And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;

LEVITICUS 13:12KJV
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Leviticus 13:12 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 13:12 mean?

Leviticus 13:12 describes a situation where a skin disease called “leprosy” spreads over a person’s entire body, from head to foot, so that every part the priest examines is affected. The verse is part of instructions for priests on how to identify and judge cases of skin disease among the Israelites.

In this passage, God is giving Moses and Aaron detailed rules for the priests to follow when someone shows signs of a skin disease. The focus here is on what the priest should do if the disease is not just in one spot but has broken out (“break out abroad”) and now covers all the skin of the person. This is part of a larger section about ritual cleanliness and how to protect the community from contagious diseases.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 13:12

  • “Leprosy” (צָרַעַת, tsara‘at) does not refer only to what we call leprosy today, but to a range of visible skin diseases. The term covers any serious skin condition that could make someone ritually unclean.
  • “Break out abroad” (פָּרַח, parach) means to spread or blossom. Here, it describes the disease spreading widely over the skin, not just remaining in one area.
  • “Cover” (כָּסָה, kasah) means to completely cover or conceal. The verse is emphasizing that the disease is now on every visible part of the skin.
  • “Plague” (נֶגַע, nega‘) refers to a mark, spot, or affliction. It is the general word used throughout this chapter for the skin problem being examined.

Why Leviticus 13:12 matters

  • This verse helps clear up a common misunderstanding: in these ancient laws, a person whose whole body is covered by the disease might actually be declared clean in the next verses, while someone with only partial spots might be unclean. The rules are not always what we would expect.
  • The verse shows how thorough and careful the priest’s examination had to be. Every part of the skin had to be checked, not just a quick look.
  • It connects to the wider passage by showing the seriousness with which the community treated visible illness, not only for health reasons but for ritual and social reasons as well.

Where else these words appear

“leprosy” Hebrew H6883 · used in 33 verses

  • Leviticus 13:2 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:
  • Leviticus 13:30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
  • Leviticus 14:34 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;

“out” Hebrew H6524 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
  • Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
  • Isaiah 27:6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

“plague” Hebrew H5061 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
  • Leviticus 13:44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
  • Leviticus 14:37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;

“skin” Hebrew H5785 · used in 82 verses

  • Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
  • Leviticus 13:18 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
  • Leviticus 15:17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.