ScriptureDepth's study of Leviticus 13
“The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
Leviticus 13:45
Yahweh commands the leper to wear torn clothes and cry 'Unclean! Unclean!', which mandates his isolation outside the camp in verse 46.
What Leviticus 13 is about
Yahweh speaks to Moses and Aaron about the plague of leprosy. A man with a rising, a scab or a bright spot is brought to the priest. White hair and a spot deeper than the skin mean leprosy, and the priest pronounces him unclean (vv. 1-3). A doubtful spot means isolation for seven days, then a second look (vv. 4-8). Raw flesh is chronic leprosy and unclean, yet a man covered from head to foot is pronounced clean (vv. 12-13). A healed boil or burn is examined the same way (vv. 16-28). An itch on the head or beard has its own test, and a bald head is clean unless a reddish-white plague breaks out on it (vv. 29-44). Dull white bright spots are a harmless rash (v. 39). The leper wears torn clothes, covers his upper lip, cries 'Unclean! Unclean!' and dwells alone outside the camp (vv. 45-46). The same law then reaches a woolen or linen garment with a greenish or reddish plague: isolated seven days, washed, burned if the mildew spreads, clean if it departs (vv. 47-59).
Every case comes down to one of two words, clean or unclean; what the priest sees is spelled out, why the plague defiles never is.
Leviticus 13 at a glance
- Leviticus 13:1–3Initial Examination of Skin Plagues
- Leviticus 13:4–8Isolation for Observation
- Leviticus 13:9–15Chronic Leprosy Determination
- Leviticus 13:16–28Evaluation of Healed Boils and Burns
- Leviticus 13:29–37Itch and Baldness Regulations
- Leviticus 13:38–41Bright Spots and Baldness Overview
- Leviticus 13:42–59Leprosy in Clothing and Mildew
Key verse: Leviticus 13:45
One thing to notice
The priest in this chapter never treats anyone. From v. 3 to v. 59 his verbs are examine, isolate and pronounce; the one case that ends in 'clean' without any waiting is the man whose leprosy 'has covered all his flesh' (v. 13), and the one thing he burns is a garment (v. 52).
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Leviticus 13 (WEB)
Initial Examination of Skin Plagues Leviticus 13:1–3
1Verse 1. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2Verse 2. “When a man shall have a rising in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons, the priests: 3Verse 3. and the priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body: and if the hair in the plague has turned white, and the appearance of the plague is deeper than the body’s skin, it is the plague of leprosy; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.
Isolation for Observation Leviticus 13:4–8
4Verse 4. If the bright spot is white in the skin of his body, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and its hair hasn’t turned white, then the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days. 5Verse 5. The priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and, behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested, and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days. 6Verse 6. The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and behold, if the plague has faded, and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7Verse 7. 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. 8Verse 8. The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.
Chronic Leprosy Determination Leviticus 13:9–15
9Verse 9. “When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest; 10Verse 10. and the priest shall examine him. Behold, if there is a white rising in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the rising, 11Verse 11. it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not isolate him, for he is already unclean. 12Verse 12. “If the leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the infected person from his head even to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest;
13Verse 13. then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean. 14Verse 14. But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean. 15Verse 15. The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy.
Evaluation of Healed Boils and Burns Leviticus 13:16–28
16Verse 16. Or if the raw flesh turns again, and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest; 17Verse 17. and the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean. 18Verse 18. “When the body has a boil on its skin, and it has healed, 19Verse 19. and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest; 20Verse 20. and the priest shall examine it; and behold, if its appearance is lower than the skin, and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil.
21Verse 21. But if the priest examines it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him seven days. 22Verse 22. If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague. 23Verse 23. But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 24Verse 24. “Or when the body has a burn from fire on its skin, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white,
25Verse 25. then the priest shall examine it; and behold, if the hair in the bright spot has turned white, and its appearance is deeper than the skin; it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. 26Verse 26. But if the priest examines it, and behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it isn’t lower than the skin, but is faded; then the priest shall isolate him seven days. 27Verse 27. The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy.
28Verse 28. If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar from the burn.
Itch and Baldness Regulations Leviticus 13:29–37
29Verse 29. “When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard, 30Verse 30. then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is an itch, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31Verse 31. If the priest examines the plague of itching, and behold, its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person infected with itching seven days. 32Verse 32. On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn’t deeper than the skin,
33Verse 33. then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch; and the priest shall shut him up who has the itch seven more days. 34Verse 34. On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 35Verse 35. But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing, 36Verse 36. then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean.
37Verse 37. But if in his eyes the itch is arrested, and black hair has grown in it; the itch is healed, he is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.
Bright Spots and Baldness Overview Leviticus 13:38–41
38Verse 38. “When a man or a woman has bright spots in the skin of the body, even white bright spots; 39Verse 39. then the priest shall examine them; and behold, if the bright spots on the skin of their body are a dull white, it is a harmless rash, it has broken out in the skin; he is clean. 40Verse 40. “If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean. 41Verse 41. If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean.
Leprosy in Clothing and Mildew Leviticus 13:42–59
42Verse 42. But if there is in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead. 43Verse 43. Then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh, 44Verse 44. he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head. 45Verse 45. “The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
46Verse 46. All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. Outside of the camp shall be his dwelling. 47Verse 47. “The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment; 48Verse 48. whether it is in warp, or woof; of linen, or of wool; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin; 49Verse 49. if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest.
50Verse 50. The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days. 51Verse 51. He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean. 52Verse 52. He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of skin, in which the plague is: for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire. 53Verse 53. “If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;
54Verse 54. then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which the plague is, and he shall isolate it seven more days. 55Verse 55. Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and the plague hasn’t spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside. 56Verse 56. If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
57Verse 57. and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn with fire that in which the plague is. 58Verse 58. The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.” 59Verse 59. This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
World English Bible (public domain)
Go deeper
Ask the AI about Leviticus 13
Bring your question about the chapter, the key verse, or how this passage fits the rest of Scripture. Ask unlimited questions and keep study notes on every chapter. 7 days free, no card.
Main themes in Leviticus 13
Purity and Holiness
In Leviticus 13, purity and holiness are central to the guidelines concerning leprosy and skin conditions. For example, in vv. 3-4, the priest examines the skin, determining whether the condition is clean or unclean based on its characteristics. Being unclean requires isolation, as seen in vv. 45-46, where the leper must wear torn clothes and cry 'Unclean!' The laws illustrate the necessity for holiness among the community.
Community and Isolation
The chapter isolates people and things, and names no reason for it. A doubtful spot means seven days apart and a second look (vv. 4-6); the leper 'shall dwell alone', outside the camp, 'all the days in which the plague is in him' (v. 46); a suspect garment is shut up seven days too (v. 50). Nothing here says the disease passes to others: the one man covered from head to foot is pronounced clean (vv. 12-13).
Role of Priesthood
The priest's role is crucial in determining the status of skin conditions in Leviticus 13. In vv. 2-3, the priest examines individuals showing symptoms of leprosy and decides if they are clean or unclean. The priest's authority continues throughout the chapter, as in vv. 50-51, where the priest examines garments for signs of mildew. The priest's discernment upholds the community's purity and adherence to the law.
Health and Spirituality
The chapter never joins the two. The priest reads the body only, hair color, depth, spreading, raw flesh (vv. 3, 10, 22); he pronounces 'clean' or 'unclean' and never speaks of sin, guilt or the state of a person's heart. A man with leprosy over all his flesh is clean (v. 13), a man with one spreading scab is unclean (v. 8). The chapter gives no reason why these conditions defile, and readers have differed over hygiene, ritual boundary and symbol.
Chapter outline
How Leviticus 13 unfolds
Leviticus 13:1–3 Initial Examination of Skin Plagues
Yahweh speaks to Moses and Aaron: a rising, a scab or a bright spot sends a man to Aaron or one of his sons, and the priest looks for two signs, hair 'turned white' and a plague 'deeper than the body's skin' (vv. 2-3).
Leviticus 13:4–8 Isolation for Observation
If the initial examination is inconclusive, the priest isolates the person for seven days to monitor any changes (vv. 4-8). This period allows for a clear judgment on the condition's status.
Leviticus 13:9–15 Chronic Leprosy Determination
Raw flesh in a white rising is chronic leprosy, unclean at once with no isolation (vv. 10-11); yet a man the leprosy covers 'from his head even to his feet' is pronounced clean (vv. 12-13), unclean again only if raw flesh appears (v. 14).
Leviticus 13:16–28 Evaluation of Healed Boils and Burns
The priest examines healed boils or burns (vv. 16-28). If discoloration or spreading occurs, the person is pronounced unclean; if not, they are declared clean.
Leviticus 13:29–37 Itch and Baldness Regulations
The priest evaluates areas of itching or baldness for leprosy (vv. 29-37). Signs of discoloration and hair type determine whether the person is clean or unclean.
Leviticus 13:38–41 Bright Spots and Baldness Overview
Bright spots on the skin are classified as harmless or as leprosy (vv. 38-41). The priest examines these conditions to confirm cleanliness based on their appearance.
Leviticus 13:42–59 Leprosy in Clothing and Mildew
A reddish-white plague on a bald head is leprosy (vv. 42-44); the leper cries 'Unclean! Unclean!' and dwells alone outside the camp (vv. 45-46); the same law then reaches a woolen or linen garment, isolated seven days, washed, then burned or pronounced clean (vv. 47-59).
Key verses
Leviticus 13:45Yahweh commands the leper to wear torn clothes and cry 'Unclean! Unclean!', which mandates his isolation outside the camp in verse 46.
Get a short devotional by email, one passage and one question a day.
One short email each morning, with the free study guide. Unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. We use your address only to send this email.
Study questions
Questions for studying Leviticus 13
- observeWhat does the priest look for in v3 before he pronounces someone 'unclean'?
- observeIn v45, what does a leper have to wear according to the law?
- interpretThe phrase 'in the garment' in v49: what does this suggest about communal contamination?
- interpretIn vv. 12-13, why can a person with leprosy covering all their flesh be pronounced clean?
- applyWhen have you felt the need to isolate yourself, similar to the leper's 'unclean' status in v46?
For Bible groups
Study Leviticus 13 with your group
A free one-page handout with the overview, key verse, outline and discussion questions, ready to print for everyone at the table.
Cross-references
Passages that echo Leviticus 13
- Leviticus 14Leviticus 13:2 and Leviticus 14:56Both describe skin conditions: Leviticus 13:2 details symptoms, while Leviticus 14:56 lists them.
- Luke 17Leviticus 13:45 and Luke 17:12Both involve lepers: Leviticus 13:45 describes the leper's actions, while Luke 17:12 notes their distance.
- Numbers 12Leviticus 13:45 and Numbers 12:14Both require isolation: Leviticus 13:45 dictates torn clothes, while Numbers 12:14 instructs confinement outside the camp.
- 2 Kings 5Leviticus 13:2 and 2 Kings 5:1Both mention leprosy: Leviticus 13:2 describes symptoms, while 2 Kings 5:1 refers to Naaman as a leper.
- Ezekiel 24Leviticus 13:45 and Ezekiel 24:17Both name the covered lip: Leviticus 13:45 has the leper 'cover his upper lip', the sign of mourning that Ezekiel 24:17 forbids the prophet when it says do not cover your lips.
- Leviticus 11Leviticus 13:6 and Leviticus 11:25Both involve cleanliness: Leviticus 13:6 calls for washing clothes, while Leviticus 11:25 states unclean status.
Related chapters
Chapters that connect with Leviticus 13
Elsewhere on ScriptureDepth
Where to go from here
- Leviticus: the whole bookLeviticus picks up exactly where Exodus ends: God's glory now fills the tabernacle, and the urgent question is…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 45Day 45 of 365: Leviticus 12–15.
- ForgivenessWhat the Bible says about forgiveness, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
Leviticus 13: frequently asked questions
What is Leviticus 13 about?+
What is the key verse in Leviticus 13?+
What are the main themes of Leviticus 13?+
Studying Leviticus with a print Bible beside you? See our study Bible guides.