Leviticus 13 54

Leviticus 13:54 kjv

Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:

Leviticus 13:54 nkjv

then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the plague; and he shall isolate it another seven days.

Leviticus 13:54 niv

he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days.

Leviticus 13:54 esv

then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the disease, and he shall shut it up for another seven days.

Leviticus 13:54 nlt

the priest will order the object to be washed and then quarantined for seven more days.

Leviticus 13 verses

Leviticus 13 54 Meaning

Leviticus 13:54 describes the concluding phase of purification for an article, such as clothing or fabric, that had been affected by a skin affliction (tsara'at). Once the mark of the tsara'at has completely vanished from the article after a period of isolation or other procedures, the priest, acting as God's appointed representative, is to command that the article be washed. This final washing serves as a ritual declaration and confirmation that the article is restored to a state of ceremonial cleanliness and may be used again. It is a declaration of restored ritual purity, not a cure, as the affliction has already departed.

Leviticus 13 54 Context

Leviticus Chapter 13 focuses extensively on the identification, management, and purification rites related to tsara'at, a broad term that covers various skin afflictions and also affects garments and houses. This condition was not merely a physical disease but carried profound ceremonial implications, rendering a person or object ritually unclean and often requiring isolation from the community or cultic activities. The priests served as diagnosticians and arbiters of these matters, meticulously observing the progression of the tsara'at according to God's precise instructions. The chapter details scenarios where a mark appears, its re-emergence, or its departure. Verse 54 falls within the section addressing tsara'at in garments or fabric (Lev 13:47-59). The core idea is that God's holiness demands purity in all aspects of Israelite life, and defilement, whether personal or material, required a divinely ordained process for restoration to cleanness and fellowship. This emphasis on separation and ritual restoration underscored the absolute purity of God and the necessary conditions for His people to draw near to Him.

Leviticus 13 54 Word analysis

• Then the priest shall command (וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן - wə·ṣi·wāh hak·kō·hēn):

  • wə·ṣi·wāh (and he commanded/shall command): From the root ṣāwāh, meaning "to command, charge, order, give orders." It signifies a definitive, authoritative directive, not a mere suggestion. It emphasizes the priestly authority which is derived directly from God's law. This is a divine mandate, conveyed through the priest.
  • hak·kō·hēn (the priest): Refers to a specific priest, singular, signifying his unique role and responsibility in observing the law and overseeing the ritual purity process. The priest is not just an observer but an active participant who initiates the final step of purification. His discerning eye (Lev 13:3, 6, 20, etc.) and authoritative word are essential for maintaining the community's ritual integrity.

• that they wash (לְכַבֵּס - lā·ḵab·bês):

  • From the root kābaṣ, "to wash, especially by treading or vigorous agitation." It implies thorough cleansing, not a light rinse. This specific word often refers to washing clothes to remove defilement, both literally and symbolically in the Bible. It signifies the removal of contamination. The washing makes the garment ritually suitable again.

• the article (אֶת־הַדָּב - ’êṯ-had·dāp):

  • ’êṯ (direct object marker): indicates had·dāp is the direct object of washing.
  • had·dāp (the article/fabric): Refers specifically to a "garment," "cloth," "linen," or "fabric," distinct from the human skin (where the tsara'at manifestation is also discussed in the chapter). The passage (Lev 13:47-59) clarifies that tsara'at could appear on woven material or leather.

• about which the mark has departed (אֲשֶׁר סָרָה מֵהֶם - ’ă·šer sa·raṯāh mê·hem):

  • ’ă·šer (which, that): A relative pronoun, connecting the article to the condition.
  • sa·raṯāh (it has departed): From the root sūr, meaning "to turn aside, depart, remove, take away." The crucial aspect here is the completion of the mark's departure. This is a fait accompli before the washing is commanded. God has already removed the affliction.
  • mê·hem (from them/it): This pronominal suffix implicitly refers to the nega (mark/plague) as having gone "from it" (the article), reinforcing the complete absence of the defiling mark. This removal of the nega' signifies divine intervention or cessation of the defiling condition. The physical evidence of tsara'at must be visibly gone for the purification process to proceed.

• and then it shall be clean (וְטָהֲרָה - wan·ṭə·hō·rāh):

  • wəṭāhărāh (and it shall be clean/pure): From the root ṭāhēr, meaning "to be clean, pure, ceremonially pure." This is the ultimate goal and outcome of the entire process—the restoration to ritual purity (ṭāhōr). It signifies that the garment is no longer defiling and can resume its normal, uncontaminated function. The washing completes the restoration to a state fit for sacred use or regular life in the holy community.

Leviticus 13 54 Bonus section

The sequence of events in Leviticus 13, including verse 54, highlights that ceremonial purity in ancient Israel was a dynamic, observed process guided by divine law. It wasn't about curing disease in the modern medical sense, but about identifying and managing states of ritual impurity. The precise conditions for tsara'at appearance, re-emergence, or departure show God's intricate care for the physical and spiritual health of His people. The priest's role was paramount; his "command" wasn't a suggestion but an execution of divine will. This process reminds believers today of the spiritual parallel: genuine purification begins with God's work in removing the "mark" of sin from our hearts (Jer 4:14, Eze 36:25), followed by our active, obedient response—often symbolized by washing or spiritual cleansing—to live a life pleasing to Him (Tit 3:5, Heb 10:22). The "washing" is a public declaration of the unseen purity that God has wrought.

Leviticus 13 54 Commentary

Leviticus 13:54 represents the conclusion of a meticulously defined purification process for materials afflicted with tsara'at. The verse emphasizes divine order, transmitted through the priestly authority, for restoring ritual cleanness. It is crucial to note that the washing (kābaṣ) is not a means to remove the mark, but rather a final, ritual step after the mark (nega') has already disappeared (sūr). This distinction underscores that purification, in this context, begins with God's work of cessation or removal of the defiling condition, followed by human obedience through the prescribed ritual. The washing symbolically confirms and ratifies the invisible work that has already taken place, marking the article's complete restoration (ṭāhēr) to purity. This illustrates the Old Covenant principle where external cleansing rituals often reflected or affirmed an internal, divine removal of defilement. It teaches Israel that both divine grace (in removing the affliction) and human obedience (in performing the prescribed actions) are necessary for reconciliation with a holy God. This meticulous concern for ceremonial purity highlights God's character as holy and his expectation of purity in those who are to live in his presence.