Leviticus 14 38

Leviticus 14:38 kjv

Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:

Leviticus 14:38 nkjv

then the priest shall go out of the house, to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.

Leviticus 14:38 niv

the priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.

Leviticus 14:38 esv

then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days.

Leviticus 14:38 nlt

the priest will step outside the door and put the house in quarantine for seven days.

Leviticus 14 verses

Leviticus 14 38 Meaning

Leviticus 14:38 describes the precise action of the priest after his initial examination of a house suspected of having tsara'at, a severe form of mildew or mold indicating ritual impurity. Upon observing signs of contamination, the priest is commanded to leave the dwelling and then formally seal it off for a period of seven days. This act signifies the commencement of a mandatory quarantine, designed to isolate the suspected impurity, prevent its spread, and establish a specific period for further observation before a definitive judgment can be rendered.

Leviticus 14 38 Context

Leviticus Chapter 14 outlines the detailed rituals for purifying both individuals and houses afflicted with tsara'at. This specific verse falls within the comprehensive laws governing tsara'at in a house, which largely pertains to destructive mildew or mold. The broader context of the Book of Leviticus underscores God's absolute holiness and His people Israel's consequent requirement to maintain ritual purity in all aspects of their lives—personal, communal, and domestic—as a reflection of His character and a condition for His continued presence among them. These meticulous regulations were not merely for hygiene but deeply tied to spiritual principles, separating Israel from the defiling practices of surrounding pagan nations and impressing upon them the profound seriousness of any form of defilement that could hinder fellowship with a holy God. The precise process described here, involving inspection, isolation, and re-inspection, exemplifies God's concern for both the physical well-being and spiritual integrity of His covenant community.

Leviticus 14 38 Word analysis

• And the priest (וְיָצָא הַכֹּהֵן – v'yatza hakkohen):
  • וְ (ve): "And" or "then." Connects this instruction directly to the preceding actions of inspection, showing a sequence of commanded steps.
  • יָצָא (yatza): "Go out," "depart." Signifies the priest's essential physical withdrawal from the potentially contaminated dwelling. He cannot remain within an impure space as an agent of holiness. This creates a ritual boundary between himself (representing God's holiness) and the suspected defilement.
  • הַכֹּהֵן (hakkohen): "The priest." Highlights his specific, divinely ordained role and authority. Only the priest possessed the knowledge of the law and the God-given power to make judgments concerning ritual clean and unclean status, which was vital for maintaining order and purity within the Israelite community.
• shall go out of the house (מִן הַבַּיִת – min habbayit):
  • מִן (min): "From," indicating separation or departure from a location.
  • הַבַּיִת (habbayit): "The house." More than just a structure, the house represents the stability, heritage, and identity of the Israelite family. Its defilement signified a deep impurity affecting the entire domestic unit, highlighting the pervasive nature of tsara'at and, symbolically, of sin, affecting not just individuals but their surroundings.
• to the door of the house, (אֶל פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת – el pethach habbayit):
  • אֶל (el): "To" or "towards." Indicates precise directional movement.
  • פֶּתַח (pethach): "Opening" or "doorway." This specific location emphasizes the threshold, the physical point of entry and exit. The priest positioning himself here allows for the act of sealing to be both functional and symbolic, controlling access and marking the transition from an accessible to an isolated space. It's the point of formal closure.
  • הַבַּיִת (habbayit): "The house." Reaffirms the precise subject of the action.
• and shut up the house (וְהִסְגִּיר אֶת הַבַּיִת – v'hisgir et habbayit):
  • וְהִסְגִּיר (v'hisgir): "And he shall shut up," "close off," "quarantine." This is the core action. It implies formal, legal isolation, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the house. This directly mirrors the quarantine imposed on individuals suspected of tsara'at and emphasizes the need for containment and careful management of ritual impurity to protect the health and spiritual purity of the community.
• seven days: (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים – shiv'at yamim):
  • שִׁבְעַת יָמִים (shiv'at yamim): "Seven days." This period is profoundly significant throughout biblical narrative, frequently denoting completeness, a divine cycle, or a time of testing or waiting before a decisive action. Here, it is a divinely appointed observation period, providing ample time for the suspected tsara'at to either subside (indicating it wasn't the serious defilement) or become undeniably worse (confirming its virulent nature), thereby ensuring an accurate judgment by the priest. This avoids rash declarations and allows for a thorough assessment of the house's state of impurity.

Leviticus 14 38 Bonus section

• God's Holism: These laws illustrate God's holistic concern for His people, integrating physical health with ritual and spiritual purity. The meticulousness over mold in a house shows that God cares for every detail of life within the covenant community.
• Prophylactic Law: The instruction to "shut up the house" acted as a critical prophylactic measure. It wasn't just about ritual declaration but also about preventing the actual spread of dangerous biological contaminants, showcasing an intrinsic wisdom in divine law that transcended mere ceremony.
• Educational Imperative: The vividness and repetition of these rituals regarding tsara'at in individuals, garments, and houses served as powerful object lessons for the Israelites. They ingrained principles of holiness, contamination, and the need for separation into the fabric of daily life, teaching them to discern between the clean and the unclean, both physically and spiritually.
• Symbolic Judgment: The act of shutting up and sealing the house also symbolized a form of immediate judgment and separation for a period, where the fate of the house was uncertain, reflecting the reality that unaddressed sin leads to separation and potential destruction.

Leviticus 14 38 Commentary

Leviticus 14:38 embodies God's ordered approach to managing ritual impurity and communal health within Israel. The priest's meticulous act of stepping out and then formally sealing the house for seven days is more than a simple health precaution; it's a profound spiritual lesson. It underscores God's concern for public well-being, demonstrating a structured quarantine protocol that, even in its ancient context, provided an effective means of containing infectious agents. Furthermore, it reinforces the unique authority and responsibility of the priest as God's representative in matters of holiness and defilement. His actions were not personal judgments but applications of divine law. The prescribed seven-day isolation period, deeply symbolic of completion and divine timing, allowed for comprehensive observation and prevented hasty declarations. Ultimately, these house-purity laws were parabolic. Just as physical mold could corrupt a dwelling, sin and spiritual defilement could pervade an individual and, by extension, the entire community. The process of inspection, isolation, and potential cleansing (or demolition) of a house served as a constant reminder to Israel of God's absolute holiness and His demand for separation from anything impure, preparing them to truly live as His holy people.