Unclean Skin Diseases (Leviticus 13)

How concerned was God about the health of millions of nomadic Israelites camping in the wilderness? Are we spiritually clean through Christ? Let’s look at Leviticus 13.

In the Bible were the terms clean and unclean also applied to diseases?

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “If anyone has a swelling or a rash or discolored skin that might develop into a serious skin disease, that person must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons. The priest will examine the affected area of the skin. If the hair in the affected area has turned white and the problem appears to be more than skin-deep, it is a serious skin disease, and the priest who examines it must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean.” (Leviticus 13:1-3 NLT)

How long was quarantine to be? What if after quarantine, the rash has not spread?

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. The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. 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. The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. 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. (Leviticus 13:4-6 WEB)

What if after quarantine, the rash has continued to spread?

But if the rash continues to spread over the skin after they appeared before the priest for purification, they must again show themselves to the priest. If the priest sees that the rash has spread over the skin, the priest will declare the person unclean; it is a case of skin disease. (Leviticus 13:7-8 CEB)

How was the priest to examine any such skin disease, broadly termed leprosy?

Any of you with a skin disease must be brought to a priest. If he discovers that the sore spot is white with pus and that the hair around it has also turned white, he will say, “This is leprosy [skin disease]. You are unclean and must stay away from everyone else.” But if the disease has run its course and only the scars remain, he will say, “You are clean.” If the sores come back and turn white again, he will say, “This is leprosy [skin disease]—you are unclean.” However, if the sores heal and only white spots remain, the priest will say, “You are now clean.” (Leviticus 13:9-18 CEV)

What details was the priest to look for to pronounce the person unclean?

If there is in the skin of one's body a boil and it heals, and 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 [skin] disease that has broken out in the boil. (Leviticus 13:18-20 ESV)

What details was the priest to look for to pronounce the person clean?

But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. If it spreads further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. But if the spot remains where it is and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil. The priest is to pronounce him clean. (Leviticus 13:21-23 HCSB)

What about burn scars? Could they become infected?

When a person has a burn scar in the skin that turns bright, white-reddish, or white, if the priest examines it and indeed the hair has turned white with a white spot appearing more extensive than skin deep, it’s an infectious skin disease with a burn scar that has spread. The priest is to declare him unclean. It’s an infectious skin disease. But if the priest examines it and discovers that there’s no bright area or white hair, or if he discovers that it’s not more extensive than skin deep and it’s dull, then the priest is to isolate him for seven days. (Leviticus 13:24-26 ISV)

What were the guidelines if the burn scar was to spread?

And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy [a skin disease]. And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning. (Leviticus 13:27-28 KJV)