And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

LEVITICUS 13:34KJV
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Leviticus 13:34 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 13:34 mean?

Leviticus 13:34 explains that on the seventh day, a priest must examine a skin condition called a "scall." If the scall has not spread or gone deeper than the skin, the priest declares the person clean, and the person must wash their clothes to complete the cleansing. This process confirms the person is no longer considered unclean.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to Moses and Aaron about how priests should handle cases of certain skin diseases among the Israelites. The priest acts as a kind of health inspector, carefully checking if the condition has worsened. The focus is on careful observation and following a set process to decide if someone can rejoin the community.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 13:34

  • "Scall" (נֶתֶק, neteq) refers to a specific type of skin disease, often thought to be a patchy, scaly spot. The word highlights that this is not just any rash but a particular condition the priest is trained to identify.
  • "Spread" (פָּשָׂה, pasah) means to extend or go beyond its original area. The priest is checking if the disease has gotten worse, which would change the person’s status.
  • "Clean" (טָהֵר, taher) means to be declared ritually pure. This is not just about physical health but about being able to participate fully in community and worship life.
  • "Wash" (כָּבַס, kavas) means to launder or clean garments, which is a final step in restoring someone’s normal status after being pronounced clean.

Why Leviticus 13:34 matters

  • Leviticus 13:34 shows that the priest’s role was not just religious but also practical, acting as a health official to protect the community from possible contagion.
  • The verse emphasizes fairness and careful judgment, requiring a waiting period and re-examination before making a final decision about someone’s status.
  • This verse connects to the larger section about skin diseases, showing that being declared "clean" involved both a priestly declaration and a personal act (washing clothes), underlining the importance of ritual purity in ancient Israel.

Where else these words appear

“scall” Hebrew H5424 · used in 9 verses

  • 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 13:32 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;
  • Leviticus 13:36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.

“deeper” Hebrew H6013 · used in 16 verses

  • Leviticus 13:3 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.
  • Leviticus 13:32 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;
  • Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

“spread” Hebrew H6581 · used in 18 verses

  • Leviticus 13:5 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:
  • Leviticus 13:23 But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
  • Leviticus 13:51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.

“wash” Hebrew H3526 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
  • Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • Numbers 8:21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.