Leviticus 13 22

Leviticus 13:22 kjv

And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.

Leviticus 13:22 nkjv

and if it should at all spread over the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore.

Leviticus 13:22 niv

If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease.

Leviticus 13:22 esv

And if it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a disease.

Leviticus 13:22 nlt

If during that time the affected area spreads on the skin, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, because it is a serious disease.

Leviticus 13 verses

Leviticus 13 22 Meaning

Leviticus 13:22 describes the criteria for an individual to be declared ritually clean if their skin affliction, stemming from a burn, shows signs of healing. Specifically, if the discolored spot has faded or become dim, and healthy, dark hair has grown within it, this indicates the infection is no longer active. Upon the priest's observation of these signs, he is to pronounce the person pure, allowing them to re-enter the community and participate in worship.

Leviticus 13 22 Context

Leviticus chapter 13 focuses entirely on the identification and procedures for dealing with tzaraat, a range of skin conditions often translated as "leprosy" but encompassing more than modern Hansen's disease. These laws were crucial for ancient Israel's communal health and, more significantly, its ritual purity, as tzaraat rendered a person ritually unclean and alienated from the community and the Tabernacle worship. The chapter meticulously details various signs of affliction, criteria for isolation, observation periods, and, as in verse 22, the specific signs for declaring healing and restored purity. Historically, the priestly role was not primarily medical but authoritative: to diagnose the ritual status of a person's affliction according to divine law, ensuring the holiness of the camp and the proper distinction between the clean and the unclean, vital for their relationship with God.

Leviticus 13 22 Word analysis

• If, when it is examined, the infection has faded, and a black hair has grown in it, then the infection is healed. He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

  • examined (bikkar, בָּקַר): From a root meaning "to look at closely," "to scrutinize," "to inquire." This emphasizes the priest's meticulous and careful observation. It's not a casual glance but a thorough inspection, indicating the seriousness of the diagnosis.
  • infection (nega`, נֶגַע): Literally "a stroke" or "a plague." In Leviticus 13-14, this term is specifically used for the various manifestations of tzaraat, signifying a mark or spot often seen as a divine affliction or judgment (cf. Ex 12:13, Num 8:19). It indicates a condition that renders one ritually impure.
  • faded (keh-hah, כֵּהָה): Adjective meaning "dim," "faint," "pale." This is a crucial diagnostic sign, indicating that the initial inflammatory process or the distinctive color of the affliction is no longer vibrant or expanding. It signifies a subsiding of the disease process.
  • black hair (sa'ar shachor, שֵׂעָר שָׁחוֹר): "Hair of black." This is the definitive positive sign of healing and regeneration. Tzaraat often manifested with changes in hair color (white or yellowish hair) or hair loss in the affected area (Lev 13:3, 13:30). The emergence of healthy, normally pigmented (black) hair implies that healthy tissue has grown, overcoming the diseased state, making this a clear indicator of normal skin function resuming.
  • grown in it: Specifically denotes healthy hair emerging from the afflicted area itself, demonstrating that the site of the previous "infection" is regenerating with vital tissue.
  • healed (rapha', רָפָא): To restore to health, to cure. This confirms the physical recovery of the individual's skin condition according to the divine criteria.
  • He is clean (tahor hu', טָהוֹר הוּא): "Pure is he." This is a declaration of restored ritual purity. Being "clean" meant the individual could re-integrate into the community, interact freely, and participate in cultic worship. This status was absolutely critical for Israelite life and communion with God.
  • priest shall pronounce him clean (tihare'lו hakohen, וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן): "And the priest will make him clean," or "declare him clean." The priest, as God's designated minister, held the sole authority to officially declare a person ritually pure or impure in cases of tzaraat. This priestly declaration was not just a medical opinion but a divine legal and spiritual verdict, signifying God's acceptance and enabling reintegration into the covenant community. It ensured communal order and adherence to the divine standards of holiness.

• "examined...faded...black hair...healed": This sequence of examination, observation of specific fading and regeneration, and the resulting diagnosis of healing forms a clear, practical diagnostic path established by God through His Law. It highlights a structured, rule-based approach to identifying wellness from a state of impurity.

• "infection...healed. He is clean": This phrase emphasizes the direct link between physical recovery from tzaraat and the restoration of ritual purity. The outward physical state reflects an inner, covenantal standing before God and the community.

• "priest shall pronounce him clean": This underscores the priest's essential mediatory role in the Law. The physical healing alone was insufficient; the divine approval, channeled through the priest's authoritative declaration, was necessary for communal and cultic reinstatement.

Leviticus 13 22 Bonus section

The mention of "burn" as the origin of the tzaraat spot in the preceding verses (Lev 13:18-28) highlights that these skin conditions could manifest not only spontaneously but also as a secondary complication or development from an existing injury. This specificity indicates the detailed attention given to various presentations of tzaraat. The laws, while meticulous, were not arbitrary; they often included common-sense observations for hygiene (though not their primary purpose) alongside profound theological implications regarding separation from God due to impurity. The return of black hair served as an easily recognizable, unambiguous sign accessible to all, not requiring sophisticated medical instruments, making the divine instructions practical for general adherence in ancient Israelite society.

Leviticus 13 22 Commentary

Leviticus 13:22 provides a clear, merciful provision for those afflicted with tzaraat who are now recovering. It demonstrates the precision of God's law concerning ritual purity, particularly how observable signs in the human body dictated one's standing in the holy community. The "fading" of the lesion signifies the disease's recession, while the emergence of "black hair" indicates genuine regeneration and return to healthy tissue, contrasting sharply with the diseased appearance characterized by white hair (Lev 13:3). This verse showcases divine wisdom in providing measurable criteria for diagnosis and emphasizes the priest's vital, divinely appointed role not as a physician, but as an arbiter of ritual status. The pronouncement of "clean" meant more than just a medical discharge; it was a restoration to full fellowship with God and His people, signifying grace even within the strictures of the purity laws. Spiritually, this prefigures the thorough cleansing from sin provided by Christ, whose healing extends not just to the body but, more profoundly, to the soul, granting ultimate cleanness before God.