Leviticus 14:9

On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God gives this instruction through Moses regarding the purification process for a person recovering from a skin disease. The command applies specifically to the seventh day of the seven-day isolation period following the initial rites.

The words — יְגַלַּח (ye.ga.Lach) means "he will shave," and שְׂעָרוֹ (se.'a.ro) translates to "his hair." These terms specify the complete removal of all facial and bodily hair as a required step.

The thread — This shaving requirement mirrors the Nazirite vow restoration in Numbers 6:9 and the Levitical cleansing rite in Numbers 8:7. Leviticus 14:8 also commands the initial shaving and bathing before this seventh-day completion.

Why it lands — The text mandates total hair removal, clothing washing, and bathing to achieve ceremonial cleanliness. A reader must recognize this complete physical preparation as a strict prerequisite for restored communal and religious standing.

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

וְהָיָה֩ve./ha.Yahand/ it will be בַיּ֨וֹםva/i.Yomon the/ day הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜יha./she.vi.'I<the>/ seventh יְגַלַּ֣חye.ga.Lachhe will shave אֶת־'et-<obj.>כָּל־kol-all שְׂעָר֗וֹse.'a.R/ohair/ his אֶת־'et-<obj.>רֹאשׁ֤וֹro.Sh/ohead/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>זְקָנוֹ֙ze.ka.N/obeard/ his וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>גַּבֹּ֣תga.Bot[the] eyebrows of עֵינָ֔יו'ei.Na/veyes/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>כָּל־kol-all שְׂעָר֖וֹse.'a.R/ohair/ his יְגַלֵּ֑חַye.ga.Le.achhe will shave וְכִבֶּ֣סve./khi.Besand/ he will wash אֶת־'et-<obj.>בְּגָדָ֗יוbe.ga.Da/vgarments/ his וְרָחַ֧ץve./ra.Chatzand/ he will wash אֶת־'et-<obj.>בְּשָׂר֛וֹbe.sa.R/obody/ his בַּמַּ֖יִםba./Ma.yimwith <the>/ water וְטָהֵֽר׃ve./ta.Herand/ he will be pure

King James Version

But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

Cross-references

Numbers 6:9 If someone suddenly dies in his presence and defiles his consecrated head of hair, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day.
Leviticus 14:8 The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.
Numbers 8:7 This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.