Bible Strands

Leviticus 13:30

the priest shall examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a scaly outbreak, an infectious disease of the head or chin.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The text addresses Moses and Aaron, instructing them on priestly protocol for diagnosing skin conditions. This directive occurs within the broader legal code for ritual purity in Leviticus 13.

The words — The phrase מַרְאֵהוּ עָמֹק מִן־ (mar'ehu 'amok min) literally renders "its appearance [is] deep more than." This Hebrew phrasing establishes the priest's visual criterion for determining whether a scalp or chin lesion has penetrated below the epidermal layer.

The thread — This diagnostic standard recurs in Leviticus 13:34, where the priest re-examines the outbreak on the seventh day, and in Leviticus 14:54, which summarizes the law for all such scaly outbreaks.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize that ritual status in this text depends entirely on observable physical markers rather than subjective judgment. It establishes a procedural boundary where visible depth and hair discoloration dictate a definitive declaration of uncleanness.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְרָאָ֨הve./ra.'Ahand/ he will seeהַכֹּהֵ֜ןha./ko.Henthe/ priestאֶת־'et-<obj.>הַנֶּ֗גַעha./Ne.ga'the/ plagueוְהִנֵּ֤הve./hi.Nehand/ there!מַרְאֵ֙הוּ֙mar.'E./huappearance/ itsעָמֹ֣ק'a.Mok[is] deepמִן־min-more thanהָע֔וֹרha./'Orthe/ skinוּב֛וֹu./V/oand/ [is] in <the>/ itשֵׂעָ֥רse.'Arhairצָהֹ֖בtza.Hoyellowדָּ֑קDakthinוְטִמֵּ֨אve./ti.Me'and/ he will declare uncleanאֹת֤וֹ'o.T/o<obj.>/ himהַכֹּהֵן֙ha./ko.Henthe/ priestנֶ֣תֶקNe.tek[is] a scallה֔וּאHu'itצָרַ֧עַתtza.Ra.'at[is] a serious skin disease ofהָרֹ֛אשׁha./Roshthe/ headא֥וֹ'oorהַזָּקָ֖ןha./za.Kanthe/ beardהֽוּא׃Hu'it

King James Version

Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.

Cross-references