The big picture
Leviticus 14 opens in verse 1 with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 29 with “And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him…”, and closes in verse 57 with “To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.” Repeated or prominent terms include priest, house, offering, plague, right. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Leviticus · King James Version · 57Leviticus 14:1-8
1–8: The LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Leviticus 14:1–8 opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” and reaches “And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by priest, bird, clean.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” Naming Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:1-8
King James Version1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
3And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
4Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
5And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
7And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
8And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
Leviticus 14:9-16
9–16: It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his…
Leviticus 14:9–16 opens with “But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard…” and reaches “And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by offering, priest, right.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:9-16
King James Version9But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.
10And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
11And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD , at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
12And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD :
13And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
14And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
15And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
16And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD :
Leviticus 14:17-24
17–24: Of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the…
Leviticus 14:17–24 opens with “And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right…” and reaches “And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by offering, priest, atonement.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:17-24
King James Version17And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
18And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD .
19And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
20And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
21And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
22And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
23And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD .
24And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD :
Leviticus 14:25-32
25–32: He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall…
Leviticus 14:25–32 opens with “And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood…” and reaches “This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by hand, right, offering.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:25-32
King James Version25And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
26And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:
27And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD :
28And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:
29And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD .
30And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;
31Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD .
32This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.
Leviticus 14:33-40
33–40: The LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Leviticus 14:33–40 opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,” and reaches “Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by house, plague, priest.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,” Naming Aaron and Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:33-40
King James Version33And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
34When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;
35And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:
36Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:
37And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;
38Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:
39And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house;
40Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city:
Leviticus 14:41-48
41–48: He shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they…
Leviticus 14:41–48 opens with “And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust…” and reaches “And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by house, plague, stones.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath…” The line’s distinctive content terms include house, break, plague. Its relationship to verses 42 and 44 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:41-48
King James Version41And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:
42And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house.
43And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered;
44Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.
45And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.
46Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.
47And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.
48And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.
Leviticus 14:49-56
49–56: He shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and…
Leviticus 14:49–56 opens with “And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:” and reaches “And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination, with particular weight carried by bird, house, cedar.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 14:49-56
King James Version49And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
50And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:
51And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:
52And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:
53But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.
54This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
55And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,
56And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:
Leviticus 14:57
57: To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of…
Leviticus 14:57 consists of one verse: “To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.” Its surrounding paragraph or narrative determines how that sentence contributes to the larger concern with A healed person being examined outside the camp and a house being inspected for spreading contamination.
Leviticus 14:57
King James Version57To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Leviticus 14:1 begins with “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Leviticus 14:36 forms a natural hinge: “Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean…”
The final note
Leviticus 14:57 leaves the reader with “To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words priest, house, offering, plague, right, hand help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What contrasts the two royal encounters?
Melchizedek blesses God as the source of victory; Abram refuses a financial arrangement that would let Sodom claim credit for his wealth.
How does Abram treat Lot after their separation?
He risks resources to rescue him rather than treating earlier disagreement as a reason for abandonment.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.