### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tsâraʻath**, represented by `{{H6883}}`, is a term for **leprosy**. It appears 35 times across 33 unique verses in the Bible. The term denotes a condition requiring priestly examination and is understood not just as a disease, but as a state of ritual impurity that could affect people, clothing, and even the walls of a house.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H6883}}` is most extensively detailed in Leviticus. It is described as a **plague** `{{H5061}}` that could manifest as a rising, a scab, or a bright spot on the skin [[Leviticus 13:2]]. The priest's role was central; he was to examine the affliction and, if it met certain criteria, pronounce the person unclean `{{H2930}}`, requiring separation from the community [[Leviticus 13:3]]. The concept of `{{H6883}}` also applied to inanimate objects, such as a woolen or linen garment [[Leviticus 13:47]] or a house within the land of possession [[Leviticus 14:34]]. In historical accounts, it sometimes appears as a direct divine consequence, as when it strikes King Uzziah in the house of the LORD [[2 Chronicles 26:19]] or when it cleaves to Gehazi and his descendants forever [[2 Kings 5:27]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of leprosy and ritual purity:
* `{{H6879}}` **tsâraʻ** (to be stricken with leprosy): This is the root verb describing the state of being afflicted. A person found to have the plague was considered a **leper** [[2 Kings 5:27]].
* `{{H5061}}` **negaʻ** (plague, sore, stricken): This noun is frequently used to identify the affliction itself, as in the "plague of **leprosy**" [[Leviticus 13:9]].
* `{{H2930}}` **ṭâmêʼ** (to be foul, unclean): This verb describes the resulting state after a diagnosis of `{{H6883}}`. The priest was commanded to **pronounce him unclean** [[Leviticus 13:8]].
* `{{H2891}}` **ṭâhêr** (to be pure, make clean): As the direct opposite of being unclean, this term is used for the declaration of restoration. After the healing of leprosy, a priest would **pronounce him clean** following specific rituals [[Leviticus 14:7]].
* `{{H3992}}` **mâʼar** (fretting, picking): This word describes the nature of leprosy found in fabrics or houses, defining it as a persistent, spreading, or **fretting** condition [[Leviticus 13:52]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H6883}}` is deeply connected to the biblical laws of holiness and purity.
* **Ritual Impurity:** The diagnosis of `{{H6883}}` resulted in a state of ritual uncleanness. This required adherence to strict regulations, which the Israelites were commanded to observe diligently as taught by the priests [[Deuteronomy 24:8]].
* **Separation and Restoration:** An individual with the plague of **leprosy** was considered unclean and had to be separated from the camp until healed [[Leviticus 14:3]]. The path to restoration involved a detailed process of **cleansing** `{{H2893}}` [[Leviticus 14:32]].
* **Priestly Diagnosis:** The laws surrounding `{{H6883}}` established a clear system for diagnosis and determination of status, with the priest holding the authority to distinguish between clean and unclean. The final law of **leprosy** was meant "to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean" [[Leviticus 14:57]].
* **Manifestation on Objects:** The application of `{{H6883}}` to garments and houses demonstrates that the concept of this defilement extended beyond the human body, potentially corrupting the immediate environment of the covenant community [[Leviticus 14:55]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6883}}` is more than a simple medical term. It represents a state of profound ritual defilement with significant spiritual and communal consequences. It highlights the Old Testament's emphasis on distinguishing between the clean and the unclean, and it outlines the priestly system through which an individual or object could be examined, declared unclean, and ultimately restored to a state of purity.
TRV