Leviticus 14:38

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:

Complete Jewish Bible:

he is to go out of the house to its door and seal up the house for seven days.

Berean Standard Bible:

the priest shall go outside the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.

American Standard Version:

then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then the priest^{H3548} shall go^{H3318} out of the house^{H1004} to the door^{H6607} of the house^{H1004}, and shut^{H5462} up the house^{H1004} seven^{H7651} days^{H3117}:

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Leviticus 14:38

Leviticus 14:38 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus that deals with the purification rituals for those who have been healed from skin diseases, commonly referred to as leprosy, and the cleansing of houses that have been affected by a spreading mold or fungus, often translated as "leprosy of the house."

**Themes:**
1. **Purity and Holiness:** The overarching theme of Leviticus is the holiness of God and the necessity for the Israelites to be pure before Him. This includes maintaining cleanliness in their living spaces as well as their bodies.
2. **Ritual and Ceremony:** The detailed instructions for the purification process highlight the importance of ritual in ancient Israelite society. These rituals served to restore individuals and their dwellings to a state of ceremonial purity.
3. **Separation and Reintegration:** The law required that those with skin diseases be separated from the community until they were healed and cleansed. This verse reflects the process of reintegration after the period of isolation.
4. **Priestly Role:** The involvement of the priest in the inspection and purification process underscores the religious authority of the priesthood in maintaining the ritual health of the community.

**Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** The book of Leviticus is set during the time of Moses, immediately after the exodus from Egypt, while the Israelites are encamped at Mount Sinai.
- **Social Structure:** The laws and rituals outlined in Leviticus were part of the covenant between God and Israel, establishing the religious and social norms for the nation.
- **Health and Hygiene:** In the ancient world, diseases like leprosy were poorly understood, and the rituals described were not only religious in nature but also served as a form of public health measure to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.
- **Symbolism:** The seven-day quarantine reflects the recurring theme of the number seven in the Bible, often associated with completeness or perfection, suggesting a complete cycle of purification.

In summary, Leviticus 14:38 reflects the themes of purity, the role of ritual in ancient Israel, the process of separation and reintegration for the sake of community health, and the central role of the priesthood in these practices. It is set against the backdrop of the early formation of Israel as a nation under God's covenant, with laws and rituals that intertwined religious significance with practical health concerns.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3548
   There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כֹּהֵן
   Transliteration: kôhên
   Pronunciation: ko-hane'
   Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3318
   There are 992 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָצָא
   Transliteration: yâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: yaw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.; [idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, [idiom] scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, [idiom] still, [idiom] surely, take forth (out), at any time, [idiom] to (and fro), utter.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1004
   There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בַּיִת
   Transliteration: bayith
   Pronunciation: bah'-yith
   Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out).
   
4. Strong's Number: H6607
   There are 154 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פֶּתַח
   Transliteration: pethach
   Pronunciation: peh'-thakh
   Description: from פָּתַח; an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way; door, entering (in), entrance (-ry), gate, opening, place.
   
5. Strong's Number: H5462
   There are 87 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: סָגַר
   Transliteration: çâgar
   Pronunciation: saw-gar'
   Description: a primitive root; to shut up; figuratively, to surrender; close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose, [idiom] pure, repair, shut (in, self, out, up, up together), stop, [idiom] straitly.
   
6. Strong's Number: H7651
   There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֶׁבַע
   Transliteration: shebaʻ
   Pronunciation: sheh'-bah
   Description: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from שָׁבַע; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number; ([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare שִׁבְעָנָה.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3117
   There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יוֹם
   Transliteration: yôwm
   Pronunciation: yome
   Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.