King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, [even] white bright spots;
Complete Jewish Bible:
"If a man or woman has bright spots on his skin, bright white spots;
Berean Standard Bible:
When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin,
American Standard Version:
And when a man or a woman hath in the skin of the flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
If a man{H376} also or a woman{H802} have in the skin{H5785} of their flesh{H1320} bright spots{H934}, even white{H3836} bright spots{H934};
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Leviticus 13:38
1. Themes:
- **Ritual Purity and Holiness**: Leviticus 13:38 is part of a larger section dealing with skin diseases, which in the context of Leviticus, are associated with ritual impurity. The presence of bright or white spots on the skin could be indicative of a skin condition that would render a person ritually impure.
- **Community Health and Quarantine**: The detailed descriptions of skin conditions and the protocols for dealing with them suggest a concern for the health of the community. Identifying and isolating individuals with contagious diseases was a practical measure to prevent outbreaks.
- **Priestly Role**: The priests were responsible for diagnosing skin conditions and determining the status of an individual's purity. This reflects the broader theme of the priesthood's role in maintaining the spiritual and physical well-being of the Israelite community.
2. Historical Context:
- **Time of Writing**: Leviticus is traditionally attributed to Moses and would have been written during the time of the Exodus, around the 13th century BCE, although modern scholarship often dates the final form of the text to a later period.
- **Setting**: The laws outlined in Leviticus were given to the Israelites in the wilderness as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. These laws were meant to establish a distinct identity for the Israelites as a holy people set apart for God.
- **Cultural Practices**: The ancient world often associated physical blemishes with moral or spiritual deficiency. The detailed attention to skin conditions in Leviticus reflects broader ancient Near Eastern concerns about the significance of the body's appearance in relation to the divine and the community.
- **Covenantal Context**: The regulations in Leviticus were part of the Mosaic covenant, which included laws that the Israelites were to follow as a condition of their special relationship with God. Adherence to these laws, including those concerning ritual purity, was a matter of covenant faithfulness.
In summary, Leviticus 13:38 deals with the identification of skin conditions that could affect ritual purity, reflecting themes of holiness, community health, and the role of priests. It is set within the broader historical context of the Israelites' formation as a covenant community in the wilderness, with laws designed to distinguish them as a people holy to God.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H376
There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִישׁ
Transliteration: ʼîysh
Pronunciation: eesh
Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H5785
There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עוֹר
Transliteration: ʻôwr
Pronunciation: ore
Description: from עוּר; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather; hide, leather, skin. - Strong's Number: H1320
There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּשָׂר
Transliteration: bâsâr
Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. - Strong's Number: H934
There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֹּהֶרֶת
Transliteration: bôhereth
Pronunciation: bo-heh'-reth
Description: feminine active participle of the same as בָּהִיר; a whitish spot on the skin; bright spot. - Strong's Number: H3836
There are 24 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָבָן
Transliteration: lâbân
Pronunciation: law-bawn'
Description: or (Genesis 49:12) לָבֵן; from לָבַן; white; white.