Leviticus 13:9-17

The first part of this section is obscure; most modern commentators explain Leviticus 13:9 as referring to another form of leprosy in which the rising described in Leviticus 13:10 appears without any of the premonitory symptoms of Leviticus 13:2; if in addition to the white hair (already mentioned in Leviticus 13:3) there is -quick raw flesh" (Leviticus 13:10) in the rising, this is a sure sign of leprosy, and the man must be declared unclean at once without waiting for any further examination. By -quick raw flesh" (Heb. -the rawness of raw flesh," or lit. -the quickness of quick flesh") is understood an appearance like that of raw meat. The Heb. words for -raw flesh" [bâsâr ḥay are used of raw meat in 1 Samuel 2:15; Prof. Macalister describes it as -red granulation tissue" (HDB.iii. 96 a). The words -old leprosy" must then mean a leprosy of long standing which has not manifested itself in the preliminary stages, but, when first noticed, shews this definite indication of the disease. It is possible that these verses may include the case when the first symptoms described in Leviticus 13:2 have been either unobserved or concealed.

Another explanation of Leviticus 13:9 is that they describe a fresh outbreak in one who has been pronounced clean, or who has been cured of a previous attack. The traditional interpretation of -quick raw flesh" (the quickening of living flesh, A. V. mg.) is -sound flesh." The appearance of this sound flesh in a rising was, in the opinion of the rabbis, evidence that an old leprosy had developed fresh activity.

The words of Leviticus 13:7, -after that he hath shewn himself to the priest for his cleansing," are by some considered as referring to the thirdof the inspections prescribed in Leviticus 13:2. It has been observed that the suspected person at the first and second inspection must either be pronounced unclean, or shut up for further enquiry, and he cannot be pronounced clean till the third examination. Then Leviticus 13:7 would refer to the reappearance of leprous symptoms after a man had been pronounced clean by the priest, and Leviticus 13:9 would supply further rules for such cases.