Leviticus 14
Tree of Life Version
Parashat Metzora
Purification of One with Tza’arat
14 Then Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “This is the Torah of the one with tza’arat in the day of his cleansing. He should be brought to the kohen, [a] 3 and the kohen is to go to the outside of the camp. The kohen is to examine him, and behold, if the mark of tza’arat is healed in one with tza’arat, 4 then the kohen is to command that two clean living birds, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop be brought for the one being cleansed. 5 The kohen should command them to kill one of the birds in a clay pot over living water. 6 As for the living bird, he is to take it, the cedar wood, the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them with the living bird into the blood of the bird that was killed over the living water. 7 He is to sprinkle on the one being cleansed from the tza’arat seven times and pronounce him clean, then release the living bird over the open field.
8 “The one to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water. Then he should be clean. After that he may come into the camp, but is to dwell outside his tent for seven days. 9 Then on the seventh day, he is to shave all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows—he must shave off all his hair. He is to wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water. Then he will be clean.
10 “On the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without blemish, a one-year-old ewe lamb without blemish, three tenths of a pint of fine flour as a grain offering, mingled with oil, and a pint of oil. 11 The kohen who cleanses him is to set the man who to be cleansed along with those items before Adonai, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 12 The kohen should then take one of the male lambs, and offer it for a trespass offering, with the pint of oil, and wave them as a wave offering before Adonai.
13 “Then he is to slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the Sanctuary area. For the sin offering like the trespass offering belongs to the kohen. It is most holy. 14 Then the kohen is to take some of the blood of the trespass offering and dab it on the tip of the right ear of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The kohen should then take some of the pint of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. 16 He is to dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Adonai. 17 Then the kohen should dab some of the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the trespass offering. 18 From what remains of the oil that is in his hand, the kohen is to dab on the head of the one being cleansed. In this way the kohen will make atonement for him before Adonai.
19 “The kohen should offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one being cleansed because of his uncleanness. Afterward he is to slaughter the burnt offering. 20 Then the kohen is to present the burnt offering along with the grain offering on the altar. So the kohen should make atonement for him, and he will be clean.
21 “If he is poor and cannot afford so much, then he should take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, plus one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering, a pint of oil, 22 two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford. The one should be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
23 “On the eighth day he is to bring them to the kohen for his cleansing, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before Adonai. 24 The kohen is to take the lamb of the trespass offering and the pint of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before Adonai. 25 He is to slaughter the lamb of the trespass offering. The kohen is to take some of the blood of the trespass offering and dab it on the tip of the right ear of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The kohen should then pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand. 27 He is to sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Adonai. 28 Then the kohen is to dab some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the one being cleansed, also on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 29 The rest of the oil that is in his hand the kohen is to dab on the head of the one being cleansed, to make atonement for him before Adonai. 30 He is to offer one of the turtledoves or the young pigeons, from what his hand can afford, 31 the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the grain offering. The kohen should make atonement for him being cleansed before Adonai.”
32 This is the Torah for one on who is the mark of tza’arat, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.
Purification of a House
33 Adonai spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: 34 “Suppose you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a mark of tza’arat in a house in the land you possess. 35 Then the one who owns the house should come and tell the kohen, saying: ‘Something like a mark has appeared in my house.’ 36 The kohen is to order the house emptied before he goes in to examine the mark, so that nothing in the house might be made unclean. Then afterward the kohen is to enter to inspect the house. 37 He is to examine the mark, and behold, if the mark is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and appears deeper than the wall, 38 then the kohen is to go out of the house to the door and close up the house for seven days. 39 Then the kohen is to come again on the seventh day, and behold, if the mark has spread in the walls of the house, 40 then the kohen is to command that they take out the stones which are marked and throw them into an unclean place outside of the city. 41 He should also have the inside of the house scraped all throughout, and they are to dump the mortar that they scraped off outside of the city into an unclean place. 42 They may then take other stones and put them in the place of those stones. Likewise he can take other mortar, and plaster the house.
43 “But suppose the contamination returns, breaking out in the house, after he has pulled out the stones and after he has scraped the house, and it has been re-plastered. 44 Then the kohen is to go examine, and behold, if the plague has spread within the house, it is a destructive mildew inside. It is unclean. 45 He is to break down the house, its stones, its timber, along with all the house’s mortar, and carry them out of the city into an unclean place.
46 “Moreover, whoever goes into the house while it is shut up will be unclean until the evening. 47 The one who lies down in the house must wash his clothes, and he who eats in the house must wash his clothes too.
48 “But if the kohen comes in, inspects it, and behold, the plague has not spread within the house after it was re-plastered, then he should pronounce the house clean, because the contamination is healed. 49 In order to cleanse the house he is to take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop. 50 He is to kill one of the birds in a clay pot over living water. 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet and the living bird, and dip them into the blood of the slain bird as well as the living water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 He should cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, with the living water, with the living bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet. 53 But he is to let the living bird go out of the city into the open field. So he is to make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.”
54 This is the Torah for any mark of tza’arat—even for a scab, 55 or the tza’arat in a garment or for a house 56 or for a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot— 57 to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean.
This is the Torah of tza’arat.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 14:3 cf. Matt. 8:4.
Leviticus 14
English Standard Version
Laws for Cleansing Lepers
14 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. (A)He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go (B)out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, 4 the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live[a] clean birds and (C)cedarwood and (D)scarlet yarn and (E)hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh[b] water. 6 He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 And he shall (F)sprinkle it (G)seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall (H)let the living bird go (I)into the open field. 8 And he who is to be cleansed (J)shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean. And after that he may come into the camp, but (K)live outside his tent seven days. 9 And (L)on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair, and then he (M)shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.
10 “And on the eighth day he (N)shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and a (O)grain offering of three tenths of an ephah[c] of fine flour mixed with oil, and one log[d] of oil. 11 And the priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed and these things before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 12 And the priest shall take one of the male lambs and (P)offer it for a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and (Q)wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. 13 And he shall kill the lamb (R)in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary. For (S)the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; (T)it is most holy. 14 The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it (U)on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 Then the priest shall take some of the log of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand 16 and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle some oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 17 And some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. 18 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. (V)Then the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord. 19 The priest shall offer the sin offering, to make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering. 20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the (W)grain offering on the altar. (X)Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
21 “But (Y)if he is poor and cannot afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a guilt offering (Z)to be waved, to make atonement for him, and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a log of oil; 22 (AA)also two turtledoves or two pigeons, whichever he can afford. The one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 23 (AB)And on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. 24 (AC)And the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. 25 And he shall kill the lamb of the guilt offering. (AD)And the priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand, 27 and shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord. 28 And the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, in the place where the blood of the guilt offering was put. 29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord. 30 And he shall offer, of the (AE)turtledoves or pigeons, whichever he can afford, 31 one[e] for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, along with a grain offering. (AF)And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for him who is being cleansed. 32 This is the law for him in whom is a case of leprous disease, who cannot afford (AG)the offerings for his cleansing.”
Laws for Cleansing Houses
33 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you (AH)for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of (AI)disease in my house.’ 36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean. And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37 And he shall examine the disease. And if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, 38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the disease has spread in the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease and throw them into an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the inside of the house scraped all around, and the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other plaster and plaster the house.
43 “If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, 44 then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a (AJ)persistent leprous disease in the house; it is unclean. 45 And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them out of the city to an unclean place. 46 Moreover, whoever enters the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening, 47 and whoever sleeps in the house (AK)shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes.
48 “But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed. 49 And for the (AL)cleansing of the house he shall take (AM)two small birds, with cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop, 50 and shall kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water 51 and shall take the cedarwood and the hyssop and the scarlet yarn, along with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the bird that was killed and in the fresh water and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 Thus he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the fresh water and with the live bird and with the cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn. 53 And he shall let the live bird go out of the city (AN)into the open country. So he shall (AO)make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.”
54 This is the law for any case of leprous disease: for (AP)an itch, 55 for (AQ)leprous disease in a garment or in (AR)a house, 56 and (AS)for a swelling or an eruption or a spot, 57 to (AT)show when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law for leprous disease.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 14:4 Or wild
- Leviticus 14:5 Or running; Hebrew living; also verses 6, 50, 51, 52
- Leviticus 14:10 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
- Leviticus 14:10 A log was about 1/3 quart or 0.3 liter
- Leviticus 14:31 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew afford, 31 such as he can afford, one
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
