Leviticus 13, Skin Diseases

The next set of regulations deals with skin diseases. These skin diseases, once translated as leprosy, probably represented a much broader collection of communicable diseases such as measles, small pox and scarlet fever.

Leviticus 13:1-8, A rash or swelling

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a bright spot on his skin that may become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on his skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is an infectious skin disease. When the priest examines him, he shall pronounce him ceremonially unclean.  

If the spot on his skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to put the infected person in isolation for seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine him, and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to keep him in isolation another seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine him again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a rash. The man must wash his clothes, and he will be clean.  

But if the rash does spread in his skin after he has shown himself to the priest to be pronounced clean, he must appear before the priest again. The priest is to examine him, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infectious disease.  

Harris says that the translation of Hebrew words to English words like "rash", "swelling", or "bright spot" is a bit uncertain. We don't have enough examples of those Hebrew words in the ancient culture. Certainly one of the effects of the regulations above was to islolate someone with a strange skin disease.

Leviticus 13:9-17, Infectious skin disease

"When anyone has an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to the priest. The priest is to examine him, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, it is a chronic skin disease and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He is not to put him in isolation, because he is already unclean.  

"If the disease breaks out all over his skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the infected  person from head to foot, the priest is to examine him, and if the disease has covered his whole body, he shall pronounce that person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean. 

But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; he has an infectious  disease. 

Should the raw flesh change and turn white, he must go to  the priest. The priest is to examine him, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the infected person clean; then he will be clean. 

The priest is also to act, in some sense, as a physician, examining the skin disease and deciding if isolation is required.

Leviticus 13:18-23, Boils

"When someone has a boil on his skin and it heals, and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white spot appears, he must present himself to the  priest. The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an infectious skin disease that has broken out where the boil was.

But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to put him in isolation for seven days. If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is infectious. But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only  a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.  

A boil would involve a swelling of the skin. The swelling might be caused by pus, formed as white blood cell mix with some type of bacteria. 

Leviticus 13:24-28,

"When someone has a burn on his skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is an infectious disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infectious skin disease.

But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to put him in isolation for seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine him, and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infectious skin disease. If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scar from the burn. 

A burn would have caused a blisster, which would recede after a time. This would generally not be contagious unless it became infected. Other blisters might represent some type of infection.

Leviticus 13:29-37, Scabs

"If a man or woman has a sore on the head or on the chin, the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean; it is an itch, an infectious disease of the head or chin. But if, when the priest examines this kind of sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to put the infected person in isolation for seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore, and if the itch has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, he must be shaved except for the diseased area, and the priest is to keep him in isolation another seven days. 

On the seventh day the priest is to examine the itch, and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce him clean. He must wash his clothes, and he will be clean. But if the itch does spread in the skin after he is pronounced clean, the priest is to examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair; the person is unclean. If, however, in his judgment it is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed. He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 

Harris suggests that the word translated "itch" here probably represents a scab that would itch and tempt one to scratch the skin. The patient is to be watched to see if there is an infection which might spread.

Leviticus 13:38-39, White spots on the skin

"When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; that person is clean.

A dull white spot on the darker skin is most likely a mere rash.

Leviticus 13:40-44, Sore on the head

"When a man has lost his hair and is bald, he is clean. If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on his head or forehead. The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like an infectious skin disease, the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.  

Baldness is not a disease. But a reddish-white sore on a bald head or forehead may be. 

Leviticus 13:45-46, On the forehead

"The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, `Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp. 

One who has an infectious disease is to be isolated and kept from contact with others. He is to live outside the desert camp.

Leviticus 13:47-52, Mildew in clothing

"If any clothing is contaminated with mildew--any woolen or linen clothing, any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather-- and if the contamination in the clothing, or leather, or woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a spreading mildew and must be shown to the priest. The priest is to examine the mildew and isolate the affected  article for seven days. On the seventh day he is to examine it, and if the mildew has spread in the clothing, or the woven or knitted  material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a destructive mildew; the article is unclean. He must burn up the clothing, or the woven or knitted  material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has the contamination in it, because the mildew is destructive; the article must be burned up.  

Now we are concerned about contaminated clothing. Presumably this deals with some type of rot or fungus (Harris, p. 579.) A wet winter might allow mildew to occur.

If the fungus did not spread after a dry week, the cloth could be washed and reused. Otherwise it was to be destroyed.

Leviticus 13:53-59, Wash and check

"But if, when the priest examines it, the mildew has not spread in the clothing, or the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, he shall order that the contaminated article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. After the affected article has been washed, the priest is to examine it, and if the mildew has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it with fire, whether the mildew has affected one side or the other. If, when the priest examines it, the mildew has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the contaminated part out of the clothing, or the leather, or the woven or knitted material. But if it reappears in the clothing, or in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is spreading, and whatever has the mildew must be burned with  fire. The clothing, or the woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mildew, must be washed again, and it will be clean."  

These are the regulations concerning contamination by mildew in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.   

The clothing and fabrics were to be kept clean. It is not clear here what brought the uncleanness, but some disfiguration in the fabric that continued to grow was a threat and the fabric was to be burned.

First published August 14, 2025; updated August 14, 2025