And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

LEVITICUS 13:45KJV
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Leviticus 13:45 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 13:45 mean?

Leviticus 13:45 describes how a person with a skin disease, called a "leper" in the translation, must show visible signs of mourning and publicly announce their condition by crying out "Unclean, unclean." This was meant to warn others and keep the community safe from possible contamination.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to Moses and Aaron for the Israelites about how to handle cases of skin disease. The person affected must tear their clothes, leave their head uncovered, cover their upper lip, and call out to others that they are unclean. These actions set the person apart and made it clear to everyone that they should keep their distance.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 13:45

  • The word for "leper" is צָרַעַת (ṣāra‘at, H6879), which refers to someone with a serious skin disease, not necessarily what is called leprosy today. This helps clarify that the passage is about ritual impurity, not a specific modern illness.
  • "Plague" is נֶגַע (nega‘, H5061), meaning an affliction or mark, emphasizing the visible nature of the disease.
  • "Clothes" is בֶּגֶד (beged, H899), and "rent" is פָּרַם (param, H6533), meaning torn. Tearing clothes was a sign of mourning or distress in ancient Israel.
  • "Unclean" is טָמֵא (ṭāmē’, H2931), which means ritually impure, not just physically dirty. The repeated cry of "Unclean, unclean" made the person's status unmistakable to others.

Why Leviticus 13:45 matters

  • Leviticus 13:45 shows that the focus is on protecting the community from ritual impurity, not just on the health of the individual.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of ritual purity in ancient Israel and the social cost for those declared unclean.
  • Understanding the cultural practices behind tearing clothes and covering the upper lip helps modern readers see these as public signs of distress and separation, not random or harsh rules.

Where else these words appear

“rent” Hebrew H6533 · used in 3 verses

  • Leviticus 10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
  • Leviticus 21:10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;

“lip” Hebrew H8222 · used in 5 verses

  • 2 Samuel 19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
  • Ezekiel 24:17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
  • Ezekiel 24:22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.

“bare” Hebrew H6544 · used in 15 verses

  • Exodus 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
  • Numbers 5:18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
  • Proverbs 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

“covering” Hebrew H5844 · used in 15 verses

  • 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
  • Psalms 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
  • Isaiah 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.