Leviticus Blog

Chapters 13 and 14: The Laws of Leprosy

As fate would have it, I cut my hand last week while moving a bookshelf into my room. Although I cleaned the wound and covered it with a bandage, the bandage fell off during the day and the gash had to take on a yellow color by nightfall. It hasn’t healed yet and I’ve begun to worry; what if this is a leprosy? What would I do? How would I even know?

In the days of the ancient Israelites, access to modern medicine was minimal at best. Although many skin conditions were still mysterious, the one they feared the most was Leprosy – the terrible skin condition that, if left untreated, could result in the loss of fingers and other appendages. This fear was so great that two chapters of Leviticus are dedicated to Leprosy: Chapter 13 is a guide to help you distinguish between leprosy and other skin conditions, including freckles, scabs, baldness, boils and the plague. Chapter 14 explains how to treat and cure a leper of his condition.

Chapter 13: Diagnosing Leprosy

Instructions are given regarding the diagnosis and treatment of most skin conditions, including Leprosy. The first one covered is Scabs:

3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when… 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.

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:

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:

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:

And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.

In the case of my scab, it looks like I’m in luck: after seven days, the plague in my sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin. Although the priest is commanded to lock me up for seven days, it is clear that I do not have a leprosy. Once my clothes are washed, I’ll be good to go. Of course, if the scab had spread, I would have been moved to the Leper’s camp, as it is possible that my scab has developed a leprosy.

Several other skin conditions are described, including balding in this curious passage:

40: And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
41: And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
42: And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
43: Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
44: He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
45: And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

George just found out he does not have a leprosy!

Chapter 14: The Cure For Leprosy

The non-bird ingredients for a basic Leprosy cure

In order to cure a leper of his plague, the priest must visit the leper colony, where he is to be presented with two birds, cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet. The priest will then:

1. Kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel under running water (to collect its blood.)
2. Dip the living bird and the other ingredients in the blood of the sacrificed bird.
3. Sprinkle the mixture upon the leprous skin and let the living bird loose on the open field.

This man is not yet cured of his leprosy.

At this point, you are cleared to return the camp but must continue with the rest of the cure:

1. Shave off all of your hair, wash your clothes, take a bath, and stay out of your tent for seven days.
2. On the seventh day, shave off your hair, beard and eyebrows again, take a bath and wash your clothes. You can now enter your tent.
3. On the eighth day, bring two lambs, one baby ewe, a small amount of fine flour, and oil to the priest for sacrifice. The priest will wipe some of the lamb’s blood on your ear and some oil will be smeared on your forehead. If you cannot afford a lamb, you may bring unto the priest two turtledoves or pigeons.

If it is determined that the leprosy has infected your house, you may have to break it apart and bring it away from the town, depending on whether or not it spread through the walls. If the leprosy does not spread, the priest will cure your house of the leprosy using the same mixture of bird’s blood, hyssop, scarlet and cedar wood.

Throughout all of this, the most important thing is that you leave the diagnosis and treatment of your skin condition to the learned care of your priest. Only he has the authority to make important decisions regarding your health!