Leviticus 13:4
in Leviticus 13If, however, the spot on his skin is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and the appearance thereof 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:
KJV
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:
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This verse in Leviticus 13
Commentary
4 notes on this verseSeven days - For greater assurance; to teach ministers not to be hasty in their judgments, but diligently to search and examine all things before-hand. The plague is here put for the man that hath the plague.
This site's exposition
If the bright spot be white in the skin
on Leviticus 13:4-8
Where the case is doubtful the answer is time. The priest shuts the man up for seven days and looks again, and if it is still doubtful he shuts him up seven days more, which the chapter does eight times over. Nothing is done to the sore during those days, so the instrument of diagnosis is waiting.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
When a Hebrew priest, after a careful inspection, discovered under the cutaneous blemish the distinctive signs of contagious leprosy, the person was immediately pronounced unclean, and is supposed to have been sent out of the camp to a lazaretto provided for that purpose.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| בַּהֶרֶת֩ | baheret | [is] a bright spot | H934 → | 12 times |
| לְבָנָ֨ה | levanah | white | H3836 → | 29 times |
| הִ֜וא | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| בְּע֣וֹר | beor | on [the] skin of | H5785 → | 99 times |
| בְּשָׂר֗וֹ | besaro | flesh his | H1320 → | 270 times |
| וְעָמֹק֙ | veamok | and [is] deep | H6013 → | 17 times |
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מַרְאֶ֣הָ | mareha | appearance its | H4758 → | 103 times |
| מִן־ | min- | more than | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָע֔וֹר | haor | the skin | H5785 → | 99 times |
| וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה | usearah | and hair its | H8181 → | 28 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָפַ֣ךְ | hafakh | it has turned | H2015 → | 94 times |
| לָבָ֑ן | lavan | white | H3836 → | 29 times |
| וְהִסְגִּ֧יר | vehisgir | and he will shut up | H5462 → | 91 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֛ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַנֶּ֖גַע | hanega' | the plagued [person] | H5061 → | 78 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֥ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִֽים׃ | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
בַּהֶרֶת֩[is] a bright spot
baheretH934 →12 times
לְבָנָ֨הwhite
levanahH3836 →29 times
הִ֜ואit
hi'H1931 →1879 times
בְּע֣וֹרon [the] skin of
beorH5785 →99 times
בְּשָׂר֗וֹflesh his
besaroH1320 →270 times
וְעָמֹק֙and [is] deep
veamokH6013 →17 times
אֵין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
מַרְאֶ֣הָappearance its
marehaH4758 →103 times
מִן־more than
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָע֔וֹרthe skin
haorH5785 →99 times
וּשְׂעָרָ֖הand hair its
usearahH8181 →28 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָפַ֣ךְit has turned
hafakhH2015 →94 times
לָבָ֑ןwhite
lavanH3836 →29 times
וְהִסְגִּ֧ירand he will shut up
vehisgirH5462 →91 times
הַכֹּהֵ֛ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַנֶּ֖גַעthe plagued [person]
hanega'H5061 →78 times
שִׁבְעַ֥תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִֽים׃days
yamimH3117 →2304 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
it leads to
- James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Romans 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- James 5:7
Through
1 Timothy 5:24The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:10
because Demas, in his love of this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
- Acts 8:18
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
- 2 Timothy 4:10
Through
Ezekiel 44:10Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who wandered away from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 48:11
It will be for the consecrated priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.
- Ezekiel 48:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Leviticus

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
