Leviticus 13:40

Translation
King James Version
And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the man H376 H3588 whose hair is fallen H4803 off his head H7218, he is bald H7142; yet is he clean H2889.
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Complete Jewish Bible
"If a man's hair has fallen from his scalp, he is bald; but he is clean.
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Berean Standard Bible
Now if a man loses his hair and is bald, he is still clean.
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American Standard Version
And if a man’s hair be fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
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World English Bible Messianic
“If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And the man whose heare is fallen off his head, and is balde, is cleane.
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Young's Literal Translation
`And when a man's head is polished, he is bald, he is clean;
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See also
Galatians 4:13Song of Solomon 5:11Amos 8:10Romans 8:10Romans 6:12Romans 6:192 Kings 2:23
In the KJVVerse 3,093 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 13:40 provides a precise and compassionate clarification within the elaborate purity codes of the Mosaic Law, specifically addressing physical conditions that might render an individual ritually unclean. This verse unequivocally declares that natural baldness, whether on the crown or the forehead, does not constitute a source of ritual impurity. It serves as a vital distinction, preventing the misapplication of severe regulations concerning tsara'at (a range of serious skin and scalp afflictions) to a common, benign physiological condition, thereby safeguarding individuals from unwarranted social ostracization or religious exclusion.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus chapter 13 is meticulously dedicated to the diagnosis, management, and purification rites associated with tsara'at, a broad term often translated as "leprosy" but encompassing various severe dermatological conditions affecting skin, hair, and even garments or houses. The chapter details the priest's role as the primary diagnostician, outlining specific signs, examination procedures, periods of isolation, and criteria for declaring someone "clean" or "unclean" (cf. the initial diagnostic procedures in Leviticus 13:1-8). Verses 29-37 specifically address tsara'at on the head or beard, describing a "scall" (a localized skin affliction often accompanied by hair loss or discoloration) that could render an individual unclean. It is precisely within this detailed discussion of scalp conditions that Leviticus 13:40 intervenes, providing a crucial distinction. By explicitly stating that simple baldness is clean, it acts as an immediate counterpoint and clarification to the preceding verses, preventing the misapplication of purity laws to a natural physiological process.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, ritual purity was foundational for participation in community life, worship, and maintaining the sanctity of the camp, reflecting God's absolute holiness (Leviticus 11:44-45). Conditions like tsara'at were not merely medical issues but carried profound social and religious implications, often leading to temporary exclusion from the community (Leviticus 13:45-46). Given the visible nature of hair loss and the detailed regulations regarding scalp afflictions, there was a genuine risk that natural baldness could be mistaken for a symptom of tsara'at, leading to unwarranted fear, stigma, or even forced isolation. The explicit declaration in Leviticus 13:40 served to alleviate such concerns, demonstrating the divine law's precision and its compassionate consideration for common human conditions, ensuring that individuals were not unfairly burdened by misinterpretations of the purity code.
  • Key Themes: This verse contributes to several key themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Primarily, it underscores the theme of Holiness and Purity, emphasizing the meticulous nature of God's requirements for ritual cleanness and the careful distinctions necessary to maintain it. It also highlights Divine Wisdom and Compassion in the law, demonstrating that God's statutes are not arbitrary but are designed with discernment, preventing unnecessary hardship for His people. Furthermore, it subtly reinforces the theme of Discernment and Judgment, teaching the priests and the people to distinguish carefully between genuine sources of impurity and natural human conditions, thereby preventing superficial or erroneous judgments based solely on outward appearance. This precision in the law reflects God's desire for His people to live in a way that truly honors Him, without being burdened by misinterpretations.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • fallen (Hebrew, mâraṭ', H4803): This verb (H4803) means "to polish" or, by implication, "to make bald (the head)" or "to pluck off (hair)." In this context, it describes the natural process of hair loss, distinguishing it from hair loss due to a disease or affliction. The nuance here is crucial; it refers to hair that has simply come off, not been forcibly removed or lost due to a pathological condition.
  • bald (Hebrew, qêrêach', H7142): This adjective (H7142) specifically refers to being "bald on the back of the head" or simply "bald (head)." While the KJV text implies a general state of baldness, the Hebrew term often denotes a specific type of baldness, contrasting with gibbeaḥ (not in this verse's Strong's data, but often referring to baldness on the forehead). The use of this term here confirms the physical state of the individual, emphasizing that this natural condition is the subject of the declaration.
  • clean (Hebrew, ṭâhôwr', H2889): This foundational adjective (H2889) is used throughout Leviticus to denote ritual purity or acceptability before God for participation in the community and worship. It stands in direct contrast to ṭâmêʼ (unclean), which signifies a state of ritual impurity requiring specific purification rites or temporary separation. The emphatic declaration "he is clean" (ṭâmêʼ hûʼ) for a bald man is a powerful affirmation, explicitly removing baldness from the category of conditions that would render one ṭâmêʼ.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the man whose hair is fallen off his head": This opening clause identifies the subject as an individual experiencing natural hair loss from the scalp. It refers to a common physiological process, not a disease or affliction. The phrasing emphasizes the absence of hair due to natural causes, distinguishing it from hair loss associated with specific, pathological skin conditions described elsewhere in the chapter.
  • "he [is] bald": This phrase simply confirms the physical state described in the first clause. It is a straightforward observation of a man who has experienced hair loss. The use of the descriptive term "bald" reinforces the natural, non-pathological nature of the condition being addressed, setting the stage for the crucial declaration that follows.
  • "[yet is] he clean": This is the pivotal declaration of the verse. Despite the visible change in appearance, and in direct contrast to the elaborate procedures for diagnosing and managing other scalp conditions that do cause ritual impurity, the bald man is declared ritually pure (ṭâhôwr). This pronouncement ensures that natural baldness does not impede an individual's participation in the community, their access to sacred spaces, or their standing before God. It highlights the law's precise discernment between natural physical variations and conditions linked to ritual impurity.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 13:40 primarily employs Clarification and Contrast. The verse functions as a direct clarification, explicitly stating that natural baldness does not fall under the category of ritual impurity. This removes any ambiguity that might arise from the preceding detailed laws concerning tsara'at on the head and beard (Leviticus 13:29-37), which do involve hair loss as a symptom of uncleanness. This clarification stands in stark Contrast to the many conditions described earlier in the chapter that do render a person unclean. By clearly delineating what is not a source of impurity, the law demonstrates its Precision and Discernment, ensuring that the people of Israel understood the specific parameters of purity and avoided unnecessary fear or social exclusion based on benign physical characteristics. The verse also exhibits Conciseness, delivering a definitive ruling in a remarkably brief statement.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 13:40, while seemingly a minor detail within the vast body of Mosaic Law, profoundly illustrates several key theological principles. It underscores God's meticulous care and wisdom in establishing laws that were both comprehensive and discerning, differentiating between natural human conditions and those that genuinely impacted ritual purity. This distinction highlights that not all physical imperfections or variations were seen as sources of defilement. The law's focus was on specific ritual states that affected one's ability to participate in the holy community, not on condemning natural human physiology. It also subtly teaches against superficial judgment, emphasizing that a person's ritual standing before God was not based on outward appearance alone. This verse reminds us that God's law, even in its detailed prescriptions, is ultimately designed for the well-being and proper ordering of His people, reflecting His own character of holiness, justice, and compassion.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Leviticus 13:40 offers timeless lessons for believers today, particularly in a world often obsessed with outward appearances and quick to judge based on superficial characteristics. This verse provides a divine counter-narrative, reminding us that God's perspective on "cleanliness," worth, and acceptance transcends physical perfection or societal norms. Just as natural baldness did not diminish a person's standing in ancient Israel, so too, our value and acceptance before God are not contingent upon our physical attributes, perceived flaws, or adherence to fleeting cultural standards of beauty. This passage encourages us to cultivate a spirit of discernment, avoiding hasty judgments and embracing the diversity of human experience as part of God's creative design. It calls us to look beyond the external, recognizing that true purity and worth are matters of the heart and one's relationship with the Creator, not outward conformity. It challenges us to reflect God's own compassionate discernment in our interactions with others, valuing people for who they are in God's sight rather than how they appear.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways do we, consciously or unconsciously, judge others based on their outward appearance or natural physical characteristics, contrary to God's broader principles?
  • How does this verse challenge our modern societal emphasis on physical perfection, conformity, and the often-unrealistic standards of beauty?
  • What does the meticulousness and compassionate discernment of God's law, even in seemingly minor details like baldness, reveal about His character and His care for His people?
  • How can we apply the principle of discerning between natural conditions and true spiritual defilement in our own lives and interactions, fostering a more gracious and accepting community?

FAQ

Why was it necessary for the law to specify that baldness does not make one unclean?

Answer: It was necessary because the preceding verses in Leviticus 13 detail various forms of tsara'at (skin and scalp afflictions) that did render a person ritually unclean. Specifically, Leviticus 13:29-37 describes conditions on the head or beard that involved hair loss or discoloration, which required priestly examination and could lead to a declaration of uncleanness. Given the visual similarity between natural baldness and some symptoms of tsara'at on the scalp, the law explicitly clarified that simple, natural hair loss was not a cause for ritual impurity. This prevented misdiagnosis, unnecessary isolation, and social stigma for individuals experiencing a common physiological change, demonstrating God's meticulous care and compassion within the legal framework.

Does this verse imply that other physical conditions do make someone unclean?

Answer: This verse clarifies that natural baldness does not make one unclean. However, other specific physical conditions or situations did render a person ritually unclean under the Mosaic Law. These included active tsara'at (as detailed throughout Leviticus 13 and Leviticus 14), certain bodily discharges (Leviticus 15), and contact with a dead body (Numbers 19). It's crucial to understand that this "uncleanness" was ritual, not moral. It did not imply sinfulness but rather a temporary state that prevented full participation in the community's worship and required specific purification rites to restore ritual purity, highlighting the need for a holy people to approach a holy God.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 13:40, in its declaration that natural baldness does not defile, subtly points to the deeper truth of purity that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament purity laws, including those concerning physical conditions, served as a shadow, illustrating humanity's pervasive need for cleansing from sin and the separation it causes from a holy God. While these laws addressed external, ritual uncleanness, they could not address the internal uncleanness of the human heart, which truly defiles a person (Mark 7:20-23). Jesus, the Lamb of God, perfectly fulfilled the law and transcended its external limitations. He touched the leper and made him clean (Matthew 8:2-3), demonstrating His divine authority over all forms of uncleanness, both physical and spiritual. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ offers a radical, internal cleansing that purifies not just the body for ritual participation, but the conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). In Christ, our standing before God is not based on physical appearance, health, or adherence to external rituals, but on His perfect righteousness imputed to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is our ultimate source of true and lasting cleanness, making us holy and blameless in God's sight (Colossians 1:22), thereby fulfilling the spirit of the law's concern for purity in a way the law itself could only foreshadow.

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Commentary on Leviticus 13 verses 38–46

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here,

I. Provisos that neither a freckled skin nor a bald head should be mistaken for a leprosy, Lev 13:38-41. Every deformity must not forthwith be made a ceremonial defilement. Elisha was jeered for his bald head (Kg2 2:23); but it was the children of Bethel, that knew not the judgments of their God, who turned it to his reproach.

II. A particular brand set upon the leprosy if at any time it did appear in a bald head: The plague is in his head, he is utterly unclean, Lev 13:44. If the leprosy of sin have seized the head, if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles which countenance and support wicked practices, be embraced, it is an utter uncleanness, from which few are ever cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps the leprosy from the head, and saves conscience from being shipwrecked.

III. Directions what must be done with the convicted leper. When the priest, upon mature deliberation, had solemnly pronounced him unclean,

1.He must pronounce himself so, Lev 13:45. He must put himself into the posture of a mourner and cry, Unclean, unclean. The leprosy was not itself a sin, but it was a sad token of God's displeasure and a sore affliction to him that was under it. It was a reproach to his name, put a full stop to his business in the world, cut him off from conversation with his friends and relations, condemned him to banishment till he was cleansed, shut him out from the sanctuary, and was, in effect, the ruin of all the comfort he could have in this world. Heman, it would seem, either was a leper or alludes to the melancholy condition of a leper, Psa 88:8, etc. He must therefore, (1.) Humble himself under the mighty hand of God, not insisting upon his cleanness when the priest had pronounced him unclean, but justifying God and accepting the punishment of his iniquity. He must signify this by rending his clothes, uncovering his head, and covering his upper lip, all tokens of shame and confusion of face, and very significant of that self-loathing and self-abasement which should fill the hearts of penitents, the language of which is self-judging. Thus must we take to ourselves the shame that belongs to us, and with broken hearts call ourselves by our own name, Unclean, unclean - heart unclean, life unclean, unclean by original corruption, unclean by actual transgression - unclean, and therefore worthy to be for ever excluded from communion with God, and all hope of happiness in him. We are all as an unclean thing (Isa 64:6) - unclean, and therefore undone, if infinite mercy do not interpose. (2.) He must give warning to others to take heed of coming near him. Wherever he went, he must cry to those he saw at a distance, "I am unclean, unclean, take heed of touching me." Not that the leprosy was catching, but by the touch of a leper ceremonial uncleanness was contracted. Every one therefore was concerned to avoid it; and the leper himself must give notice of the danger. And this was all that the law could do, in that it was weak through the flesh; it taught the leper to cry, Unclean, unclean, but the gospel has put another cry into the lepers' mouths, Luk 17:12, Luk 17:13, where we find ten lepers crying with a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. The law only shows us our disease; the gospel shows us our help in Christ.

2.He must then be shut out of the camp, and afterwards, when they came to Canaan, out of the city, town, or village, where he lived, and dwell alone (Lev 13:46), associating with none but those that were lepers like himself. When king Uzziah became a leper, he was banished from his palace, and dwelt in a separate house, Ch2 26:21. And see Kg2 7:3. This typified the purity which ought to be preserved in the gospel church, by the solemn and authoritative exclusion of scandalous sinners, that hate to be reformed, from the communion of the faithful. Put away from among yourselves that wicked person, Co1 5:13.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 38–46. Public domain.
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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.
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