Leviticus 13 20

Leviticus 13:20 kjv

And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

Leviticus 13:20 nkjv

and if, when the priest sees it, it indeed appears deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore which has broken out of the boil.

Leviticus 13:20 niv

The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease that has broken out where the boil was.

Leviticus 13:20 esv

And the priest shall look, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil.

Leviticus 13:20 nlt

If the priest examines it and finds it to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair in the affected area has turned white, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. The boil has become a serious skin disease.

Leviticus 13 verses

Leviticus 13 20 Meaning

Leviticus 13:20 describes a specific scenario where a person, previously injured by a burn, develops symptoms that suggest "leprosy" (Hebrew: tsara'at). When the priest examines the wound and observes that its appearance is distinctly sunken compared to the surrounding skin, and crucially, that the hair on or around the affected area has turned white, these signs indicate the presence of this severe, ritualistically defiling skin disease. Upon confirmation of these specific diagnostic criteria, the priest is mandated by divine law to declare the individual ceremonially "unclean." This declaration is based not on modern medical understanding but on God's directives for maintaining the ritual purity of the Israelite community, specifically concerning a widespread outbreak originating from a burn injury.

Leviticus 13 20 Context

Leviticus chapter 13 establishes the intricate regulations for diagnosing and managing "leprous disease" (tsara'at), which, in its biblical sense, encompassed various severe, persistent, and defiling skin conditions beyond modern Hansen's disease (leprosy). The chapter outlines numerous scenarios, from simple skin lesions to specific cases arising from burns (v. 18-28) or boils, and even affects garments and houses. This particular verse addresses the development of tsara'at specifically from a healing burn. The purpose of these laws was primarily to maintain the ritual purity of the camp of Israel, safeguarding it from ceremonial defilement and upholding the holiness required in God's presence. The priest, not a medical doctor, served as the appointed authority to make these declarations, thereby protecting the community's health and adherence to God's covenantal commands. These regulations highlighted the pervasive nature of impurity and God's detailed concern for order and separation among His people.

Leviticus 13 20 Word analysis

• And if, (וְאִם – ve'im): A common Hebrew conjunction indicating a conditional clause. It marks the continuation of the precise, casuistic legal instructions for discerning ritual uncleanness.
• when the priest (הַכֹּהֵן – hakkohen) sees it, (וְרָאָהּ – vera'ah): Hakkohen (the priest) emphasizes the unique and exclusive role of the Aaronic priesthood. Vera'ah (and he sees it) denotes observation and assessment, underscoring that priestly judgment is based on specific, observable physical signs. This highlights the priest's divinely appointed role in ritual discernment and not necessarily medical intervention.
• behold, (וְהִנֵּה – vehinneh): An emphatic particle often used to draw attention to a significant or unexpected observation. It signals that what follows is a critical diagnostic indicator.
• its appearance (מַרְאֶהָ – mar'eha): From mar'eh, meaning "sight, appearance." The focus is on the visible characteristic of the lesion, reiterating that priestly judgment relies solely on what can be outwardly observed.
• is lower (עָמֹק – ‘amok) than the skin, (מִן הָעוֹר – min ha'or): ‘Amok means "deep" or "sunken." This diagnostic criterion indicates that the affected area is not merely superficial but rather embedded or invaginated within the normal skin level, distinguishing severe tsara'at from minor irritations or non-defiling skin conditions. It implies a more severe and established condition.
• and its hair (וּשְׂעָרָהּ – use'arah) has turned (הָפַךְ – hafakh) white, (לָבָן – lavan): This specific change in hair color is a crucial and recurrent sign throughout Leviticus 13. White hair in the lesion signals an advanced, chronic, and deeply established nature of the condition, distinguishing it from conditions like inflammation or a new infection where hair might be affected but not changed to white.
• then the priest (הַכֹּהֵן – hakkohen) shall pronounce him unclean; (וְטִמֵּא אֹתוֹ – vetimme' oto): The repeated mention of "the priest" re-emphasizes his ultimate authority. Vetimme' oto (and he shall make him unclean) signifies a legal and ritual declaration. This declaration formally renders the individual separated from the holy community and tabernacle, not merely as a medical prognosis, but as a consequence of divine law for preserving the purity of God’s dwelling.
• it is the plague (צָרַעַת הִוא – tsara'at hi) of leprosy (נֶגַע – nega) that has broken out (פָּרָה – parah) from the burn (בַּמִּכְוָה – bammikhvah): Tsara'at is the specific term for the defiling skin condition. Nega means "stroke," "affliction," or "plague," often implying a divine touch or a severe affliction. Parah means "broken out" or "spread," indicating the disease's active manifestation and expansion. Bammikhvah specifies the preceding injury—a "burn"—as the source, highlighting that even secondary infections or severe developments on pre-existing wounds fell under the scrutiny of tsara'at laws, showing God's exhaustive concern for purity from all sources.

Leviticus 13 20 Bonus section

• Not a medical diagnosis: The "leprosy" or tsara'at of Leviticus is widely understood by scholars not to be exclusively modern Hansen's Disease. It likely covered a range of severe and chronic dermatological conditions common in the Ancient Near East, such as severe psoriasis, vitiligo, or eczema, all of which might manifest symptoms like depigmentation, scaling, and skin changes. The emphasis was on ritual status, not necessarily on modern pathology or contagion control.
• The divine nega (plague/affliction): The word nega often translated as "plague" or "affliction," suggests that these conditions were sometimes seen as a "stroke" or "blow" from God, implying a connection to divine judgment (e.g., Miriam's leprosy in Num 12 or Gehazi's in 2 Kgs 5). While not every case of tsara'at was directly attributed to sin, the potential for divine chastisement underscored its seriousness.
• Holiness vs. Sin: It's crucial to distinguish ritual uncleanness from moral sin. Being tsara'at was not in itself a sin, but a state of uncleanness that prevented participation in holy activities and necessitated temporary separation. This system taught Israel the meticulous demands of God's holiness and the necessary means for restoration and re-inclusion into the community.

Leviticus 13 20 Commentary

Leviticus 13:20 continues the intricate regulations for distinguishing between various skin conditions and the serious, ritualistically defiling "leprosy" (tsara'at). This specific verse focuses on a unique case: when a burn injury, instead of healing normally, develops symptoms consistent with tsara'at. The key diagnostic signs are explicitly stated: the lesion must appear lower than the surrounding skin (indicating depth and severity) and the hair within it must have turned white (signaling chronicity and an established condition).

The role of the priest is paramount; he is the designated authority for judgment. His function is not that of a modern physician treating disease, but a ceremonial judge making a declarative statement of ritual purity or uncleanness based on specific, God-given criteria. His "pronouncement" (vetimme' oto) carried profound social and religious implications, leading to the individual's separation from the clean camp of Israel. This meticulous process underlines God's intense concern for the holiness of His people and their immediate environment, as defilement was seen as directly compromising the sanctity of the dwelling place of God in their midst.

This passage also serves as a potent metaphor for sin. Just as tsara'at silently spreads from within and defiles outwardly, separating an individual from the community, so too does sin corrupt and alienate humanity from God and fellow believers. The burn (injury or pre-existing weakness) can be a parallel for human brokenness, yet even from such a state, deeper spiritual issues can erupt if not brought into the light. Just as the priest identified the outward signs of defilement, God, through His Word and Holy Spirit, exposes the inner defilement of sin, and only Christ, the Great Physician and High Priest, has the power to cleanse from its impurity. The necessity of separation also serves as a warning against tolerating hidden or unconfessed sin within the community.