Leviticus 13:7

Translation
King James Version
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:
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KJV (with Strong's)
But if the scab H4556 spread much H6581 abroad H6581 in the skin H5785, after H310 that he hath been seen H7200 of the priest H3548 for his cleansing H2893, he shall be seen H7200 of the priest H3548 again H8145:
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Complete Jewish Bible
But if the scab spreads further on the skin after he has been examined by the cohen and declared clean, he is to let himself be examined yet again by the cohen.
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Berean Standard Bible
But if the rash spreads further on his skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must present himself again to the priest.
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American Standard Version
But if the scab spread abroad in the skin, after that he hath showed himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again:
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World English Bible Messianic
But if the scab spreads on the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But if the skab growe more in the skinne, after that he is seene of ye Priest for to be purged, he shall be seene of the Priest yet againe.
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Young's Literal Translation
`And if the scab spread greatly in the skin, after his being seen by the priest for his cleansing, then he hath been seen a second time by the priest;
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See also
Psalms 38:32 Timothy 2:162 Timothy 2:17Leviticus 13:27Leviticus 13:35Leviticus 13:36Isaiah 1:5
In the KJVVerse 3,060 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 13:7 is a crucial verse within the Mosaic Law's detailed regulations concerning tzara'at, a severe and often defiling skin condition. This passage emphasizes the absolute necessity for a re-evaluation by the priest when a suspicious skin affliction, previously examined and perhaps deemed potentially clean or under observation, clearly worsens or spreads. It underscores God's meticulous concern for the ritual purity and physical well-being of the Israelite community, mandating a rigorous process of re-inspection to ensure the proper management of defiling conditions and the preservation of the camp's holiness.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 13 is entirely dedicated to the elaborate procedures for diagnosing and managing tzara'at in individuals, garments, and houses. The preceding verses (Leviticus 13:1-6) describe the initial inspection by the priest, the criteria for a suspected case, and the mandatory seven-day quarantine period. If, after this period, the "plague" or "scab" had not spread and its appearance had not worsened, the individual might be declared clean, though sometimes with a second seven-day quarantine if ambiguity remained (Leviticus 13:4-6). Leviticus 13:7 specifically addresses the scenario where, even after an initial examination for potential cleansing, the condition does spread significantly, necessitating a further, immediate priestly re-evaluation. This verse is an integral part of a larger legal framework (Leviticus 13-14) that meticulously outlines the steps for identifying, isolating, and ultimately restoring or permanently separating individuals affected by this condition, culminating in the elaborate cleansing rituals described in Leviticus 14.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, the priest served not only as a religious leader but also as the primary arbiter of ritual purity and, by extension, a guardian of public health. The term tzara'at, often translated as "leprosy" in English, likely encompassed a range of severe dermatological conditions, not exclusively modern Hansen's disease. These conditions were understood not merely as physical ailments but as potential sources of profound ritual impurity, rendering an individual "unclean" and requiring temporary separation from the community and the tabernacle. This separation was paramount for maintaining the holiness of the camp, where God's presence dwelled among His people. The priest's role, as mandated by divine law, was to discern the status of the nega' ("affliction" or "plague") and issue a verdict of clean or unclean, thereby regulating access to the holy space and ensuring the well-being of the covenant community. The meticulousness of these laws, including the provision for re-inspection in Leviticus 13:7, reflects God's profound concern for the physical and spiritual integrity of His people, protecting them from both literal contagion and ritual defilement.
  • Key Themes: This verse contributes significantly to several key themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. It highlights the theme of Holiness and Purity, emphasizing God's demand for a set-apart people and the strict measures required to maintain the sanctity of the camp in His presence. The meticulous diagnostic process underscores the theme of Divine Order and Law, demonstrating God's comprehensive provision for every aspect of Israelite life, including public health and ritual conduct. Furthermore, it reinforces the Priestly Mediation theme, showcasing the indispensable role of the priest as the divinely appointed intermediary responsible for discerning and declaring ritual status, thereby regulating the community's relationship with God. The dynamic nature of the "scab" and the need for re-inspection also subtly points to the Insidious Nature of Defilement, whether physical or spiritual, which requires constant vigilance and authoritative intervention. This concern for purity is echoed throughout the Old Testament, from the initial commands for separation in Exodus 19:6 to the later prophetic calls for spiritual cleansing.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Scab (Hebrew, miçpachath', H4556): This term specifically refers to a "scruf (as spreading over the surface)" or "scab." In the context of tzara'at, it denotes the visible manifestation of the skin affliction that is being examined. Its usage here emphasizes the superficial, yet potentially serious, nature of the lesion that initiates the priestly inspection process. The word highlights the physical symptom that triggers the elaborate legal and ritual procedures.
  • Spread (Hebrew, pâsâh', H6581): A primitive root meaning "to spread" or "to enlarge." This verb vividly describes the aggressive and progressive nature of the skin condition. The KJV's "spread much abroad" intensifies this meaning, indicating a significant, undeniable expansion of the affected area. This spreading is the critical trigger for the mandatory re-evaluation, highlighting the dynamic and worsening aspect of the tzara'at that demands immediate and decisive attention.
  • Seen (Hebrew, râʼâh', H7200): A primitive root meaning "to see, literally or figuratively," encompassing "to look at," "to perceive," or "to discern." Its repetition in the verse, "he hath been seen... he shall be seen," powerfully underscores the priest's pivotal and authoritative role as the diagnostician and arbiter of purity. The act of "seeing" by the priest is not a casual glance but a thorough, discerning examination, crucial for making a definitive judgment on the individual's ritual status.

Verse Breakdown

  • "But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin": This clause introduces the specific condition that necessitates further action. The spreading of the miçpachath (scab) is the critical indicator. It signifies that the initial assessment, which might have led to a temporary declaration of cleanness or a period of observation, is now invalidated by the worsening state of the physical manifestation. The phrase "in the skin" specifies the location of the affliction, emphasizing its visible and external nature, making it subject to priestly examination.
  • "after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing": This part establishes the timeline and context. It refers to an individual who has already undergone an initial priestly inspection, possibly even one that resulted in a temporary declaration of cleanness or a period of quarantine aimed at determining their status for "cleansing" (or purification, H2893 ṭohŏrâh). The implication is that despite a prior assessment and a potential hope for purification, the condition has now deteriorated, overriding any previous, more favorable outlook and requiring a fresh verdict.
  • "he shall be seen of the priest again": This is the imperative command, a divine mandate. The worsening of the condition necessitates an immediate and compulsory re-inspection by the priest. This highlights the dynamic nature of tzara'at and the law's provision for adapting to changing circumstances. The priest's role is not a one-time event but an ongoing responsibility to ensure the purity and health of the community, reflecting the thoroughness and divine wisdom embedded in the Mosaic Law.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 13:7 employs several literary devices to convey its message effectively and reinforce the solemnity of the law. Repetition is prominent, particularly in the phrase "he hath been seen of the priest... he shall be seen of the priest again." This emphasizes the priest's indispensable and recurring role in the diagnostic process, highlighting the meticulousness of the divine law and the necessity for continuous oversight. The spreading "scab" functions as Symbolism, representing not just a physical ailment but a state of impurity that threatens the holiness of the community. Its progression symbolizes the insidious nature of defilement, whether physical or spiritual, which, if unchecked, can spread and corrupt. The verse also demonstrates Legal Precision, characteristic of the Mosaic Law, by specifying the exact condition (spreading of the scab) and the required action (re-inspection by the priest). This precision ensures clarity in application and leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the proper procedure for managing such a serious affliction within the covenant community, underscoring the divine authority behind these statutes.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 13:7, while addressing ancient Israel's public health and ritual purity, carries profound theological implications that transcend its immediate context. It underscores God's meticulous concern for holiness, order, and the well-being of His people, reflecting His own perfect character. The spreading tzara'at serves as a powerful symbol for the insidious nature of sin and impurity, which, if left unaddressed, can proliferate and defile individuals and the entire community. The requirement for re-inspection by the priest emphasizes the need for ongoing discernment, vigilance against spiritual decay, and the authoritative role of spiritual leadership in identifying and addressing matters of defilement. This divine mandate reflects God's desire for a pure people, set apart for His holy presence, and serves as a timeless reminder that spiritual health requires continuous self-assessment and a willingness to confront sin decisively.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The meticulousness of Leviticus 13:7, demanding a re-evaluation when a physical condition worsens, offers a powerful spiritual parallel for our lives today. Just as a spreading skin condition required immediate priestly attention to prevent wider contamination, so too do unaddressed sins, negative habits, or spiritual compromises have the potential to "spread" and corrupt our hearts, minds, and relationships, ultimately impacting the wider body of Christ. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of vigilant self-examination, regularly assessing our spiritual health and promptly seeking divine and wise counsel when we perceive areas of sin or spiritual lethargy beginning to take root or proliferate. It reminds us that spiritual growth is not a one-time event but an ongoing process requiring humility, honesty, and a willingness to confront our imperfections. Ignoring the "spreading scab" of sin leads to deeper entanglement, greater defilement, and increased distance from God. Therefore, we are encouraged to be proactive in repentance and seeking restoration, trusting in God's abounding grace and the wisdom of His appointed spiritual guides within the church.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "spreading scabs" (unaddressed sins, negative habits, or spiritual apathy) might be present in my life that require a fresh "priestly" (Godly) examination?
  • How diligent am I in conducting regular spiritual self-examinations, and what triggers or indicators do I use to prompt such reflection?
  • In what ways can I seek wise, godly counsel from trusted spiritual mentors or church leaders when I perceive spiritual issues worsening, rather than attempting to manage them in isolation?

FAQ

What was the primary role of the priest in relation to tzara'at?

Answer: The priest's primary role was not to cure the physical ailment but to act as a diagnostician and arbiter of ritual purity. According to God's law, the priest determined whether an individual was ritually clean or unclean due to tzara'at. This discernment was crucial for maintaining the holiness of the Israelite camp and regulating access to the tabernacle. The priest's verdict dictated whether an individual could remain within the community or needed to be isolated, as seen in passages like Leviticus 13:45-46.

Why was re-inspection so important for a spreading condition?

Answer: Re-inspection was vital because a spreading condition indicated a worsening, more severe case of tzara'at, which carried significant implications for ritual purity and public health. An initial diagnosis might have been inconclusive or temporary, but if the "scab" continued to spread, it confirmed the serious nature of the affliction, necessitating stricter measures of isolation and a definitive declaration of uncleanness. This meticulousness reflects God's profound concern for protecting the entire community from both physical contagion and ritual defilement, as highlighted throughout Leviticus 13.

Does this verse have any relevance for Christians today?

Answer: While the specific laws regarding tzara'at are part of the Old Covenant and are not literally applied to Christians today, the underlying principles remain profoundly relevant. Leviticus 13:7 teaches us about God's meticulousness, the insidious nature of sin (which can "spread" if unchecked), and the importance of vigilance, discernment, and seeking wise counsel when spiritual issues arise. It serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual self-examination and the need to address sin decisively before it takes deeper root and impacts our lives and communities, echoing New Testament calls to holiness like 1 Peter 1:15-16.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 13:7, with its emphasis on the spreading "scab" and the priest's re-inspection, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. The physical tzara'at of the Old Testament, representing profound impurity and separation from the community and from God's presence, foreshadows the far more devastating reality of sin, which separates humanity from a holy God. Unlike the Levitical priest who could only diagnose and declare, never truly cleanse or cure, Jesus possesses the divine power to truly heal and purify. He demonstrated this authority by touching and cleansing lepers (e.g., Matthew 8:2-3), thereby demonstrating His power over both physical and spiritual defilement. As our High Priest, Jesus not only identifies the "spreading scab" of our sin with perfect knowledge, but also offers complete and permanent cleansing through His atoning sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 9:11-14). He is the ultimate "re-inspector" who, with divine insight, discerns the deepest spiritual maladies and provides the definitive verdict of "clean" to all who come to Him in faith, bringing them into full communion with God and His holy community (1 John 1:7). Through Him, we are not merely declared clean, but made clean, transformed by His grace and Spirit.

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Commentary on Leviticus 13 verses 1–17

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.
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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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