And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered;
LEVITICUS 14:43KJVWhat does Leviticus 14:43 mean?
Leviticus 14:43 describes what should happen if, after a house has been cleaned and repaired because of a spreading disease, the same plague appears again and breaks out in the house. This verse sets up the next steps for dealing with a recurring problem, showing that the issue is serious and not solved by the first round of cleaning.
In this part of Leviticus, God is giving instructions to Moses for the priests about how to handle houses infected with a kind of mold or mildew, often called a "plague" in the text. The verse lists the steps already taken—removing stones, scraping, and replastering the house—but says that if the problem returns, further action is needed. This shows the careful and thorough process required in dealing with ritual impurity in ancient Israel.
The Hebrew behind Leviticus 14:43
- The word for "plague" is נֶגַע (nega‘), which refers to a mark, spot, or affliction—here, it means a visible sign of disease or contamination in the house, not just any illness.
- The verb "break out" is פָּרַח (parach), which means to spread or burst forth, emphasizing that the problem is active and growing, not just lingering.
- The word for "scraped" is קָרַץ (qarats), meaning to scrape or shave off, showing that the cleaning was meant to be thorough, not just a surface-level fix.
- The word for "plaistered" is טָחַ (tach), meaning to coat or plaster, which shows that after cleaning, the house was restored to look normal again before checking if the plague would return.
Why Leviticus 14:43 matters
- This verse clarifies that simply cleaning up the visible problem is not always enough; if the underlying issue returns, it must be addressed more seriously.
- Leviticus 14:43 highlights the priest’s role as an inspector and caretaker of community health, not just a religious figure.
- The verse connects to the larger passage by showing the step-by-step process for dealing with impurity, emphasizing both patience and thoroughness in following God’s instructions.