English Standard Version
Leviticus 13:20
20And the priest shall look, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil.
Leviticus 13:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
- New International Version (NIV)The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease that has broken out where the boil was.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and if, when the priest sees it, it indeed appears deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a leprous sore which has broken out of the boil.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If the priest examines it and finds it to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair in the affected area has turned white, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. The boil has become a serious skin disease.
Context of Leviticus 13:20
18"If there is in the skin of one's body a boil and it heals, 19and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a reddish-white spot, then it shall be shown to the priest. And the priest shall look, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil. 21But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall shut him up seven days. 22And if it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a disease.
Read all of Leviticus 13Leviticus 13:20 word by word
וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה מַרְאֶ֙הָ֙ שָׁפָ֣ל מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖הּ הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְטִמְּא֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֥עַת הִ֖וא בַּשְּׁחִ֥ין פָּרָֽחָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if, when the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- seethרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- in sightמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
- lowerשָׁפָלshâphâl · lowH8217
- than the skinעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
- and the hairשֵׂעָרώê‛âr ώa‛ar · hairH8181
- thereof be turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- whiteלָבָןlâbân lâbên · whiteH3836
- shall pronounce him uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
- a plagueנֶ֫גַעnega‛ · plagueH5061
- of leprosyצָרַ֫עַתtsâra‛ath · leprosyH6883
- brokenפָּרַחpârach · to break outH6524
- out of the boilשְׁחִיןshechîyn · boilH7822
Cross-references for Leviticus 13:20
- Leviticus 13:3and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.
- Matthew 12:45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
- John 5:14Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."
- 2 Peter 2:20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
Commentaries on Leviticus 13:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Lower than the skin - Rather, reaching below the scarf skin.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-44Verses 18-44 The priest is told what judgment to make, if there were any appearance of a leprosy in old sores; and such is the danger of those who having escaped the pollutions of the world are again entangled therein. Or, in a burn by accident, ver. #(24). The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising and breaking out of that corruption, which proves that men are unclean. Human life lies exposed to many grievances. With what troops of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-46a skin disease: The Hebrew word tsaraʿat refers to more than Hansen’s disease (leprosy), which is rare and severely disfiguring. In Leviticus, the word describes many different conditions. These include: an open sore (13:10), a boil (13:18), a burn (13:24), a sore on the head or chin (13:29), shiny white patches (13:38), or unusual baldness (13:40). A key test was whether the condition spread to other parts of the body (13:5–8). If it did, they…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-379-37. if the rising be white--This BRIGHT WHITE leprosy is the most malignant and inveterate of all the varieties the disease exhibits, and it was marked by the following distinctive signs: A glossy white and spreading scale, upon an elevated base, the elevation depressed in the middle, but without a change of color; the black hair on the patches participating in the whiteness, and the scaly patches themselves perpetually enlarging their boundary. Several…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 13:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries