Hebrew word · H6883

צָרַ֫עַת

tzara'at

leprosy

A general term for visible surface disfigurement. On human skin it covered a range of conditions: scaly patches, white or reddish spots, raw areas, changes in hair colour (Lev 13). The same word is used for mould or mildew on fabric and leather (Lev 13:47–59) and on house walls (Lev 14:33–53).

Appears 35 times in 33 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) leprosy

1a) in people, malignant skin disease (Le 13:1-14:57)

1b) in clothing, a mildew or mould (Le 13:47-52)

1c) in buildings, a mildew or mould (Le 14:34-53)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Kings 5:27

Range of meaning

A general term for visible surface disfigurement. On human skin it covered a range of conditions: scaly patches, white or reddish spots, raw areas, changes in hair colour (Lev 13). The same word is used for mould or mildew on fabric and leather (Lev 13:47–59) and on house walls (Lev 14:33–53). Its main importance was ritual: a priest who found tsara'at declared the person unclean, and that person had to live outside the camp with torn clothes and loose hair, calling out "Unclean!" (Lev 13:45–46).

Against the English

KJV, BSB, WEB and YLT all use "leprosy/leper/leprous". Today that word means Hansen's disease, a bacterial infection that attacks the nerves, causes numbness and can lead to disfigurement and loss of fingers and toes. Many modern versions keep "leprosy" in the text but add a footnote saying the Hebrew covered various skin diseases.

How it drifted

The Greek Septuagint (the Jewish translation into Greek) used lepra, a Greek medical word for a scaly skin condition (from lepis, "scale"), something like psoriasis. Latin took over lepra. In the Middle Ages the word was attached to Hansen's disease, which Greek doctors had called elephantiasis. When the bacterium was identified in 1873, the biblical word was already tied to that disease.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 13–14 is the main technical description. Elsewhere tsara'at comes as a divine judgement: on Miriam (Num 12:10), King Uzziah (2 Chr 26:19–21), and in David's curse on Joab's house (2 Sam 3:29). Deut 24:8–9 links tsara'at to Miriam's punishment. Mesopotamian boundary-stone curses and Esarhaddon's vassal treaty call on the moon-god Sin to "clothe" an oath-breaker with a skin disease (Akkadian saharšubbû) and drive him out to roam like a wild animal. The pattern of disease, exclusion and curse was known across the region. Clear skeletal evidence of Hansen's disease in the Levant comes centuries after Elisha.

From the study of Leviticus 13:2

Range of meaning

A technical term in the purity laws for a visible, spreading, scaly or discolouring condition of a surface. In people it shows as white or raw patches, scaling, or hair turning white or thin (Lev 13:1–46). The same word covers mould or blight in cloth and leather (13:47–59) and in the plaster and stones of a house (14:33–53). The root's origin is uncertain. Some connect it with an Arabic verb meaning "to strike down," which would fit the idea of something "struck" by a nega' (stroke), but this is not certain. HALOT and BDB give "skin disease" with the traditional gloss "leprosy," and both note that it is not Hansen's disease.

Against the English

KJV, ESV, NRSV and NASB keep "leprosy" or "leprous." NIV has "defiling skin disease," NLT "serious skin disease," and BSB "infectious skin disease." NJPS has "scaly affection," which is the closest to the text's own description. "Leprosy" points modern readers to a particular nerve-destroying bacterial disease. "Infectious" points them to germs and contagion.

How it drifted

The Septuagint translated tsaraʿat as Greek lepra. In Greek medical writers lepra meant a scaly, flaking skin condition, which comes from lepis, "scale," and resembles psoriasis. That was a reasonable match. Greek doctors called Hansen's disease by a different name (elephantiasis). In medieval Europe, "leprosy" came to mean Hansen's disease, which was then widespread, and the biblical word got tied to it. Leper houses took their rules partly from Lev 13:45–46. English Bibles kept the medieval word.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint has haphē lepras, "a touch of lepra," and the Vulgate has plaga leprae. The Dead Sea Scrolls develop the same laws: the Damascus Document fragments 4Q266 and 4Q272 expand the rules for examining skin, and the Temple Scroll sets aside places outside the city for those with tsaraʿat. A whole tractate of the Mishnah (Nega'im) is given to these laws. Josephus describes the exclusion of people with lepra (Antiquities 3.261–268; Against Apion 1.281–282). Clear skeletal evidence of Hansen's disease in the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt dates only from about the Hellenistic period onward. The symptoms in Lev 13, such as white scaling, healing within weeks, and the possibility of becoming clean when the whole body has turned white (13:12–13), do not match it well.

From the study of 2 Kings 5:7

Range of meaning

A ritual-medical category for visible, disfiguring surface conditions: scaly, flaking, discoloured or raw patches of skin in people (Lev 13), and also mould or mildew on cloth, leather and house walls (Lev 13:47–59; 14:33–53). The core idea is a corrupting surface blight that makes something or someone ritually impure.

Against the English

KJV, BSB and most others say "leprosy" or "leper." Today that means Hansen's disease, a specific bacterial infection that destroys nerves and leads to loss of fingers and toes. Lev 13 describes none of those signs. It describes whiteness, flaking, spreading patches and raw flesh, and conditions that can clear up by themselves. Many modern versions keep "leprosy" with a footnote; some use "skin disease".

How it drifted

The Greek translation (the Septuagint) rendered tsara'at as lepra, which in Greek medicine meant a scaly skin condition (from lepis, "scale"), not Hansen's disease. Medieval Latin and later European usage attached "leprosy" to Hansen's disease. English Bibles kept the old word after its meaning had moved.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 13–14; Num 5:2; 12:10–15 (Miriam, who becomes "like one dead"); 2 Kgs 7:3 (four men with tsara'at outside Samaria's gate); 2 Kgs 15:5 (King Azariah lives in a separate house). The Septuagint uses lepra throughout. Rabbinic tradition counted a person with tsara'at among those "regarded as dead" (b. Nedarim 64b). Physical remains of Hansen's disease in the Near East are hard to show before the Hellenistic period.

Where it appears

Leviticus · 29

  1. Leviticus 13:2 צָרָ֑עַת a serious skin disease

    “When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that may be an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.

    Here: The technical name for a group of scaly or discolouring conditions that made a person, a garment (13:47–59) or a house (14:33–53) ritually unclean. It is not the disease modern medicine calls leprosy (Hansen's disease).

  2. Leviticus 13:3 צָרַ֖עַת a serious skin disease

    The priest is to examine the infection on his skin, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.

    Here: The name of the condition: a flaking, scaly, whitish blight on a surface. The same word is used for growths on cloth and house walls (13:47–59; 14:33–53). It is not the disease now called leprosy (Hansen's disease).

  3. Leviticus 13:8 צָרַ֥עַת [is] a serious skin disease

    The priest will reexamine him, and if the rash has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.

  4. Leviticus 13:9 צָרַ֔עַת a serious skin disease

    When anyone develops a skin disease, he must be brought to the priest.

  5. Leviticus 13:11 צָרַ֨עַת [is] a serious skin disease

    it is a chronic skin disease and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not isolate him, for he is unclean.

  6. Leviticus 13:12 הַצָּרַ֙עַת֙ הַצָּרַ֗עַת the serious skin disease

    But if the skin disease breaks out all over his skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from head to foot, as far as the priest can see,

  7. Leviticus 13:13 הַצָּרַ֙עַת֙ the serious skin disease

    the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean.

  8. Leviticus 13:15 צָרַ֥עַת [is] a serious skin disease

    When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease.

  9. Leviticus 13:20 צָרַ֥עַת a serious skin disease

    The priest shall examine it, and if it appears to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil.

  10. Leviticus 13:25 צָרַ֣עַת צָרַ֖עַת [is] a serious skin disease, a serious skin disease

    the priest must examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection.

  11. Leviticus 13:27 צָרַ֖עַת a serious skin disease

    On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection.

  12. Leviticus 13:30 צָרַ֧עַת [is] a serious skin disease of

    the priest shall examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a scaly outbreak, an infectious disease of the head or chin.

  13. Leviticus 13:42 צָרַ֤עַת [is] a serious skin disease

    But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it.

  14. Leviticus 13:43 צָרַ֖עַת a serious skin disease of

    The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white like a skin disease,

  15. Leviticus 13:47 צָרָ֑עַת a serious disease

    If any fabric is contaminated with mildew—any wool or linen garment,

  16. Leviticus 13:49 צָרַ֖עַת a serious disease

    and if the mark in the fabric, leather, weave, knit, or leather article is green or red, then it is contaminated with mildew and must be shown to the priest.

  17. Leviticus 13:51 צָרַ֧עַת [is] a serious disease

    On the seventh day the priest shall reexamine it, and if the mildew has spread in the fabric, weave, knit, or leather, then regardless of how it is used, it is a harmful mildew; the article is unclean.

  18. Leviticus 13:52 צָרַ֤עַת [is] a serious disease

    He is to burn the fabric, weave, or knit, whether the contaminated item is wool or linen or leather. Since the mildew is harmful, the article must be burned up.

  19. Leviticus 13:59 צָרַ֜עַת [the] serious disease of

    This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.”

  20. Leviticus 14:3 הַצָּרַ֖עַת the serious skin disease

    The priest is to go outside the camp to examine him, and if the skin disease of the afflicted person has healed,

    Here: A ritual category of flaky, discoloured skin conditions (and of similar marks on cloth and walls). It is not the same thing as modern leprosy (Hansen's disease).

  21. Leviticus 14:7 הַצָּרַ֖עַת the serious skin disease

    Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the skin disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and release the live bird into the open field.

    Here: The scaly, flaking or discolouring skin condition of Leviticus 13 that made a person ritually impure and excluded from the camp. The verse assumes it has already healed (14:3); what remains is its impurity.

  22. Leviticus 14:32 צָרָ֑עַת a serious skin disease

    This is the law for someone who has a skin disease and cannot afford the cost of his cleansing.”

  23. Leviticus 14:34 צָרַ֔עַת a serious disease

    “When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a contamination of mildew into a house in that land,

    Here: A ritual category for an abnormal, spreading surface condition. It can appear on skin, cloth and leather, and here on house walls. In a house it shows up as greenish or reddish depressions in the wall (v. 37), so some kind of mold, fungus or mineral growth. It is not Hansen's disease.

  24. Leviticus 14:44 צָרַ֨עַת [is] a serious disease

    the priest must come and inspect it. If the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean.

  25. Leviticus 14:54 הַצָּרַ֖עַת <the> serious skin disease

    This is the law for any infectious skin disease, for a scaly outbreak,

    Here: The umbrella category of flaking, discoloured or spreading surface blight that makes a person, garment or house ritually unclean. Not Hansen's disease. 'Mark of the tsara'at' means a patch that belongs to this category.

  26. Leviticus 14:55 וּלְצָרַ֥עַת and to [the] serious disease of

    for mildew in clothing or in a house,

  27. Leviticus 14:57 הַצָּרָֽעַת׃ ס <the> serious skin disease

    to determine when something is clean or unclean. This is the law regarding skin diseases and mildew.”

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 24:8 הַצָּרַ֛עַת <the> serious skin disease

    In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.

2 Kings · 4

  1. 2 Kings 5:3 מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ׃ from skin disease his

    She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.”

  2. 2 Kings 5:6 מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ׃ from skin disease his

    And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

  3. 2 Kings 5:7 מִצָּֽרַעְתּ֑וֹ from skin disease his

    When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”

    Here: Tsara'at was a disfiguring skin condition (scaly, flaking or discoloured skin) that the Torah treated as making a person ritually unclean. It is not the same as modern leprosy (Hansen's disease).

  4. 2 Kings 5:27 וְצָרַ֤עַת and [the] skin disease of

    Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.

    Here: The verse opens with the disease itself, put first for emphasis: "And Naaman's skin disease..." The "and" carries the sense of consequence (BSB "therefore"). Tsara'at is the visible, scaly or discoloured skin condition of Leviticus 13–14 that made a person ritually unclean. It is not specifically what we now call leprosy.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 26:19 וְ֠הַצָּרַעַת and <the> skin disease

    Uzziah, with a censer in his hand to offer incense, was enraged. But while he raged against the priests in their presence in the house of the LORD before the altar of incense, leprosy broke out on his forehead.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.