translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LEV

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “A man, if [or when] he has….” The term for “a man, human being” ( אָדָם , ’ adam ; see the note on Lev 1:2 ) in this case refers to any person among “mankind,” male or female, since either could be afflicted with infections on the skin.


text: Some of the terms for disease or symptoms of disease in this chapter present difficulties for the translator. Most modern English versions render the Hebrew term שְׂאֵת ( sÿ ’ et ) as “swelling,” which has been retained here (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 189). Some have argued that “ deeper ( עָמֹק , ’ amoq ) than the skin of his body” in v. 3 means that “this sore was lower than the surrounding skin” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:773), in which case “swelling” would be an inappropriate translation of שְׂאֵת in v. 2 . Similarly, שְׂאֵת also occurs in v. 19 , and then v. 20 raises the issue of whether or not it appears to be “lower ( שָׁפָל , shafal ) than the skin” (cf. also 14:37 for a mark on the wall of a house), which may mean that the sore sinks below the surface of the skin rather than protruding above it as a swelling would (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 76-77). Thus, one could translate here, for example, “discoloration” (so Milgrom and II שְׂאֵת “spot, blemish on the skin” in HALOT 1301 s.v. II שְׂאֵת ) or “local inflammation, boil, mole” (so Levine). However, one could interpret “lower” as “deeper,” i.e., visibly extending below the surface of the skin into the deeper layers as suggested by J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 188, 192. “Swelling” often extends deeply below the surface of the skin, it is certainly a common symptom of skin diseases, and the alternation of these two terms (i.e., “deeper” and “lower”) in vv. 25-26 below shows that they both refer to the same phenomenon (see also the note on v. 20 below), so it is retained in the present translation.


text: The etymology and meaning of this term is unknown. It could mean “scab” (KJV, ASV, NASB) or possibly “rash” (NIV, NLT), “flaking skin,” or an “eruption” (NRSV) of some sort.


text: Heb “shiny spot” or “white spot,” but to render this term “white spot” in this chapter would create redundancy in v. 4 where the regular term for “white” occurs alongside this word for “bright spot.”


text: Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29 ).


text: Heb “a mark [or stroke; or plague] of disease.” In some places in this context (vv. 2, 3 ) it could be translated “a contagious skin disease.” Although the Hebrew term צָרָעַת ( tsara ’ at ) rendered here “diseased” is translated in many English versions as “leprosy,” it does not refer to Hanson’s disease, which is the modern technical understanding of the term “leprosy” ( HALOT 1057 s.v. צָרְעַת a). There has been much discussion of the proper meaning of the term and the disease(s) to which it may refer (see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:774-76, 816-26; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 187-89; and the literature cited by them). The further description of the actual condition in the text suggests that the regulations are concerned with any kind of infectious diseases that are observable on the surface of the skin and, in addition to that, penetrate below the surface of the skin (vv. 3-4 ) or spread further across the surface of the skin (vv. 5-8 ). It is true that, in the OT, the term “disease” is often associated specifically with white “scaly” skin diseases that resemble the wasting away of the skin after death (see Milgrom who, in fact, translates “scale disease”; cf., e.g., Exod 4:6-7 and Num 12:9-12 , esp. v. 12 ), but here it appears to be a broader term for any skin disease that penetrates deep or spreads far on the body. Scaly skin diseases would be included in this category, but also other types. Thus, a “swelling,” “scab,” or “bright spot” on the skin might be a symptom of disease, but not necessarily so. In this sense, “diseased” is a technical term. The term “infection” can apply to any “mark” on the skin whether it belongs to the category of “disease” or not (compare and contrast v. 3 , where the “infection” is not “diseased,” with v. 4 , where the “infection” is found to be “diseased”).


text: Or “it shall be reported to Aaron the priest.” This alternative rendering may be better in light of the parallel use of the same expression in Lev 14:2 , where the priest had to go outside the camp in order to inspect the person who had been diseased. Since the rendering “he shall be brought to Aaron the priest” might confuse matters there, this expression should be rendered “it shall be reported” both here in 13:2 (cf. also v. 9 ) and in 14:2 . See, however, the further note on 14:2 below, where it is argued that the diseased person would still need to “be brought” to the priest even if this happened outside the camp. Most English versions retain the idea of the afflicted person being “brought” to the priest for inspection.


text: Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”


text: There is no “if” expressed, but the contrast between the priestly finding in this verse and the next verse clearly implies it.


text: Heb “and the appearance of the infection is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , “deeper than”) the skin of the his flesh.” See the note on v. 20 below.


text: For the translation “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above. Cf. TEV “a dreaded skin disease”; NIV “an infectious skin disease”; NLT “a contagious skin disease.”


text: The pronoun “it” here refers to the “infection,” not the person who has the infection (cf. the object of “examine” at the beginning of the verse).


text: Heb “he shall make him unclean.” The verb is the Piel of טָמֵא ( tame ’) “to be unclean.” Here it is a so-called “declarative” Piel (i.e., “to declare unclean”), but it also implies that the person is put into the category of actually being “unclean” by the pronouncement itself (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 175; cf. the corresponding opposite in v. 6 below).


text: Heb “and if.”


text: Heb “and deep is not its appearance from the skin”; cf. NAB “does not seem to have penetrated below the skin.”


text: Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection seven days.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).


text: Heb “the infection has stood in his eyes”; ASV “if in his eyes the plague be at a stay.”


text: Although there is no expressed “and” at the beginning of this clause, there is in the corresponding clause of v. 6 , so it should be assumed here as well.


text: Heb “a second seven days.”


text: That is, at the end of the second set of seven days referred to at the end of v. 5 , a total of fourteen days after the first appearance before the priest.


text: Heb “and behold.”


text: Heb “he shall make him clean.” The verb is the Piel of טָהֵר ( taher , “to be clean”). Here it is a so-called “declarative” Piel (i.e., “to declare clean”), but it also implies that the person is put into the category of being “clean” by the pronouncement itself (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 176; cf. the corresponding opposite in v. 3 above).


text: On the term “scab” see the note on v. 2 above. Cf. NAB “it was merely eczema”; NRSV “only an eruption”; NLT “only a temporary rash.”


text: Heb “and he shall wash his clothes.”


text: Heb “And if spreading [infinitive absolute] it spreads [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113. p .


text: The “it” is not expressed but is to be understood. It refers to the “infection” (cf. the note on v. 2 above).


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא ( tame ’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).


text: Heb “When there is an infection of disease in a man.” The term for “a man; a human being” ( אָדָם , ’ adam ; see the note on Lev 1:2 and cf. v. 2 above) refers to any person among “mankind,” male or female. For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.


text: Heb “and the priest shall see.” The pronoun “it” is unexpressed, but it should be assumed and it refers to the infection (cf. the note on v. 8 above).


text: Heb “and rawness [i.e., something living] of living flesh is in the swelling”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “quick raw flesh.”


text: The term rendered here “chronic” is a Niphal participle meaning “grown old” ( HALOT 448 s.v. II ישׁן nif.2). The idea is that this is an old enduring skin disease that keeps on developing or recurring.


text: Heb “in the skin of his flesh” as opposed to the head or the beard (v. 29 ; cf. v. 2 above).


text: Heb “he”; the referent (the priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “And if spreading [infinitive absolute] it spreads out [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113. p .


text: Heb “all the skin of the infection,” but see v. 4 above.


text: Heb “to all the appearance of the eyes of the priest.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).


text: Heb “he shall pronounce the infection clean,” but see v. 4 above. Also, this is another use of the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר ( taher ; cf. the note on v. 6 above).


text: Heb “all of him has turned white, and he is clean.”


text: Heb “and in the day of there appears in it living flesh.” Some English versions render this as “open sores” (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT).


text: Heb “and the priest shall see the living flesh.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא ( tame ’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).


text: Heb “Or if/when.”


text: Heb “the living flesh returns and is turned/changed to white.” The Hebrew verb “returns” is שׁוּב ( shuv ), which often functions adverbially when combined with a second verb as it is here (cf. “and is turned”) and, in such cases, is usually rendered “again” (see, e.g., GKC 386-87 §120. g ). Another suggestion is that here שׁוּב means “to recede” (cf., e.g., 2 Kgs 20:9 ), so one could translate “the raw flesh recedes and turns white.” This would mean that the new “white” skin “has grown over” the raw flesh (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 79).


text: Heb “and the priest shall see it.”


text: Heb “the priest shall pronounce the infection clean,” but see v. 4 above. Also, this is another use of the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר ( taher , cf. the note on v. 6 above).


label: NET textual note

text: Heb (MT) reads, “And flesh if/when there is in it, in its skin, a boil.” Smr has only “in it,” not “in its skin,” and a few medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate have only “in its skin” (cf. v. 24 below), not “in it.” It does not effect the meaning of the verse, but one is tempted to suggest that “in it” ( בוֹ , vo ) was added in error as a partial dittography from the beginning of “in its skin” ( בְעֹרוֹ , vÿ ’ oro ).


text: Some English versions translate “it shall be shown to [or “be seen by”] the priest,” taking the infection to be the subject of the verb (e.g., KJV, NASB, RSV, NRSV). Based on the Hebrew grammar there is no way to be sure which is intended.


text: Heb “and the priest shall see.” The pronoun “it” is unexpressed, but it should be assumed and it refers to the infection (cf. the note on v. 8 above).


text: Heb “and behold.”


text: Heb “and behold its appearance is low ( שָׁפָל , shafal ) ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , “lower than”) the skin.” Compare “deeper” in v. 3 above where, however, a different word is used ( עָמֹק , ’ amoq ), and see the note on “swelling” in v. 1 above (cf. J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 192; note that, contrary to the MT, Tg. Onq. has עָמֹק in this verse as well as v. 4 ). The alternation of these two terms (i.e., “deeper” and “lower”) in vv. 25-26 below shows that they both refer to the same phenomenon. Some have argued that “this sore was lower than the surrounding skin” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:773, 788), in which case “swelling” would be an inappropriate translation of שְׂאֵת ( sÿ ’ et ) in v. 19 . It seems unlikely, however, that the surface of a “boil” would sink below the surface of the surrounding skin. The infectious pus etc. that makes up a boil normally causes swelling.


text: The declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא ( tame ’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).


text: Heb “It is an infection of disease. In the boil it has broken out.” For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.


text: Heb “and if.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).


text: Heb “and the priest will shut him up seven days.”


text: Heb “is indeed spreading.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא ( tame ’, cf. the note on v. 3 above).


text: Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר ( taher , cf. the note on v. 6 above).


text: Heb “Or a body, if there is in its skin a burn of fire.”


text: Heb “and the priest shall see it.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).


text: Heb “and its appearance is deep ‘from’ [comparative מִן ( min ) meaning ‘deeper than’] the skin.”


text: Heb “it is a disease. In the burn it has broken out.”


text: For the rendering “diseased infection” see the note on v. 2 above.


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “and indeed.”


text: Heb “and low it is not ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , “lower than”) the skin.” See the note on v. 20 above. Cf. TEV “not deeper than the surrounding skin.”


text: Heb “and if under it the bright spot stands, it has not spread in the skin.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר ( taher ; cf. the note on v. 6 above).


text: Heb “And a man or a woman if there is in him an infection in head or in beard.” sn The shift here is from diseases that are on the (relatively) bare skin of the body to the scalp area of the male or female head or the bearded area of the male face.


text: Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”


text: Heb “and behold.”


text: Heb “its appearance is deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , “deeper than”) the skin.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָמֵא ( tame ’; cf. the note on v. 3 above).


text: The exact identification of this disease is unknown. Cf. KJV “dry scall”; NASB “a scale”; NIV, NCV, NRSV “an itch”; NLT “a contagious skin disease.” For a discussion of “scall” disease in the hair, which is a crusty scabby disease of the skin under the hair that also affects the hair itself, see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (WBC), 192-93, and J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:793-94. The Hebrew word rendered “scall” ( נֶתֶק , neteq ) is related to a verb meaning “to tear; to tear out; to tear apart.” It may derive from the scratching and/or the tearing out of the hair or the scales of the skin in response to the itching sensation caused by the disease.


text: Heb “It is scall. It is the disease of the head or the beard.”


text: Heb “and behold there is not its appearance deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”


text: Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection of the scall seven days.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).


text: Heb “and the appearance of the scall is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”


text: The shaving is done by the one who has the infection. Although KJV, ASV have the passive “he shall be shaven” here, most modern English versions have the reflexive “shall shave himself” (so NAB).


text: Heb “but the scall shall he not shave” (so KJV, ASV); NIV “except for the diseased area.”


text: Heb “and the priest will shut up the scall a second seven days.”


text: Heb “and its appearance is not deep ‘from’ (comparative מִן , min , meaning “deeper than”) the skin.”


text: This is the declarative Piel of the verb טָהֵר ( taher , cf. the note on v. 6 above).


text: Heb “And if spreading (infinitive absolute) it spreads further (finite verb).” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113. p .


text: Heb “the priest shall not search to the reddish yellow hair.”


text: Heb “he”; the referent (the affected person) is specified in the translation for clarity (likewise in the following verse).


text: Heb “and if in his eyes the infection has stood.”


text: Heb “and the priest shall see.”


text: Heb “he,” but the regulation applies to a man or a woman (v. 38 a). In the translation “the person” is used to specify the referent more clearly.


text: Heb “And a man, when his head is rubbed bare, he is bald-headed.” The translation offered here, referring to the back of the head (i.e., the area from the top of the head sloping backwards), is based on the contrast between this condition and that of the following verse. See also B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 82.


text: Heb “And if from the front edge of his face, his head is rubbed bare.” See the note on v. 40 above.


text: The rendering “balding in front” corresponds to the location of the bareness at the beginning of the verse.


text: Heb “and the priest shall see it” (cf. KJV). The MT has “him/it” which some take to refer to the person as a whole (i.e., “him”; see, e.g., J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:770; NIV, NRSV, etc.), while others take it as a reference to the “infection” ( נֶגַע , nega ’) in v. 42 (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 172, 177). Smr has “her/it,” which would probably refer to “disease” ( צָרַעַת , tsara ’ at ) in v. 42 . The general pattern in the chapter suggests that “it,” either the infection or the disease, is the object of the examination (see, e.g., v. 3 above and v. 50 below).


text: Heb “and behold.”


text: Heb “like appearance of disease of skin of flesh.”


text: Or perhaps translate, “His infection [is] on his head,” as a separate independent sentence (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). There is no causal expression in the Hebrew text connecting these two clauses, but the logical relationship between them seems to be causal.


text: Heb “And the diseased one who in him is the infection.”


text: Heb “and his head shall be unbound, and he shall cover on [his] mustache.” Tearing one’s clothing, allowing the hair to hang loose rather than bound up in a turban, and covering the mustache on the upper lip are all ways of expressing shame, grief, or distress (cf., e.g., Lev 10:6 and Micah 3:7 ).


text: Heb “All the days which the infection is in him.”


text: Heb “And the garment, if there is in it a mark of disease.”


text: Heb “in a wool garment or in a linen garment.”


text: Heb “in any handiwork of skin” (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV); most other modern English versions have “leather.”


text: Heb “and the infection is.” This clause is conditional in force, and is translated as such by almost all English versions.


text: Heb “And the priest shall see the infection and he shall shut up the infection seven days.”


text: Heb “to all which the leather was made into a handiwork.”


text: Heb “And if the priest sees and behold”; NASB “and indeed.”


text: Heb “a second seven days.”


text: Heb “and behold” (so KJV, ASV).


text: Heb “the infection has not changed its eye.” Smr has “its/his eyes,” as in vv. 5 and 37 , but here it refers to the appearance of the article of cloth or leather, unlike vv. 5 and 37 where there is a preposition attached and it refers to the eyes of the priest.


text: The terms “back side” and “front side” are the same as those used in v. 42 for the “back or front bald area” of a man’s head. The exact meaning of these terms when applied to articles of cloth or leather is uncertain. It could refer, for example, to the inside versus the outside of a garment, or the back versus the front side of an article of cloth or leather. See J. Milgrom, Leviticus (AB), 1:814, for various possibilities.


text: Heb “And if the priest saw and behold….”


text: Heb “and he shall tear it from.”


text: Heb “And if”; NIV, NCV “But if”; NAB “If, however.”


text: Heb “and the infection turns aside from them.”


text: These are declarative Piel forms of the verbs טָהֵר ( taher ) and טָמֵא ( tame ’) respectively (cf. the notes on vv. 3 and 6 above).