TRV
Translation
King James Version
And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.
Complete Jewish Bible
The cohen will examine the inflamed flesh and declare him unclean; the inflamed flesh is unclean; it is tzara'at.
Berean Standard Bible
When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease.
American Standard Version
And the priest shall look on the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean: it is leprosy.
World English Bible Messianic
The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the Priest shall see the rawe flesh, and declare him to be vncleane: for the rawe flesh is vncleane, therefore it is the leprosie.
Young's Literal Translation
and the priest hath seen the raw flesh, and hath pronounced him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy.
In the KJVVerse 3,068 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Leviticus 13 verses 1–17
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:
5 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:
6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:
8 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.
9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
10 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;
11 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.
12 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
14 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.
16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;
17 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh, who sought to kill Moses, was the first that ever was struck with this disease, and that he died of it. It is said to have begun first in Egypt, whence it spread into Syria. It was very well known to Moses, when he put his own hand into his bosom and took it out leprous. 2. That it was a plague inflicted immediately by the hand of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were all the punishments of particular sins: and, if generally it was so, no marvel there was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper, that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary token of divine displeasure but those that really were so. 3. That it is a plague not now known in the world; what is commonly called the leprosy is of a quite different nature. This seems to have been reserved as a particular scourge for the sinners of those times and places. The Jews retained the idolatrous customs they had learnt in Egypt, and therefore God justly caused this with some others of the diseases of Egypt to follow them. Yet we read of Naaman the Syrian, who was a leper, Kg2 5:1. 4. That there were other breakings-out in the body which did very much resemble the leprosy, but were not it, which might make a man sore and loathsome and yet not ceremonially unclean. Justly are our bodies called vile bodies, which have in them the seeds of so many diseases, by which the lives of so many are made bitter to them. 5. That the judgment of it was referred to the priests. Lepers were looked upon as stigmatized by the justice of God, and therefore it was left to his servants the priests, who might be presumed to know his mark best, to pronounce who were lepers and who were not. All the Jews say, "Any priest, though disabled by a blemish to attend the sanctuary, might be a judge of the leprosy, provided the blemish were not in his eye. And he might" (they say) "take a common person to assist him in the search, but the priest only must pronounce the judgment." 6. That it was a figure of the moral pollution of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse us; for herein the power of his grace infinitely transcends that of the legal priesthood, that the priest could only convict the leper (for by the law is the knowledge of sin), but Christ can cure the leper, he can take away sin. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, which was more than the priests could do, Mat 8:2. Some think that the leprosy signified, not so much sin in general as a state of sin, by which men are separated from God (their spot not being the spot of God's children), and scandalous sin, for which men are to be shut out from the communion of the faithful. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state: we have all cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious to ourselves of sores and spots, but whether clean or unclean is the question. A man might have a scab (Lev 13:6) and yet be clean: the best have their infirmities; but, as there were certain marks by which to know that it was a leprosy, so there are characters of such as are in the gall of bitterness, and the work of ministers is to declare the judgment of leprosy and to assist those that suspect themselves in the trial of their spiritual state, remitting or retaining sin. And hence the keys of the kingdom of heaven are said to be given to them, because they are to separate between the precious and the vile, and to judge who are fit as clean to partake of the holy things and who as unclean must be debarred from them.
II. Several rules are here laid down by which the judgment of the priest must be governed. 1. If the sore was but skin-deep, it was to be hoped it was not the leprosy, Lev 13:4. But, if it was deeper than the skin, the man must be pronounced unclean, Lev 13:3. The infirmities that consist with grace do not sink deep into the soul, but the mind still serves the law of God, and the inward man delights in it, Rom 7:22, Rom 7:25. But if the matter be really worse than it shows, and the inwards be infected, the case is dangerous. 2. If the sore be at a stay, and do not spread, it is no leprosy, Lev 13:4, Lev 13:5. But if it spread much abroad, and continue to do so after several inspections, the case is bad, Lev 13:7, Lev 13:8. If men do not grow worse, but a stop be put to the course of their sins and their corruptions be checked, it is to be hoped they will grow better; but if sin get ground, and they become worse every day, they are going downhill. 3. If there was proud raw flesh in the rising, the priest needed not to wait any longer, it was certainly a leprosy, Lev 13:10, Lev 13:11. Nor is there any surer indication of the badness of a man's spiritual state than the heart's rising in self-conceit, confidence in the flesh, and resistance of the reproofs of the word and strivings of the Spirit. 4. If the eruption, whatever it was, covered all the skin from head to foot, it was no leprosy (Lev 13:12, Lev 13:13); for it was an evidence that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is hope in the small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely confess their sins, and hide them not, there is no danger comparable to theirs that cover their sins. Some gather this from it, that there is more hope of the profane than of hypocrites. The publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before scribes and Pharisees. In one respect, the sudden breakings-out of passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as malice concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged; if we see and own that there is no health in us, no soundness in our flesh, by reason of sin, we shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord. 5. The priest must take time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter looked suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then seven days more, that his judgment might be according to truth. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so men's good works; therefore let nothing be done suddenly, Ti1 5:22, Ti1 5:24, Ti1 5:25. 6. If the person suspected was found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes (Lev 13:6), because he had been under the suspicion, and there had been in him that which gave ground for the suspicion. Even the prisoner that is acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though they be not leprosy-spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin? though there are those who through grace are innocent from the great transgression.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–17. Public domain.
Copy as
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Leviticus 13:15 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Leviticus 13:15 is a pivotal verse in the priestly diagnosis of tzara'at, often rendered "leprosy," establishing that the immediate presence of "raw flesh" unequivocally confirms an individual's unclean status. This declaration underscores the priest's absolute authority in matters of ritual purity, highlighting the severe and unmistakable nature of certain manifestations of the affliction and God's meticulous concern for the holiness and spiritual integrity of the Israelite community, where physical and spiritual purity were inextricably linked.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Leviticus 13:15 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Repetition is a prominent feature, with the phrase "raw flesh" (and its inherent "unclean" status) being reiterated to underscore the definitive and unmistakable nature of this diagnostic sign. This repetition creates a direct, causal link between the symptom and the verdict, leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation. The passage is characterized by Legal Language, evident in its precise, prescriptive, and authoritative tone. The priest's actions ("shall see," "shall pronounce") and the declarative statements ("is unclean," "is a leprosy") reflect the formal, binding nature of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing divine decree and absolute compliance. Furthermore, there is a powerful element of Symbolism, where the physical manifestation of tzara'at and its associated ritual uncleanness serve as a potent metaphor for spiritual defilement and the pervasive, separating nature of sin. The immediate and severe consequence of "raw flesh" visually communicates the urgency and gravity of impurity in the presence of a holy God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 13:15 profoundly illustrates God's unyielding demand for holiness and the meticulous care required to maintain ritual purity within the covenant community. The immediate declaration of uncleanness, based on the unmistakable sign of "raw flesh," highlights the pervasive and contaminating nature of impurity, whether physical or spiritual. This severity underscores the absolute chasm between God's perfect holiness and any form of defilement that would compromise the sanctity of His dwelling place among His people. The priest's authoritative role as diagnostician and pronouncer of judgment foreshadows the inherent human inability to cleanse oneself from deep-seated impurity and the subsequent need for divine mediation in addressing human sin and defilement. These ancient laws, while specific to Israel's covenant context, reveal timeless truths about the nature of sin as a defiling agent that separates us from God and community, and the absolute necessity of divine intervention for true and lasting cleansing.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 13:15, though rooted in ancient purity laws, offers profound and enduring spiritual lessons for believers today. The immediate and definitive judgment rendered by the priest upon seeing "raw flesh" serves as a stark reminder of the insidious and destructive nature of sin when it is "raw"—unconfessed, unrepented, and actively indulged in our lives. Just as tzara'at defiled and necessitated separation from the community, so too does unaddressed sin corrupt our spiritual health, creating distance between us and a holy God, and hindering our fellowship with the body of Christ. We are called to cultivate spiritual discernment, recognizing the "raw flesh" of sin in our own lives—those areas where sin is actively festering, spreading, and breaking through the surface of our spiritual walk—and to respond with urgency, confessing it honestly and seeking God's cleansing. This verse challenges us to consider the profound seriousness with which God views impurity and to strive for holiness not as a legalistic burden, but as a joyful and essential pursuit of deeper, unhindered fellowship with Him, acknowledging that true and lasting cleansing comes only through His divine provision and grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was tzara'at the same as modern leprosy (Hansen's Disease)?
Answer: No, tzara'at (צָרַעַת) in the Old Testament, particularly as described in Leviticus 13, was a broader category of severe skin afflictions, including various rashes, boils, burns, and even mildew on garments and houses. While it may have encompassed some cases of what we now identify as Hansen's Disease, it was not exclusively or primarily that specific medical condition. The biblical description of tzara'at emphasizes its rapid onset, changing appearance, and the presence of "raw flesh" or white hair, which are not always characteristic of modern leprosy. The primary concern was ritual purity and the threat of defilement to the community's holiness, rather than solely a medical diagnosis in the modern sense.
Why was the priest, not a doctor, responsible for diagnosing tzara'at?
Answer: The priest's role in diagnosing tzara'at underscored the profoundly theological nature of the affliction within ancient Israel. In this society, the priest was not merely a spiritual leader but also the guardian of the nation's ritual purity and its covenant relationship with God. Tzara'at was often seen as a sign of divine displeasure or a consequence of sin, and its presence rendered an individual ritually unclean (ṭâmêʼ), separating them from the holy community and the Tabernacle/Temple. The priest's pronouncement was therefore a theological declaration of ritual status, not just a medical diagnosis. His authority ensured that the laws of purity, which were foundational to Israel's identity as God's holy people, were strictly upheld, as clearly outlined in passages like Leviticus 13:3.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 13:15, with its stark declaration of uncleanness due to the unmistakable sign of "raw flesh," finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is both our perfect High Priest and the Great Physician. The Old Testament priest, limited by the Law, could only diagnose and declare a person unclean, subsequently isolating them from the community; he possessed no inherent power to truly cleanse or heal the tzara'at itself. However, Jesus demonstrated His divine authority not merely to diagnose the "leprosy" of sin, but to cleanse and transform the sinner completely. When a leper approached Him in Matthew 8:2-3, Jesus did not recoil from the "unclean" as the Law mandated, but instead reached out and touched him, declaring, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately, the man was made clean. This profound act radically redefines purity, showing that true cleansing comes not from separation from the unclean, but from the holy one's redemptive contact with the unclean. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the "leprosy" of our sin on the cross, becoming "unclean" for us (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we, through faith in Him, might be made perfectly holy and righteous before God. He is the ultimate fulfillment of all the purity laws, offering not just a temporary ritual cleansing, but a complete, eternal, and spiritual purification from the defiling power of sin, making us forever fit for intimate fellowship with a holy God (as promised in Hebrews 10:10-14).