Leviticus 13 42

Leviticus 13:42 kjv

And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.

Leviticus 13:42 nkjv

And if there is on the bald head or bald forehead a reddish-white sore, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead.

Leviticus 13:42 niv

But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead.

Leviticus 13:42 esv

But if there is on the bald head or the bald forehead a reddish-white diseased area, it is a leprous disease breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead.

Leviticus 13:42 nlt

However, if a reddish white sore appears on the bald area on top of his head or on his forehead, this is a skin disease.

Leviticus 13 verses

Leviticus 13 42 Meaning

Leviticus 13:42 specifies that if a white reddish sore or lesion, indicative of tsara'at, appears on a previously bald scalp or forehead, it is definitively diagnosed as tsara'at. This pronouncement by the priest rendered the affected individual ceremonially unclean and necessitated their separation from the Israelite community, in accordance with the laws of ritual purity.

Leviticus 13 42 Context

Leviticus chapter 13 details comprehensive regulations for diagnosing tsara'at (often translated as "leprosy") which encompassed various severe skin conditions, and even mold in clothing and houses. The primary concern was ritual purity within the Israelite community, essential for God's holy presence to dwell among them. The priest acted as the diagnostic authority, not as a physician, making a judgment based on specific signs like color, depth, and spread, as outlined in the law. This chapter ensures that anyone affected by this impurity is correctly identified and temporarily separated from the tabernacle and the community, thereby maintaining the sanctity of the camp and the holiness of God's people. This verse specifically addresses how to diagnose tsara'at when it appears on the hairless parts of the head – the bald scalp and forehead.

Leviticus 13 42 Word analysis

• And if there be (Hebrew: wə-hâyāh - וְהָיָה): Introduces a conditional scenario, a specific case to be evaluated by the priest. This phrase indicates the start of a new diagnostic category within the broader tsara'at laws.
• in the bald head (Hebrew: bə-qāraḥath - בְּקָרַחַת): Qaraḥath refers specifically to the back or crown of the head where balding occurs. The preposition 'bə-' (in) emphasizes the precise location. This distinction from other body parts or hair-covered areas is critical for accurate priestly assessment.
• or in the bald forehead (Hebrew: ʾōw bə-gabbāḥath - אוֹ בְּגַבָּחַת): Gibbeḥath refers to the frontal part of the head, the forehead, when it is bald. This covers another primary area where hair loss can occur, ensuring both common bald areas are addressed for this specific affliction. Together with "bald head," it meticulously covers hairless cranial regions.
• a white reddish sore (Hebrew: negaʿ lāḇān ʾăḏamḏām - נֶגַע לָבָן אֲדַמְדָּם):
  • sore (negaʿ): More broadly means a "stroke," "plague," or "affliction." It's a general term for the visible manifestation of tsara'at, implying it's a mark of divine visitation or judgment. It highlights the serious nature beyond a common rash.
  • white (lāḇān): Signifies paleness or whiteness, a recurring diagnostic criterion for tsara'at.
  • reddish (ʾăḏamḏām): Means "rather red" or "reddish," indicating a particular hue. The combination of "white" and "reddish" is a specific diagnostic marker. This precise color description helps distinguish a true tsara'at lesion, indicating an active or spreading affliction, from other benign skin conditions (cf. Lev 13:38-39 which describes white spots that are clean).
• it is a leprosy (Hebrew: tsāraʿath hîwʾ - צָרַעַת הִוא):
  • leprosy (tsāraʿath): This term does not equate to modern Hansen's disease but describes a broader category of spreading skin conditions, also applying to mildew in clothes and homes, which brought ritual impurity. It was less about infectious disease control and more about covenant obedience and ceremonial cleanness.
  • it is (hîwʾ): An emphatic declaration, confirming the definite diagnosis. The priest's pronouncement is binding.
• sprung up (Hebrew: poraḥat - פֹּרַחַת): From the root pāraḥ, meaning "to sprout," "bloom," or "break out." This active verb suggests that the sore is a fresh eruption or an actively developing and spreading lesion, not a static or healing mark. This dynamic quality is a crucial diagnostic factor.
• in his bald head, or his bald forehead: This repetition underscores the specified locations. It clarifies that the previous condition (baldness) is now complicated by the specific, active, "white reddish sore" characteristic of tsara'at, making the existing baldness site one of defilement.

Leviticus 13 42 Bonus section

• The strict regulations concerning tsara'at primarily served a theological purpose, emphasizing the holiness of God and the necessary purity of His people. It created a tangible framework for understanding and upholding ritual cleanness, crucial for God to dwell among them.
• The meticulous detailed description of tsara'at throughout Leviticus 13 demonstrates that God's covenant with Israel included instructions for practical holiness in everyday life, not just for the sanctuary or festivals.
• The power of Jesus Christ over tsara'at, exemplified in His touching and healing of lepers, showcases His divine authority over sin and defilement. He reversed the traditional roles by making the unclean clean through His touch, signifying the advent of a new covenant where physical barriers to God's presence are broken by His holiness and grace.
• While these laws appear ancient, they teach enduring principles: the pervasive nature of impurity, the need for proper discernment by spiritual authority (the priests then, and by analogy, wise spiritual leaders now), and the ultimate truth that cleansing from deep-seated corruption comes only through divine intervention.

Leviticus 13 42 Commentary

Leviticus 13:42 pinpoints a specific manifestation of tsara'at: a "white reddish sore" on bald areas of the head. This diagnostic precision reveals God's meticulousness regarding ritual purity. The affliction, signified by a distinctive coloration and active breakout, was not merely a physical malady but a condition that ceremonially separated an individual from the holy camp of Israel and access to God's presence. The priestly verdict was authoritative, serving as a boundary between clean and unclean. This separation underscored God's demand for holiness and served as a tangible reminder of the pervasive nature of impurity, anticipating the spiritual defilement caused by sin, which separates humanity from God. Just as this physical tsara'at necessitated a divine provision for cleansing (Leviticus 14), spiritual sin requires a greater, divinely appointed means of atonement—the sacrifice of Christ—to restore fellowship.