan cultures that might attribute skin conditions to various spirits or employ magic, Israel was to follow God's specific divine ordinances, mediated by the priesthood, to maintain purity within the community and prevent the defilement of the sanctuary (Lev 15:31).
Leviticus 13 2 Word analysis
- When a man shall have: The application is universal; this law pertains to any individual Israelite, highlighting God's direct interest in the purity of every member of His covenant people.
- in the skin of his flesh: Hebrew: בְּשַׂר בְּשָׂרוֹ (bᵉsar bᵉsarow). This redundant phrasing, literally "flesh of his flesh," emphasizes the outward, visible manifestation of the condition on the body's surface, underscoring its detectability.
- a rising: Hebrew: שְׂאֵת (se'eth). Signifies a "swelling" or "protuberance," indicating a palpable elevation or lump on the skin.
- a scab: Hebrew: סַפַּחַת (sappachat). Refers to a "rash," "eruption," or "scab," often describing a spreading or superficial irritation.
- or bright spot: Hebrew: וּבַהֶרֶת (uvaret). Meaning "and a shining spot" or "white spot." This indicates a noticeable discoloration, specifically a lighter or discolored patch. These three terms collectively cover the common initial appearances requiring inspection.
- and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy: Hebrew: וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת (vᵉhayah bᵉ'owr bᵉsarow lᵉnega tsara'at).
- like the plague: The word נֶגַע (nega) means "stroke," "blow," or "affliction." It conveys the idea of something struck by divine hand or sent by God, signifying a serious and often defiling condition. It moves beyond a mere physical ailment to one with ritual implications.
- of leprosy: Hebrew: צָרַעַת (tsara'at). This crucial term is a broad category, not modern Hansen's Disease. It included various infectious skin diseases, scaling, disfiguring patches, and could even affect clothing and houses. Its primary significance was as a cause of ritual impurity, rendering the afflicted person unclean and isolating them from the community. It represents a break in God's created order and a profound disruption to a person's life in the holy community.
- Words-group: like the plague of leprosy indicates suspicion, not certainty. The person appears to have tsara'at, necessitating further priestly examination. This highlights that definitive diagnosis required specific expertise from God's ordained officials, not self-diagnosis or arbitrary declaration. This system indirectly rebuffs pagan beliefs in arbitrary magic or spiritual causation, emphasizing instead an orderly, God-ordained process.
- then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: This underlines the exclusive authority of the Aaronic priesthood in diagnosing ritual purity. The priests were the guardians of God's laws regarding cleanliness and played a crucial role in maintaining the community's holiness. Their function was to discern ritual status, not to offer medical treatment. The requirement to be "brought" signifies the communal responsibility to ensure adherence to God's regulations for the well-being and purity of the entire assembly.
Leviticus 13 2 Bonus section
The strict laws surrounding tsara'at in Leviticus provided a vivid tangible representation of spiritual defilement. The physical isolation of an individual with tsara'at from the camp served as a profound object lesson on the consequences of sin, which separates humanity from a holy God. Furthermore, the emphasis on visual diagnosis by the priest underscores the outward manifestation of impurity and the need for external declaration by a holy mediator. While God is omniscient, this structured process for Israel provided a practical, educational means for a communal understanding of divine standards of purity and holiness.
Leviticus 13 2 Commentary
Leviticus 13:2 initiates a profound biblical understanding of ritual purity, far beyond mere medical hygiene. It highlights God's demand for holiness within the community that lives in His presence. The initial appearance of suspicious skin conditions—a rising, scab, or bright spot—was not to be ignored. It signaled a potential state of tsara'at, a condition that carried severe implications for one's relationship with God and the community. The swift referral to a priest underscores that matters of ritual purity, often tied to God's holiness and covenant, were not left to individual discretion or secular judgment. The priest, as God's designated representative, possessed the unique authority to declare a person unclean, ensuring the protection of the sanctity of the Tabernacle and the Israelite camp from defilement. This foundational verse sets the stage for a comprehensive process of examination, isolation, and potential restoration, serving as a powerful visual lesson on the seriousness of sin and impurity in God's eyes. It prefigured Christ's authority to make clean both physically and spiritually.