^13:3The priest must then examine the infection⁸ on the skin of the body, and if the hair⁹ in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body,¹⁰ then it is a diseased infection,¹¹ so when the priest examines it¹² he must pronounce the person unclean.¹³

A Bright Spot on the Skin

^13:4“If¹⁴ it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,¹⁵ and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days.¹⁶

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Footnotes

8 Heb “and the priest shall see the infection.”
9 There is no “if” expressed, but the contrast between the priestly finding in this verse and the next verse clearly implies it.
10 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. below.
11 For the translation “diseased infection” see the note on v. above. Cf. “a dreaded skin disease”; “an infectious skin disease”; “a contagious skin disease.”
12 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).
13 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 [], ; cf. the corresponding opposite in v. 6 below).
14 Heb “and if.”
15 Heb “and deep is not its appearance from the skin”; cf. “does not seem to have penetrated below the skin.”
16 Heb “and the priest will shut up the infection seven days.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and 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. But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean. If the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The priest will examine the sore on the skin of his body. If the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is in fact a serious skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean. But if the spot on the skin of his body is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest will quarantine the stricken person for seven days.

NLTNew Living Translation

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.

“But if the affected area of the skin is only a white discoloration and does not appear to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair on the spot has not turned white, the priest will quarantine the person for seven days.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the priest shall examine the infection on his body’s skin, and if the hair in the infection turns white and the appearance of the infection is deeper than his body’s skin, it is an infectious skin disease, and the priest shall examine it, and he shall declare him unclean. But if a spot is white on his body’s skin and its appearance is not deeper than the skin and its hair does not turn white, then the priest shall confine the afflicted person for seven days.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:

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