Hebrew word · H934

בַּהֶ֫רֶת

beharot

bright spot

'A bright, shiny spot.' It comes from the root bhr, 'to be bright' (compare bahir, 'bright', of light in the clouds in Job 37:21). It occurs only in Lev 13–14, as one of the presenting signs (13:2) and as a harmless condition (13:38–39, bohaq).

Appears 12 times in 11 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) white patch of skin, brightness, bright spot (on skin)

2) (CLBL) bright spot, scar, blister, boil

2a) resulting from fire

2b) resulting from inflammation of the skin

2c) possible sign of leprosy

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 Leviticus 13:4

Range of meaning

'A bright, shiny spot.' It comes from the root bhr, 'to be bright' (compare bahir, 'bright', of light in the clouds in Job 37:21). It occurs only in Lev 13–14, as one of the presenting signs (13:2) and as a harmless condition (13:38–39, bohaq).

Against the English

The KJV/WEB/YLT 'bright spot' is accurate. The BSB has just 'spot', which drops the 'shiny' part. Leviticus 13:38–39 itself shows that such spots are often harmless: a dull-white bright spot is bohaq, a clean rash.

Used elsewhere in the period

Only in Leviticus 13–14. The Septuagint uses tēlaugēs, 'shining from afar'. The Mishnah (Nega'im 1:1) grades the whiteness of a baheret by comparison with snow.

Where it appears

Leviticus · 12

  1. Leviticus 13:2 בַהֶ֔רֶת a bright spot

    “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: From a root meaning "bright": a shiny, whitish or discoloured patch. It is the sign the chapter returns to most often (vv. 4, 19, 23–28, 38–39).

  2. Leviticus 13:4 בַּהֶרֶת֩ [is] a bright spot

    If, however, the spot on his skin is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days.

    Here: A shiny, light-colored patch on the skin. It is one of the three first signs listed in 13:2, along with a swelling and a scab. The word comes from a root meaning 'bright, shining'.

  3. Leviticus 13:19 בַהֶ֖רֶת a bright spot

    and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, he must present himself to the priest.

  4. Leviticus 13:23 הַבַּהֶ֙רֶת֙ the bright spot

    But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

  5. Leviticus 13:24 בַּהֶ֛רֶת a bright spot

    When there is a burn on someone’s skin and the raw area of the burn becomes reddish-white or white,

  6. Leviticus 13:25 בַּבַּהֶ֗רֶת in the bright spot

    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.

  7. Leviticus 13:26 בַּבֶּהֶ֙רֶת֙ in the bright spot

    But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot, and it is not beneath the skin but has faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days.

  8. Leviticus 13:28 הַבַּהֶ֜רֶת the bright spot

    But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread on the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest is to pronounce him clean; for it is only the scar from the burn.

  9. Leviticus 13:38 בֶּהָרֹ֑ת בֶּהָרֹ֖ת bright spots

    When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin,

  10. Leviticus 13:39 בֶּהָרֹ֖ת bright spots

    the priest shall examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.

  11. Leviticus 14:56 וְלַבֶּהָֽרֶת׃ and to <the> bright spot

    and for a swelling, rash, or spot,

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