King James Version

What Does Leviticus 13:3 Mean?

“And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.”

Context

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,

When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: rising: or, swelling

And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:

And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3) **When the hair in the plague is turned white.**—Better, *and the hair in the plagued spot, &c. *The first symptom indicating the existence of the disorder is that the hair, which is generally jet-black among the Hebrews, turns white on the affected spot. The authorities during the second Temple defined it that there must at least be two hairs white, at the root and in the body of the bright spot, before the patient can be declared unclean. The word *plague, *in accordance with a usage common in Hebrew—to put the abstract for the concrete—denotes here the plagued spot, or the spot affected by the plague, whilst in Leviticus 13:4 it means the person affected by this disorder. Thus in Leviticus 19:32, “the hoary head” stands for *hoary-headed person.* **And the plague in sight be deeper than the skin.**—Better, *and the appearance of the plagued spot be deeper, &c. *The second symptom which shows the development of the disorder is that the spot affected by this plague appears to be deeper than the rest of the skin. **Pronounce him unclean.**—Literally, *make him unclean. *According to the frequently occurring phraseology a man is said to *do *that which in his official capacity *he *pronounces as done, or orders to be done. Thus Ezekiel is said “to destroy the city” when he simply foretold its destruction (Ezekiel 43:3). The existence of these two symptoms made it incumbent upon the priest to declare the person unclean, and hence imparting defilement.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Leviticus. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Leviticus 13:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.