Leviticus 14 34

Leviticus 14:34 kjv

When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;

Leviticus 14:34 nkjv

"When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give you as a possession, and I put the leprous plague in a house in the land of your possession,

Leviticus 14:34 niv

"When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land,

Leviticus 14:34 esv

"When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession,

Leviticus 14:34 nlt

"When you arrive in Canaan, the land I am giving you as your own possession, I may contaminate some of the houses in your land with mildew.

Leviticus 14 verses

Leviticus 14 34 Meaning

Leviticus 14:34 introduces a unique form of ritual impurity, referred to as a "leprous disease" (nega' tsara'at), specifically affecting a house within the land of Canaan that God is giving to Israel as a permanent possession. This condition is not a common mold or structural defect but a divinely appointed affliction, indicating a state of uncleanness that required the intervention of a priest and ritual purification to prevent the entire dwelling, and potentially the land, from becoming defiled. It highlights God's sovereignty over the land and His active role in maintaining its purity and the holiness of His covenant people, extending the laws of purity beyond individuals to their dwellings.

Leviticus 14 34 Context

Leviticus Chapter 14 continues the detailed regulations regarding tsara'at, a divinely inflicted ritual impurity. Chapter 13 focuses on the diagnosis and management of tsara'at on human skin and garments. Chapter 14, following the instructions for purifying a person afflicted with tsara'at, extends these concerns for holiness to the very dwelling places of the Israelites in the Promised Land. This particular verse, 14:34, marks a transition, introducing the scenario of tsara'at affecting a house, implying a spiritual rather than merely architectural problem.

Historically and culturally, the Israelites were on the verge of entering the land of Canaan, a land promised to them by God and currently occupied by pagan nations whose practices defiled it. The comprehensive purity laws, including those for houses, served to impress upon Israel the absolute holiness required for those living in God's presence in His holy land. The "house" symbolized their establishment and settled life in this promised inheritance. This affliction, explicitly attributed to God ("I put"), would have been understood by the original audience not as a natural phenomenon like common mildew but as a sign of divine displeasure or warning, much like human tsara'at could indicate deeper issues of sin or defilement. It served as a strong polemic against contemporary pagan beliefs which might attribute such occurrences to capricious spirits or curses requiring magical rites; instead, the Bible clearly states God's agency and requires ritual priestly intervention.

Leviticus 14 34 Word analysis

• When you come: Indicates a future condition, a specific point in time when Israel would settle in the Promised Land. This law is anticipatory.
• into the land of Canaan: (Hebrew: 'eretz Kena'an) Refers to the geographical territory specifically promised by God to Abraham's descendants (Gen 12:7, Ex 6:4). It is the sacred inheritance and the setting for Israel's covenant relationship with God.
• which I give you: (Hebrew: 'asher 'ani noten lakhem) Emphasizes divine sovereignty and generosity. The land is not conquered solely by human might but is a gift from God. This phrase highlights the covenantal foundation of their dwelling in the land.
• for a possession: (Hebrew: la'akhuzzah) Signifies permanent, inherited ownership, implying a deep, enduring connection between the people, the land, and God's covenant. This distinguishes it from temporary dwelling or conquest.
• and I put: (Hebrew: v'natatti) This is a crucial phrase. The first-person singular "I" stresses direct divine action. It indicates that the "leprous disease" in the house is not random or natural, but supernaturally sent by God Himself. This divine causation elevates the affliction beyond a mundane problem to a matter of ritual impurity and potential divine judgment.
• a leprous disease: (Hebrew: nega' tsara'at) This term, used throughout Leviticus 13-14, denotes a distinct category of impurity rather than just a common dermatological or fungoid condition. In houses, it refers to mold or mildew but is ritually understood as a sign of grave spiritual defilement. Its origin is supernatural, requiring specific priestly examination and purification, not mere cleaning or repairs. It signifies a profound uncleanness.
• in a house: This specifies the scope of the affliction—a residential structure, a permanent dwelling within their inherited land, highlighting that the laws of purity extend to the very domestic spaces of the Israelites.
• in the land of your possession: This repeats and reinforces the significance of the setting—the very land that God granted to them. It underscores that God's concern for holiness permeates every aspect of their lives in the covenant land, from their bodies to their dwellings.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession": This phrase establishes the geographical and theological context. The law is for Israel, once they are settled in the land given to them by God as a lasting inheritance. It signifies God's fulfillment of His covenant promises to bring them into rest.
  • "and I put a leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession": This emphasizes God's direct agency and the specific object of the impurity. God initiates the "tsara'at," and it affects their houses within this sacred, inherited land. This links individual domestic spaces to the broader holiness of the nation and the land itself, indicating that spiritual defilement can spread beyond personal sin to affect communal and material realities.

Leviticus 14 34 Bonus section

The "leprous disease" in a house (often interpreted as severe mold or mildew) was likely a visible indicator that served as a catalyst for priestly inquiry into the spiritual condition of the occupants. While not a medical issue per se, it became a sign requiring spiritual discernment and intervention. The prescribed ritual for cleansing a house from tsara'at (Lev 14:48-53) mirrors that for a person (Lev 14:4-7), using birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, implying a deep connection in their spiritual symbolism of atonement and purification. This underscores that purity within Israel was an integrated concept: personal sin could affect one's body, garments, and even one's dwelling and the land itself. The expulsion of the defiled elements (e.g., plaster and stones) from the house and land, then the complete demolition of the house if the disease returned, emphasized the severe nature of pervasive, unaddressed defilement and God's absolute demand for holiness in His presence. It prefigured the idea that spiritual defilement, if not dealt with, could render an entire structure or community unfit for God's presence, requiring radical removal (like in Lev 18:24-28, where the land spues out its inhabitants).

Leviticus 14 34 Commentary

Leviticus 14:34 serves as a potent reminder of God's pervasive holiness and His expectation for purity within His covenant community, even extending to their homes. The "leprous disease" in a house is not presented as an ordinary problem but as a divinely-sent affliction that marks defilement. By stating "I put a leprous disease," God makes clear His active involvement in Israel's welfare, signaling that even inanimate structures in His land can become ceremonially unclean under His command. This underscored the spiritual vigilance required from the Israelites, indicating that persistent sin or defilement within a household could manifest in physical signs, thereby bringing God's attention and requiring immediate priestly intervention and ritual cleansing. This divine intervention served as a constant warning against allowing sin to fester and defile the very fabric of their communal life and their cherished inheritance. It shows that holiness was not merely an abstract concept for the Tabernacle but a practical requirement for every dwelling in the Promised Land.