(The Lord speaking is red text)
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:
On the seventh day the cohen is to examine him again, and if the sore appears the same as before and has not spread on the skin, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven more days.
On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if he sees that the infection is unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must isolate him for another seven days.
and the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if in his eyes the plague be at a stay, and the plague be not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:
And the priest{H3548} shall look{H7200} on him the seventh{H7637} day{H3117}: and, behold, if the plague{H5061} in his sight{H5869} be at a stay{H5975}, and the plague{H5061} spread{H6581} not in the skin{H5785}; then the priest{H3548} shall shut{H5462} him up seven{H7651} days{H3117} more{H8145}:
1. **Themes:**
- **Purity and Holiness:** The verse reflects the importance of maintaining ritual purity within the Israelite community, as skin diseases were considered ritually defiling.
- **Priestly Authority:** It underscores the role of the priest as a mediator between God and the people, with the authority to diagnose and manage skin conditions that could affect the ritual status of individuals.
- **Careful Observation:** The instruction emphasizes the need for careful observation and patience before making a final determination about an individual's condition.
- **Isolation and Quarantine:** The practice of shutting up or isolating an individual reflects concerns about contagion and the spread of disease, as well as maintaining the ritual purity of the camp.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Levitical Law:** Leviticus 13:5 is part of the Holiness Code in the book of Leviticus, which contains laws and rituals given to Moses for the Israelites. These laws were meant to govern the religious and social life of the Israelite community, particularly while they were in the wilderness and later when they settled in the Promised Land.
- **Wandering in the Wilderness:** At this time, the Israelites were a nomadic people recently freed from slavery in Egypt. The detailed instructions for dealing with skin diseases would have been essential for their communal health and religious life as they traveled and prepared to enter Canaan.
- **Cultic Purity:** The ancient Israelites believed that certain physical conditions, including skin diseases like leprosy (tzaraath in Hebrew, which may refer to a range of skin conditions), rendered a person ritually impure. Such impurity could not only spread to others but also defile the sanctuary and risk God's presence among the people.
- **Priests as Health Officials:** The priests in ancient Israel served not only as religious leaders but also as public health officials. Their role included diagnosing skin conditions and determining when an individual could be reintegrated into the community after a period of isolation.
In summary, Leviticus 13:5 reflects the themes of ritual purity, priestly authority, careful observation, and quarantine within the historical context of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness and their need to maintain both physical and spiritual health as a community.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)