What follows may well be the oldest medical text-book yet discovered!
13:1 VA YEDABER YHVH EL MOSHEH VE EL AHARON LEMOR
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר
KJ (King James translation): And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
BN (BibleNet translation): Then YHVH spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying:
13:2 ADAM KI YIHEYEH VE OR BESARO SE'ET O SAPHACHAT O VAHERET VE HAYAH VE OR BESARO LE NEGA TSARA'AT VE HUVA EL AHARON HA KOHEN O EL ECHAD MI BANAV HA KOHANIM
אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַהֶרֶת וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת וְהוּבָא אֶל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אוֹ אֶל אַחַד מִבָּנָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים
KJ: When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
BN: When a person shall have, on the skin of his flesh, a lump, or a scab, or a "bright spot", and it develops on the skin of his flesh into the affliction of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim.
The Kohen functions as medicine man, if not actually as doctor. All illness is deemed to be the consequence of sin anyway, so no need for medical practitioners (the two tablets, taken twice daily after meals, are stone commandments, not aspirin!).
Note the use of ADAM rather than ISH for "Man". The inference is "Humankind", of any gender, and this applies throughout the laws that follow, though I shall follow the custom of using the masculine while infering the feminine as well.
Note that both OR and BASAR are used here, the one meaning "skin" and the other "flesh"; in today's world we might think these were the same thing, but in Leviticus 11 a very clear distinction was made in the Kashrut laws, the skin having different values and permissions/prohibitions than the meat.
VAHERET: I have put this in inverted commas as it is a poetic image rather than a literal description of the mark on the flesh, like the other two. Probably, as per the explanation in the next part of the verse, this is the white irridescence of eczema or psoriasis, though in the historical context it may very well be lava-burns.
NEGA: The King James translation is "plague", but that sets up a confusion, because Exodus uses Magephot (מַגֵּפֹת) for the Ten Plagues,and these were rather more metaphorical/mythological than literal/physical.
13:3 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA NEGA BE OR HA BASAR VE SE'AR BA NEGA HAPHACH LAVAN U MAR'EH HA NEGA AMOK ME OR BESARO NEGA TSARA'AT HU VE RA'AHU HA KOHEN VE TIM'E OTO
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע בְּעוֹר הַבָּשָׂר וְשֵׂעָר בַּנֶּגַע הָפַךְ לָבָן וּמַרְאֵה הַנֶּגַע עָמֹק מֵעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ נֶגַע צָרַעַת הוּא וְרָאָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן וְטִמֵּא אֹתוֹ
KJ: 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 isa plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine the affliction on the skin of the flesh; and if the hair inside the afflicted area has turned white, and the affliction appears to go deeper than the skin of his flesh, he can confirm that this is the affliction of leprosy; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.
TIM'E (טִמֵּא) – Note the "dot" inside the Mem; this is an example of the "dagesh chazak", and it is used to indicate a double-consonant; not that there is a double consonant, but it is "as if" there were. The problem arises because the Mem (מ) is followed by an Aleph (א), which is generally silent, but not so on this occasion. I have indicated this in the English phonetic by placing an apostrophe before the "e"; in French I would have used an accent aigu (é) to achieve the same purpose. You will find hundreds of occasions throughout TheBibleNet where I have done the same, for the same reason, though the letter is not always a Mem; click here for a fuller explanation.
13:4 VE IM BAHERET LEVANAH HI BE OR BESARO VE AMOK EYN MARE'AH MIN HA OR U SE'ARAH LO HAPHACH LAVAN VE HISGIR HA KOHEN ET HA NEGA SHIV'AT YAMIM
וְאִם בַּהֶרֶת לְבָנָה הִוא בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ וְעָמֹק אֵין מַרְאֶהָ מִן הָעוֹר וּשְׂעָרָה לֹא הָפַךְ לָבָן וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
KJ: 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:
BN: And if the "bright spot" is white on the skin of his flesh, and it does not appear to go deeper than the skin, and the hair has not turned white, then the Kohen shall quarantine whoever has this affliction for seven days.
Quarantine. What exactly is the illness? And did they understand the difference between infectious and contagious afflictions, and those that were unique to the metabolism of the sufferer, or was this simply "he is unclean" and therefore must be separated, no matter what?
13:5 VE RA'AHU HA KOHEN BA YOM HA SHEVIYI VE HINEH HA NEGA AMAD BE EYNAV LO PHASAH HA NEGA BA OR VE HISGIYRU HA KOHEN SHIV'AT YAMIM SHENIT
וְרָאָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְהִנֵּה הַנֶּגַע עָמַד בְּעֵינָיו לֹא פָשָׂה הַנֶּגַע בָּעוֹר וְהִסְגִּירוֹ הַכֹּהֵן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שֵׁנִית
KJ: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him on the seventh day; and, behold, if the affliction appears unaltered, but the affliction has not spread on the skin, then the Kohen shall quarantine him for a further seven days.
The Kohen is nevertheless functioning as a medic and not as a priest, and we can reasonably assume that different priests had different specialist areas of training, so that a medical priest might never have led a ceremony of sacrifice, and vice versa.
Interesting that everything in the last two verses proscribes examination and review, not prayer and propitiation; though no medicines or treatments have been offered either. This would not become medical practice in Christian Europe until very modern times, though it was standard practice in the Bimaristana of the Moslem world from about the 11th century CE.
Interesting that everything in the last two verses proscribes examination and review, not prayer and propitiation; though no medicines or treatments have been offered either. This would not become medical practice in Christian Europe until very modern times, though it was standard practice in the Bimaristana of the Moslem world from about the 11th century CE.
13:6 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN OTO BA YOM HA SHEVIYI SHENIT VE HINEH KEHAH HA NEGA VE LO PHASAH HA NEGA BA OR VE TIHARO HA KOHEN MISPACHAT HI VE CHIBES BEGADAV VE TAHER
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֹתוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שֵׁנִית וְהִנֵּה כֵּהָה הַנֶּגַע וְלֹא פָשָׂה הַנֶּגַע בָּעוֹר וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן מִסְפַּחַת הִוא וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵר
KJ: And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague besomewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him again on the seventh day; and, behold, if the affliction has diminished, and the affliction has not spread on the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him clean: it is a scab; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
A mere blemish! But o what a terrible neurosis these ancients had about blemishes!
13:7 VE IM PASOH TIPHSEH HA MISPACHAT BA OR ACHAREY HERA'OTO EL HA KOHEN LE TAHARATO VE NIR'AH SHENIT EL HA KOHEN
וְאִם פָּשֹׂה תִפְשֶׂה הַמִּסְפַּחַת בָּעוֹר אַחֲרֵי הֵרָאֹתוֹ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן לְטָהֳרָתוֹ וְנִרְאָה שֵׁנִית אֶל הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:
BN: But if the scab spreads further across the skin, after he has appeared before the priest for cleansing, he shall present himself again to the Kohen.
LE TAHARATO: Cleansing with water? With prayers for the forgiveness of sin, followed by blessings? With ash from the cooled-down embers on the altar? We are not told. Can we read the detail of Leviticus 12, and the laws of the Red Heifer in Numbers 19, and deduce from there?
13:8 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH PASTAH HA MISPACHAT BA OR VE TIM'O HA KOHEN TSARA'AT HI
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה פָּשְׂתָה הַמִּסְפַּחַת בָּעוֹר וְטִמְּאוֹ הַכֹּהֵן צָרַעַת הִוא
KJ: And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him, and, behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is leprosy.
13:9 NEGA TSARA'AT KI TIHEYEH BE ADAM VE HUVA EL HA KOHEN
נֶגַע צָרַעַת כִּי תִהְיֶה בְּאָדָם וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
BN: When the affliction of leprosy is on a person, then he shall be brought to the Kohen.
13:10 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH SE'ET LEVANAH BA OR VE HI HAPHCHAH SE'AR LAVAN U MICHYAT BASAR CHAI BA SE'ET
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה שְׂאֵת לְבָנָה בָּעוֹר וְהִיא הָפְכָה שֵׂעָר לָבָן וּמִחְיַת בָּשָׂר חַי בַּשְׂאֵת
KJ: And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him, and, behold, if there is a white lump on the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and if there is still-living but raw flesh in the lump...
MICHYAT: The root is CHAI, meaning "life", so it is "quick" in the sense of "the quick and the dead" = "the living and the dead": the skin is here is damaged, but not dead.
13:11 TSARA'AT NOSHENET HI BE OR BESARO VE TIM'O HA KOHEN LO YASGIRENU KI TAM'E HU
צָרַעַת נוֹשֶׁנֶת הִוא בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ וְטִמְּאוֹ הַכֹּהֵן לֹא יַסְגִּרֶנּוּ כִּי טָמֵא הוּא
KJ: It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.
BN: This is the mark of a former leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not quarantine him, but he is unclean.
TAM'E: This one defeats me. Above (verse 3) I have explained the dagesh chazak, but I am unable to explain why Tim'e has it, but Tam'e does not; even without the dagesh chazak, it is still pronounced as though there were one.
The prognosis is interesting though: it is a no longer active eczema or psoriasis, and so it does not require quarantine; but nonetheless is it a blemish on the skin, and YHVH does not like blemishes; so he is unclean in that regard, even though he isn't in the other.
The prognosis is interesting though: it is a no longer active eczema or psoriasis, and so it does not require quarantine; but nonetheless is it a blemish on the skin, and YHVH does not like blemishes; so he is unclean in that regard, even though he isn't in the other.
13:12 VE IM PARO'ACH TIPHRACH HA TSARA'AT BA OR VE CHISTAH HA TSARA'AT ET KOL OR HA NEGA ME ROSHO VE AD RAGLAV LE CHOL MAR'EH EYNEY HA KOHEN
וְאִם פָּרוֹחַ תִּפְרַח הַצָּרַעַת בָּעוֹר וְכִסְּתָה הַצָּרַעַת אֵת כָּל עוֹר הַנֶּגַע מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד רַגְלָיו לְכָל מַרְאֵה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;
BN: And if the affliction breaks out elsewhere on the skin, and the affliction covers all the skin of he who has this affliction, from his head right down to his feet, in every part that the Kohen has examined...
"Singing Detective Syndrome", for those who remember the great TV playwright Dennis Potter.
13:13 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH CHISTAH HA TSARA'AT ET KOL BESARO VE TIHAR ET HA NAGA KULO HAPHACH LAVAN TAHOR HU
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה כִסְּתָה הַצָּרַעַת אֶת כָּל בְּשָׂרוֹ וְטִהַר אֶת הַנָּגַע כֻּלּוֹ הָפַךְ לָבָן טָהוֹר הוּא
KJ: Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine him; and, behold, if the affliction that covered all his flesh has now turned white, he shall pronounce him cleared of the affliction: he is clean.
Why does it suddenly switch from NEGA to NAGA?
Given the then incurability of what we today call leprosy, this cannot have been what we today call leprosy, and so we need to diagnose it differently. Alas I have no medical training to be able to undertake that exercise.
Given the then incurability of what we today call leprosy, this cannot have been what we today call leprosy, and so we need to diagnose it differently. Alas I have no medical training to be able to undertake that exercise.
13:14 U VE YOM HERA'OT BO BASAR CHAI YITMA
וּבְיוֹם הֵרָאוֹת בּוֹ בָּשָׂר חַי יִטְמָא
KJ: But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
BN: But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean.
13:15 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA BASAR HA CHAI VE TIM'O HA BASAR HA CHAI TAM'E HU TSARA'AT HU
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַבָּשָׂר הַחַי וְטִמְּאוֹ הַבָּשָׂר הַחַי טָמֵא הוּא צָרַעַת הוּא
KJ: And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean: it is an affliction.
13:16 O CHI YASHUV HA BASAR HA CHAi VE NEHPACH LE LAVAN U VA EL HA KOHEN
אוֹ כִי יָשׁוּב הַבָּשָׂר הַחַי וְנֶהְפַּךְ לְלָבָן וּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;
BN: But if the raw flesh again turns white, then he shall come to the Kohen...
13:17 VE RA'AHU HA KOHEN VE HINEH NEHPACH HA NEGA LE LAVAN VE TIHAR HA KOHEN ET HA NEGA TAHOR HU
וְרָאָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה נֶהְפַּךְ הַנֶּגַע לְלָבָן וְטִהַר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע טָהוֹר הוּא
KJ: And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him; and, behold, if the affliction has turned white, then the Kohen shall pronounce him cleared of the affliction: he is clean.
In what way is verse 17 different from verse 13? I think the intention is to clarify that, with this affliction, it is never actually "cured", but comes and goes; so just because you were declared "clean" today doesn't mean you won't be unclean again next week, and this provides for it.
pey break
13:18 U VASAR KI YIHEYEH VO VE ORO SHECHIN VE NIRPA
וּבָשָׂר כִּי יִהְיֶה בוֹ בְעֹרוֹ שְׁחִין וְנִרְפָּא
KJ: The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,
BN: And when the flesh has a boil on the skin, and it heals...
13:19 VE HAYAH BI MEKOM HA SHECHIN SE'ET LEVANAH O VAHERET LEVANAH ADAMDAMET VE NIR'AH EL HA KOHEN
וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם הַשְּׁחִין שְׂאֵת לְבָנָה אוֹ בַהֶרֶת לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדָּמֶת וְנִרְאָה אֶל הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;
BN: And in place of the boil there is now a white lump, or a reddish-white "bright spot", then it shall be shown to the Kohen.
ADAMDAMET: see my note to verse 38, and also note the variation - ADAMDEMET - in verse 24.
13:20 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH MAR'EHA SHAPHAL MIN HA OR U SE'ARAH HAPHACH LAVAN VE TIM'O HA KOHEN NEGA TSARA'AT HI BA SHECHIN PARACHAH
As one who suffers from a mild form of this affliction, it is pleasing to hear that baldness was never regarded as a consequence of sin, and therefore an impurity, even in those days.
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה מַרְאֶהָ שָׁפָל מִן הָעוֹר וּשְׂעָרָהּ הָפַךְ לָבָן וְטִמְּאוֹ הַכֹּהֵן נֶגַע צָרַעַת הִוא בַּשְּׁחִין פָּרָחָה
KJ: And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine it; and, behold, if if it appears to be embedded underneath the skin, and if the hair in the affected area has turned white, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: this is the affliction of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil.
So much detailed discussion of what is generally not a common ailment, can only lead us to assume that some kind of epidemic must have broken out amongst the people. What was it, and what caused it? Does it relate back to the volcanic eruption? Silica powdered on the skin, and the skin burned as well? See verses 28, 30 and 48 especially.
13:21 VE IM YIR'ENAH HA KOHEN VE HINEH EYN BAH SE'AR LAVAN U SHEPHALAH EYNENAH MIN HA OR VE HI CHEHAH VE HISGIYRO HA KOHEN SHIVAT YAMIM
The source of this being sun-burn?
ISH O ISHAH: Where ADAM before gave us universal laws, this now differentiates between genders.
So much detailed discussion of what is generally not a common ailment, can only lead us to assume that some kind of epidemic must have broken out amongst the people. What was it, and what caused it? Does it relate back to the volcanic eruption? Silica powdered on the skin, and the skin burned as well? See verses 28, 30 and 48 especially.13:21 VE IM YIR'ENAH HA KOHEN VE HINEH EYN BAH SE'AR LAVAN U SHEPHALAH EYNENAH MIN HA OR VE HI CHEHAH VE HISGIYRO HA KOHEN SHIVAT YAMIM
וְאִם יִרְאֶנָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה אֵין בָּהּ שֵׂעָר לָבָן וּשְׁפָלָה אֵינֶנָּה מִן הָעוֹר וְהִיא כֵהָה וְהִסְגִּירוֹ הַכֹּהֵן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
KJ: But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
BN: But if the Kohen examines it, and, behold, there are no white hairs in the affected area, and it is not embedded below the skin, but is dim, then the Kohen shall quarantine him for seven days.
SHEPHALAH: Any connection between this word and SHEPHELAH, the western region of Kena'an? Yes – the western region is the lowlands, and this is a blemish lower than the skin.
13:22 VE IM PASOH TIPHSEH BA OR VE TIM'E HA KOHEN OTO NEGA HI
וְאִם פָּשֹׂה תִפְשֶׂה בָּעוֹר וְטִמֵּא הַכֹּהֵן אֹתוֹ נֶגַע הִוא
KJ: And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
BN: And if it has spread elsewhere on the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is an affliction.
13:23 VE IM TACHTEYHA TA'AMOD HA BAHERET LO PHASATAH TSAREVET HA SHECHIN HI VE TIHARO HA KOHEN
וְאִם תַּחְתֶּיהָ תַּעֲמֹד הַבַּהֶרֶת לֹא פָשָׂתָה צָרֶבֶת הַשְּׁחִין הִוא וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
BN: But if the "bright spot" stays in its place, and does not spread, it is merely the scar left over from the boil; and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean.
samech break
13:24 O VASAR KI YIHEYEH VE ORO MICHVAT ESH VE HAYETAH MICHYAT HA MICHVAH BAHERET LEVANAH ADAMDEMET O LEVANAH
אוֹ בָשָׂר כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעֹרוֹ מִכְוַת אֵשׁ וְהָיְתָה מִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה בַּהֶרֶת לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדֶּמֶת אוֹ לְבָנָה
KJ: Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;
BN: Or when the flesh has been scalded by fire on the skin, and the still-living flesh from the burn becomes a "bright spot", reddish-white, or white...
The source of this being sun-burn?
13:25 VE RA'AH OTAH HA KOHEN VE HINEH NEHPACH SE'AR LAVAN BA BAHERET U MARE'HA AMOK MIN HA OR TSARA'AT HI BA MICHVAH PARACHAH VE TIM'E OTO HA KOHEN NEGA TSARA'AT HI
וְרָאָה אֹתָהּ הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה נֶהְפַּךְ שֵׂעָר לָבָן בַּבַּהֶרֶת וּמַרְאֶהָ עָמֹק מִן הָעוֹר צָרַעַת הִוא בַּמִּכְוָה פָּרָחָה וְטִמֵּא אֹתוֹ הַכֹּהֵן נֶגַע צָרַעַת הִוא
KJ: Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine it; and, behold, if the hair in the "bright spot" has turned white, and it appears to be embedded deeper than the skin, then it is leprosy; it has been caused by the burn; and the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: this is the affliction of leprosy.
13:26 VE IM YIR'ENAH HA KOHEN VE HINEH EYN BA BAHERET SE'AR LAVAN U SHEPHALAH EYNENAH MIN HA OR VE HI CHEHAH VE HISGIYRO HA KOHEN SHIV'AT YAMIM
וְאִם יִרְאֶנָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה אֵין בַּבַּהֶרֶת שֵׂעָר לָבָן וּשְׁפָלָה אֵינֶנָּה מִן הָעוֹר וְהִוא כֵהָה וְהִסְגִּירוֹ הַכֹּהֵן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
KJ: But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:
BN: But if the Kohen examines it, and, behold, there is no white hair in the "bright spot", and it is not embedded below the skin, but is dim, then the Kohen shall quarantine him for seven days.
13:27 VE RA'AHU HA KOHEN BA YOM HA SHEVIY'I IM PASOH TIPHSEH BA OR VE TIM'E HA KOHEN OTO NEGA TSARA'AT HI
וְרָאָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי אִם פָּשֹׂה תִפְשֶׂה בָּעוֹר וְטִמֵּא הַכֹּהֵן אֹתוֹ נֶגַע צָרַעַת הִוא
KJ: And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine him on the seventh day; if it has spread further on the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: this is the affliction of leprosy.
13:28 VE IM TACHTEYHA TA'AMOD HA BAHERET LO PHASTAH VA OR VE HI CHEHAH SE'ET HA MICHVAH HI VE TIHARO HA KOHEN KI TSAREVET HA MICHVAH HI
וְאִם תַּחְתֶּיהָ תַעֲמֹד הַבַּהֶרֶת לֹא פָשְׂתָה בָעוֹר וְהִוא כֵהָה שְׂאֵת הַמִּכְוָה הִוא וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן כִּי צָרֶבֶת הַמִּכְוָה הִוא
KJ: And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.
BN: But if the "bright spot" has remained in that one place, and has not spread across the skin, and is dim, then this is the scar from the burn, and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean; for this is the scar from the burn.
13:29 VE ISH O ISHAH KI YIHEYEH VI NAGA BE ROSH O VE ZAKAN
וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בוֹ נָגַע בְּרֹאשׁ אוֹ בְזָקָן
KJ: If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;
BN: And when a man or woman has an affliction on their head, or on the beard...
ISH O ISHAH: Where ADAM before gave us universal laws, this now differentiates between genders.
All this will become much more significant later, when Mir-Yam (Miriam) gets the affliction.
13:30 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA NEGA VE HINEH MAR'EHU AMOK MIN HA OR U VO SE'AR TSAHOV DAK VE TIM'E OTO HA KOHEN NETEK HU TSARA'AT HA ROSH O HA ZAKAN HU
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע וְהִנֵּה מַרְאֵהוּ עָמֹק מִן הָעוֹר וּבוֹ שֵׂעָר צָהֹב דָּק וְטִמֵּא אֹתוֹ הַכֹּהֵן נֶתֶק הוּא צָרַעַת הָרֹאשׁ אוֹ הַזָּקָן הוּא
KJ: Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine the affliction; and, behold, if it appears to be embedded deeper than the skin, and there are thin, yellow hairs in the affected area, then the Kohen shall pronounce him unclean: it is a scall, an affliction of the head or of the beard.
In the centuries-long debate among scholars as to whether or not this really is leprosy that the Bible is describing, or some other affliction to which some early translator wrongly applied the term leprosy, and the error stuck, in that debate this verse plays a key role, because it describes the condition in terms of its effect on the hair and the beard. Leprosy, as we know it today (click here), is an ailment of the nerves and of the skin, probably an ailment of the nerves that manifests in the skin, but it is not an ailment of the hair or beard itself, only, at most, of the skin beneath the hair and beard.
13:31 VE CHI YIR'EH HA KOHEN ET NEGA HA NETEK VE HINEH EYN MAR'EHU AMOK MIN HA OR VE SE'AR SHACHOR EYN BO VE HISGIYR HA KOHEN ET NEGA HA NETEK SHIV'AT YAMIM
וְכִי יִרְאֶה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת נֶגַע הַנֶּתֶק וְהִנֵּה אֵין מַרְאֵהוּ עָמֹק מִן הָעוֹר וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר אֵין בּוֹ וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת נֶגַע הַנֶּתֶק שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
KJ: And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:
BN: And if, when the Kohen examines the affliction known as the scall, it does not appear to be embedded deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the Kohen shall quarantine he who has the affliction known as the scall for seven days.
13:32 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA NEGA BA YOM HA SHEVIY'I VE HINEH LO PHASA HA NETEK VE LO HAYAH VO SE'AR TSAHOV U MAR'EH HA NETEK EYN AMOK MIN HA OR
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְהִנֵּה לֹא פָשָׂה הַנֶּתֶק וְלֹא הָיָה בוֹ שֵׂעָר צָהֹב וּמַרְאֵה הַנֶּתֶק אֵין עָמֹק מִן הָעוֹר
KJ: And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;
BN: And on the seventh day the Kohen shall examine the affliction; and, behold, if the scall has not spread, and if there is no yellow hair in it, and if it does not appear to be embedded deeper than the skin...
13:33 VE HITGALACH VE ET HA NETEK LO YEGAL'E'ACH VE HISGIR HA KOHEN ET HA NETEK SHIV'AT YAMIM SHENIT
וְהִתְגַּלָּח וְאֶת הַנֶּתֶק לֹא יְגַלֵּחַ וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּתֶק שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שֵׁנִית
KJ: He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:
BN: Then the man shall be shaved, but the scall shall not be shaved; and the Kohen shall quarantine the man who has the scall for a further seven days.
13:34 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA NETEK BA YOM HA SHEVIY'I VE HINEH LO PHASAH HA NETEK BA OR U MAR'EHU EYNENU AMOK MIN HA OR VE TIHAR OTO HA KOHEN VE CHIBES BEGADAV VE TAHER
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּתֶק בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְהִנֵּה לֹא פָשָׂה הַנֶּתֶק בָּעוֹר וּמַרְאֵהוּ אֵינֶנּוּ עָמֹק מִן הָעוֹר וְטִהַר אֹתוֹ הַכֹּהֵן וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵר
KJ: And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
BN: And on the seventh day the Kohen shall examine the scall; and, behold, if the scall has not spread across the skin, and if it appears not to be embedded deeper than the skin, then the Kohen shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
13:35 VE IM PASOH YIPHSEH HA NETEK BA OR ACHAREY TAHARATO
וְאִם פָּשֹׂה יִפְשֶׂה הַנֶּתֶק בָּעוֹר אַחֲרֵי טָהֳרָתוֹ
KJ: But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;
BN: But if the scall has spread to other parts of the skin, even after his cleansing...
13:36 VE RA'AHU HA KOHEN VE HINEH PASAH HA NETEK BA OR LO YEVAKER HA KOHEN LA SE'AR HA TSAHOV TAM'E HU
וְרָאָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה פָּשָׂה הַנֶּתֶק בָּעוֹר לֹא יְבַקֵּר הַכֹּהֵן לַשֵּׂעָר הַצָּהֹב טָמֵא הוּא
KJ: Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine him; and, behold, if the scall has spread to other parts of the skin, the Kohen shall not go seeking for yellow hair: he is unclean.
13:37 VE IM BE EYNAV AMAD HA NETEK VE SE'AR SHACHOR TSAMACH BO NIRPA HA NETEK TAHOR HU VE TIHARO HA KOHEN
וְאִם בְּעֵינָיו עָמַד הַנֶּתֶק וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר צָמַח בּוֹ נִרְפָּא הַנֶּתֶק טָהוֹר הוּא וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
BN: But if the scall has not spread beyond the point of its initial appearance, and if black hair has grown up in it, then the scall is healed, the man is clean, and the Kohen shall pronounce him clean.
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13:38 VE ISH OR ISHAH KI YIHEYEH VE OR BESARAM BEHAROT BEHAROT LEVANOT
וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרָם בֶּהָרֹת בֶּהָרֹת לְבָנֹת
KJ: If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;
BN: And if a man or a woman have "bright spots" - indeed, bright white spots - on the skin of their flesh...
BEHAROT BEHAROT: Interesting use of repetition, for which I have no explanation to offer. Neither does Rashi. Neither does Strong. I am guessing that it is a way of adding emphasis, so that these are not just "white spots" but "intensely white spots", or "bright white" in the translation above. ADAMDAMET in verse 19 (ADAMDEMET, in verse 24 and again in verse 43; ADAMDAM in verses 42 and 49), is behind my thinking here; ADAM = red, with a half-doubling, to render it as "reddish" rather than the full colour, as we can see with YERAKRAK in verse 49. But here it is a full doubling, by means of repetition, so we can assume its intention must be the opposite: where one reduces, the other increases.
13:39 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH VE OR BESARAM BEHEROT KEHOT LEVANOT BOHAK HU PARACH BA OR TAHOR HU
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרָם בֶּהָרֹת כֵּהוֹת לְבָנֹת בֹּהַק הוּא פָּרַח בָּעוֹר טָהוֹר הוּא
KJ: Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh bedarkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine it; and, behold, if the "bright spots" on the skin of their flesh are dull white, this is a tetter that has broken out on the skin: he is clean.
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13:40 VE ISH KI YIMARET ROSHO KER'E'ACH HU TAHOR HU
וְאִישׁ כִּי יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ קֵרֵחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא
KJ: And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
BN: And if a man's hair falls from his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
13:41 VE IM MI PE'AT PANAV YIMARET ROSHO GIVE'ACH HU TAHOR HU
וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ גִּבֵּחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא
KJ: And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
BN: And if his hair has fallen from the front part of his head, he is forehead-bald; yet is he clean.
As one who suffers from a mild form of this affliction, it is pleasing to hear that baldness was never regarded as a consequence of sin, and therefore an impurity, even in those days.
13:42 VE CHI YIHEYEH VA KARACHAT OR VA GABACHAT NEGA LAVAN ADAMDAM TSARA'AT PORACHAT HI BE KARACHTO O VE GABACHTO
וְכִי יִהְיֶה בַקָּרַחַת אוֹ בַגַּבַּחַת נֶגַע לָבָן אֲדַמְדָּם צָרַעַת פֹּרַחַת הִוא בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ
KJ: And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
BN: But if a reddish-white affliction is found on the bald head, or on the bald forehead, this is leprosy breaking out on his bald head, or his bald forehead.
13:43 VE RA'AH OTO HA KOHEN VE HINEH SE'ET HA NEGA LEVANAH ADAMDEMET BE KARACHTO O VE GABACHTO KA MAR'EH TSARA'AT OR BASAR
וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה שְׂאֵת הַנֶּגַע לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדֶּמֶת בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ כְּמַרְאֵה צָרַעַת עוֹר בָּשָׂר
KJ: Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
BN: Then the Kohen shall examine him; and, behold, if the lump indicating plague is reddish-white on his bald head, or on his bald forehead, having the appearance of leprosy on the skin of the flesh...
13:44 ISH TSARU'A HU TAM'E HU TAM'E YETAM'ENU HA KOHEN BE ROSHO NIG'O
אִישׁ צָרוּעַ הוּא טָמֵא הוּא טַמֵּא יְטַמְּאֶנּוּ הַכֹּהֵן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ נִגְעוֹ
KJ: He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
BN: Then he is a man with leprosy; he is unclean; the Kohen is required to pronounce him unclean: the affliction is in his head.
Again the dagesh chazak comes up to confuse us. Why is it not used in the first Tam'e in this verse, but is in both the second and the third? This is not genuine Torah, of course – the dageshim were introduced at the same time as the nikkudim, with the Masoretic redaction, somewhere between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. Nonetheless, they worked out a very sophisticated and logical system, and it should be possible to explain seeming anomalies like this one. I need an expert! (Though it may just be an oversight, a clerical error, a miss on the proof-reading).
13:45 VE HA TSARU'A ASHER BO HA NEGA BEGADAV YIHEYU PHERUMIM VE ROSHO YIHEYEH PHARU'A VE AL SAPHAM YA'TEH VE TAM'E TAM'E YIKRA
וְהַצָּרוּעַ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הַנֶּגַע בְּגָדָיו יִהְיוּ פְרֻמִים וְרֹאשׁוֹ יִהְיֶה פָרוּעַ וְעַל שָׂפָם יַעְטֶה וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא
KJ: And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
BN: And the leper who has this affliction, his clothes shall be shredded, he shall go bare-headed, and he shall cover his upper lip and call out as he goes: "Unclean, unclean".
13:46 KOL YEMEY ASHER HA NEGA BO YITMA TAM'E HU BADAD YESHEV MI CHUTS LA MACHANEH MOSHAVO
כָּל יְמֵי אֲשֶׁר הַנֶּגַע בּוֹ יִטְמָא טָמֵא הוּא בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה מוֹשָׁבוֹ
KJ: All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
BN: Throughout the time that he remains afflicted, he shall be unclean; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.
This is all very well for the desert community, but how do you apply such a law in a village, let alone a city? The goal is safe quarantine, not ostracism.
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13:47 VE HA BEGED KI YIHEYEH VO NEGA TSARA'AT BE VEGED TSEMER O BE VEGED PISHTIM
וְהַבֶּגֶד כִּי יִהְיֶה בוֹ נֶגַע צָרָעַת בְּבֶגֶד צֶמֶר אוֹ בְּבֶגֶד פִּשְׁתִּים
KJ: The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
BN: And when the affliction of leprosy has got into clothing, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment...
13:48 O VISHTI O VE EREV LA PISHTIM VE LA TSAMER O VE OR BE CHOL MELE'CHET OR
אוֹ בִשְׁתִי אוֹ בְעֵרֶב לַפִּשְׁתִּים וְלַצָּמֶר אוֹ בְעוֹר אוֹ בְּכָל מְלֶאכֶת עוֹר
KJ: Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
BN: Whether it be in the warp or in the woof, whether they be of linen or of wool; or on the skin, or on any thing made of skin...
Another verse that mitigates against this being leprosy as we know it today.
13:49 VE HAYAH HA NEGA YERAKRAK O ADAMDAM BA BEGED O VA OR O VA SHETI O VA EREV O VE CHOL KELI O NEGA TSARA'AT HU VE HAR'AH ET HA KOHEN
וְהָיָה הַנֶּגַע יְרַקְרַק אוֹ אֲדַמְדָּם בַּבֶּגֶד אוֹ בָעוֹר אוֹ בַשְּׁתִי אוֹ בָעֵרֶב אוֹ בְכָל כְּלִי עוֹר נֶגַע צָרַעַת הוּא וְהָרְאָה אֶת הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:
BN: If the affliction is greenish or reddish, whether in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin, this is the affliction of leprosy, and it must be shown to the Kohen.
ADAMDAM, used previously, was wonderful for "reddish"; now we have YERAKRAK for "greenish". Do we have, or can we invent, KAHOLHOL for "bluish" and TSAHOVHOV for "yellowish"? And then, inevitably, we must have ARGAMANMAN for "purplish"!
13:50 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ET HA NAGA VE HISGIR ET HA NEGA SHIV'AT YAMIM
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנָּגַע וְהִסְגִּיר אֶת הַנֶּגַע שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
KJ: And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
BN: And the Kohen shall examine the affliction, and quarantine whatever has the affliction for seven days.
This comment should have come earlier: note that it is the affliction which is quarantined, not the afflicted.
13:51 VE RA'AH ET HA NEGA BA YOM HA SHEVIY'I KI PHASA HA NEGA BA BEGED O VA SHETI O VA EREV O VA OR LE CHOL ASHER YE'ASEH HA OR LI MELA'CHAH TSARA'AT MAM'ERET HA NEGA TAM'E HU
וְרָאָה אֶת הַנֶּגַע בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי כִּי פָשָׂה הַנֶּגַע בַּבֶּגֶד אוֹ בַשְּׁתִי אוֹ בָעֵרֶב אוֹ בָעוֹר לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יֵעָשֶׂה הָעוֹר לִמְלָאכָה צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת הַנֶּגַע טָמֵא הוּא
KJ: And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
BN: And he shall examine the affliction on the seventh day: if the affliction has spread within the garment, or within the warp, or within the woof, or within the skin, for whatever purpose the skin is used, the affliction is a malignant leprosy: it is unclean.
LI MELA'CHAH: Or LIM'LA'CHAH?
13:52 VE SARAPH ET HA BEGED O ET HA SHETI O ET HA EREV BA TSEMER O VA PISHTIM O ET KOL KELI HA OR ASHER YIHEYEH VO HA NAGA KI TSARA'AT MAM'ERET HI BA ESH TISAREPH
וְשָׂרַף אֶת הַבֶּגֶד אוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁתִי אוֹ אֶת הָעֵרֶב בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים אוֹ אֶת כָּל כְּלִי הָעוֹר אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ הַנָּגַע כִּי צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת הִוא בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף
KJ: He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
BN: So he shall burn the garment, or the warp, or the woof, whether it be made of wool or linen, or anything made of skin, in which the affliction has been found; for it is a malignant leprosy; it shall be thrown on the bonfire.
BA ESH TISAREPH: I have chosen to "throw it on the bonfire" rather than "burn it with fire", to denote the difference between items brought as burnt-offerings to the altar, and the unclean remains taken outside the camp for cremation - see the Kashrut laws in Leviticus 11.
13:53 VE IM YIREH HA KOHEN VE HINEH LO PHASA HA NEGA BA BEGED O VA SHETI O VA EREV O BE CHOL KELI OR
וְאִם יִרְאֶה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה לֹא פָשָׂה הַנֶּגַע בַּבֶּגֶד אוֹ בַשְּׁתִי אוֹ בָעֵרֶב אוֹ בְּכָל כְּלִי עוֹר
KJ: And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;
BN: And if, when the priest conducts his examination, behold, the plague has not spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin...
13:54 VE TSIVAH HA KOHEN VE CHIBSU ET ASHER BO HA NAGA VE HISGIYRO SHIVAT YAMIM SHENIT
וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְכִבְּסוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הַנָּגַע וְהִסְגִּירוֹ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים שֵׁנִית
KJ: Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
BN: Then the priest shall instruct them to wash the item of clothing which had the affliction; he shall quarantine it for a further seven days.
Immensely rigorous for what is in so many other ways a barbarous epoch! (mind you, the same is true of ours today!)
13:55 VE RA'AH HA KOHEN ACHAREY HUKABES ET HA NEGA VE HINEH LO HAPHACH HA NEGA ET EYNO VE HA NEGA LO PHASAH TAM'E HU BA ESH TISREPHENU PECHETET HI BE KARACHTO O VE GABACHTO
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֶת הַנֶּגַע וְהִנֵּה לֹא הָפַךְ הַנֶּגַע אֶת עֵינוֹ וְהַנֶּגַע לֹא פָשָׂה טָמֵא הוּא בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ פְּחֶתֶת הִוא בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ
KJ: And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.
BN: And the Kohen shall examine it again, after the afflicted garment has been washed; and, behold, if the affliction has not changed colour, and if the affliction has not spread, it is unclean; you shall throw it on the bonfire; it is a fret, whether the bareness be inside or outside.
13:56 VE IM RA'AH HA KOHEN VE HINEH KEHEH HA NEGA ACHAREY HUKABES OTO VE KARA OTO MIN HA BEGED O MIN HA OR O MIN HA SHETI O MIN HA EREV
וְאִם רָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה כֵּהָה הַנֶּגַע אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֹתוֹ וְקָרַע אֹתוֹ מִן הַבֶּגֶד אוֹ מִן הָעוֹר אוֹ מִן הַשְּׁתִי אוֹ מִן הָעֵרֶב
KJ: And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
BN: And if, when the Kohen examines it, behold, the affliction is now as a consequence of washing it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof.
13:57 VE IM TERA'EH OD BA BEGED O VA SHETI O VA EREV O VE CHOL KELI OR PORACHAT HI BA ESH TISREPHENU ET ASHER BO HA NAGA
וְאִם תֵּרָאֶה עוֹד בַּבֶּגֶד אוֹ בַשְּׁתִי אוֹ בָעֵרֶב אוֹ בְכָל כְּלִי עוֹר פֹּרַחַת הִוא בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הַנָּגַע
KJ: And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
BN: And if it continues to appear, or reappears, in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made from skin, it is breaking out again, and you shall burn whatever has this affliction on the bonfire.
There is of course the possibility that the people who made the system of nikkudim and dagishim created an imperfect system, or simply made errors when they applied it. Why is it BA BEGED and not VA BEGED or even VA VEGED or BA VEGED, when it is VA SHETI and VA EREV?
13:58 VE HA BEGED O HA SHETI O HA EREV O CHOL KELI HA OR ASHER TECHABES VE SAR ME HEM HA NAGA VE CHUBAS SHENIT VE TAHER
וְהַבֶּגֶד אוֹ הַשְּׁתִי אוֹ הָעֵרֶב אוֹ כָל כְּלִי הָעוֹר אֲשֶׁר תְּכַבֵּס וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית וְטָהֵר
KJ: And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
BN: And the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or whatever piece of skin it may be, which you shall then wash, if the affliction has indeed now gone from it, then it shall be washed for a second time, and it shall be clean.
13:59 ZOT TORAT NEGA TSARA'AT BEGED HA TSEMER O HA PISHTIM O HA SHETI O HA EREV O KOL KELI OR LETAHARO O LETAM'O
זֹאת תּוֹרַת נֶגַע צָרַעַת בֶּגֶד הַצֶּמֶר אוֹ הַפִּשְׁתִּים אוֹ הַשְּׁתִי אוֹ הָעֵרֶב אוֹ כָּל כְּלִי עוֹר לְטַהֲרוֹ אוֹ לְטַמְּאוֹ
KJ: This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
BN: This is the law of the affliction of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made from skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
As per verse 57, the same applies here to KOL and CHOL, in this verse and above, where there appears to be no consistency whatsoever.
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