Leviticus 13:47-58 Meaning: When Mildew Spreads
47“The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment;
48whether it is in warp or woof; of linen or of wool; whether in leather, or in anything made of leather;
49if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the leather, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of leather; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest.
50The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days.
51He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean.
52He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, in which the plague is, for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.
53“If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin;
54then the priest shall command that they wash the thing that the plague is in, and he shall isolate it seven more days.
55Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and the plague hasn’t spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside.
56If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof;
57and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn what the plague is in with fire.
58The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.”
47The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
48Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
49And 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:
50And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
51And 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.
52He 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.
53And 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;
54Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
55And 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.
56And 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:
57And 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.
58And 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.
47The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
48whether it be in warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin;
49if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the priest.
50And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up that which hath the plague seven days:
51and 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 the skin, whatever service skin is used for; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
52And he shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in woollen or in linen, or anything of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
53And 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 anything of skin;
54then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
55and the priest shall look, after that the plague is washed; and, behold, if the plague have not changed its color, and the plague be not spread, it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire: it is a fret, whether the bareness be within or without.
56And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be dim after the washing thereof, then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
57and if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is breaking out: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
58And the garment, either the warp, or the 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.
47`And when there is in any garment a plague of leprosy, --in a garment of wool, or in a garment of linen,
48or in the warp, or in the woof, of linen or of wool, or in a skin, or in any work of skin,
49and the plague hath been very green or very red in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin, it is a plague of leprosy, and it hath been shewn the priest.
50`And the priest hath seen the plague, and hath shut up that which hath the plague, seven days;
51and he hath seen the plague on the seventh day, and the plague hath spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, of all that is made of skin for work; the plague is a fretting leprosy, it is unclean.
52`And he hath burnt the garment, or the warp, or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any vessel of skin in which the plague is; for it is a fretting leprosy; with fire it is burnt.
53`And if the priest see, and lo, the plague hath not spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin,
54then hath the priest commanded, and they have washed that in which the plague is , and he hath shut it up a second seven days.
55And the priest hath seen that which hath the plague after it hath been washed, and lo, the plague hath not changed its aspect, and the plague hath not spread, --it is unclean; with fire thou dost burn it; it is a fretting in its back-part or in its front-part.
56`And if the priest hath seen, and lo, the plague is become weak after it hath been washed, then he hath rent it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof;
57and if it still be seen in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any vessel of skin, it is a fretting; with fire thou dost burn it--that in which the plague is .
58`And the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or any vessel of skin which thou dost wash when the plague hath turned aside from them, then it hath been washed a second time, and hath been clean.
47And if a sore of leprosy is in a garment, in a woollen garment, or a linen garment,
48either in the warp or in the woof of linen or of wool, or in a skin, or in anything made of skin,
49and the sore is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is the sore of leprosy, and shall be shewn unto the priest.
50And the priest shall look on the sore, and shall shut up [that which hath] the sore seven days.
51And he shall see the sore on the seventh day: if the sore have spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in a skin, in any work that may be made of skin, the sore is a corroding leprosy: it is unclean.
52And they shall burn the garment, or the warp or the woof, of wool or of linen, or anything of skin, wherein the sore is; for it is a corroding leprosy: it shall be burned with fire.
53But if the priest look, and behold, the sore hath not spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin,
54then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the sore is, and he shall shut it up seven days a second time.
55And the priest shall look on the sore after the washing, and behold, if the sore have not changed its appearance, and the sore have not spread, it is unclean: thou shalt burn it with fire: it is a fretting sore on what is threadbare or where the nap is gone.
56But if the priest look, and behold, the sore hath become pale after the washing of it, then he shall rend it from the garment, or from the skin, or from the warp, or from the woof.
57And if it appear still in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is a [leprosy] breaking out: thou shalt burn with fire that wherein the sore is.
58But the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin which thou hast washed, and the sore departeth from them, it shall be washed a second time, and it is clean.
Meaning in one sentence
What does the law about leprosy in garments mean? A practical look at Leviticus 13:47, 58 and how God's holiness touches even our clothing.
Context
Leviticus 13 is a long chapter that first addresses leprosy in human skin, then moves to a surprising place: clothing. The passage before us lays out what to do when a suspicious greenish or reddish spot appears on fabric, wool, linen, or leather. The priest becomes an inspector. He isolates the garment for seven days, watches whether the mark spreads, orders washing, and if needed, cuts out the spoiled section or burns the whole thing. This is not primitive superstition. It is a detailed procedure that treats an ordinary household item as something that can become unclean and therefore affect the holiness of the whole community.
Key Words
The key word throughout this passage is tsara'at, often translated “leprosy.” But in the case of clothing, it points to a destructive mold or mildew. The same Hebrew word is used for a skin disease, which suggests something that eats away, spreads, and makes a person unfit for worship. Here it does the same to fabric. The word nega means “plague” or “stroke”, a mark that strikes the material. And the adjective mam'eret (from a root meaning “to pain”) is rendered “malignant” or “destructive.” This is not a minor stain. It is an aggressive corruption that demands attention.
The process is anchored in the verb ra'ah, “to see.” The priest looks carefully, waits, looks again. God wants His people to pay attention to what is hidden, even in the weave of a garment.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have understood these verses in more than one way. Many early Jewish and Christian readers saw them as literal instruction for community health: mold and contagious diseases can linger in fabrics, so quarantine and burning made practical sense. Others, like Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry, read the passage as a powerful picture of sin. The spot in the garment stands for the small corruptions that, left alone, spread and ruin a life. The priest’s careful examination mirrors God’s patient scrutiny of the heart. Both readings point to a God who cares about purity in every corner of existence, not just inside the tabernacle, but in the clothes on your back.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers dismiss this passage as nothing more than ancient hygiene rules with no meaning for today. In fact, the painstaking process, examine, isolate, wash, re-examine, cut, burn, teaches a crucial spiritual truth. Sin, like mold, often starts small and hidden. It must be carefully looked at, given time to reveal its true nature, and dealt with radically. The law shows that God does not ignore what contaminates; He provides a way to both diagnose and cleanse.
Living This Out
This week, try something concrete. Pick one area of your life where a small compromise has settled in, a sharp word you keep using, a resentment you nurse, a corner of honesty you have let go slack. Treat it the way the priest treated the garment. Do not ignore it. Isolate it. Watch it. Bring it before God and let Him examine it. If it spreads, do not hesitate: cut it out. That may mean a hard conversation, a changed habit, even walking away from something you value. And if the spot fades after washing, after confession and prayer, then let the cleansing go deeper. Let Christ’s grace wash it a second time until you are clean.
Main takeaway: Sin, like hidden mildew, must be examined, isolated, and removed before it spreads beyond control.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
If you get a stain on your favorite shirt that won’t come out, you might have to stop wearing it. In the Bible, God told His people to check their clothes for spots that could spread. He wants us to keep our hearts clean too.
For ages 9, 12
Imagine you find a patch of mold on your hoodie. You wouldn’t just wear it anyway. You’d show it to someone who knows what to do. In ancient Israel, the priest was like an inspector. He looked closely, waited to see if the mold grew, and sometimes cut out the bad part or burned the whole thing. This is a picture of how sin works. It starts small, but if you ignore it, it spreads. God wants you to bring even the little things to Him so He can deal with them before they take over.
Questions People Ask
Does 'leprosy' in this passage mean Hansen's disease (the modern leprosy)?
No. The Hebrew word tsara'at covers a range of conditions: a serious skin disease in people, and a destructive mildew or mold in fabrics and houses. In garments, it refers to a greenish or reddish spot that spreads and eats away the material. It is not the same as the modern bacterial infection that affects humans.
Why was the priest involved in checking clothes?
In ancient Israel, the priest acted as the community's health and holiness inspector. He was trained to identify ritual uncleanness, which could come from disease or from mold. Since uncleanness could spread and contaminate the camp, the priest’s role was to examine, quarantine, and declare the item clean or unclean to protect the whole community.
What is the spiritual lesson of Leviticus 13:47, 58?
Many Christian teachers see the passage as a picture of how sin behaves. Sin often starts as a small, hidden spot, a bad attitude, a dishonest moment. It does not go away on its own. Left unchecked, it spreads. God calls us to examine our lives honestly, isolate the problem, and if necessary remove it radically, just as the garment was cut or burned. At the same time, the washing that leads to cleanness points to the cleansing God offers.
How does this apply to Christians today since we don't have a temple priesthood or these laws?
The specific ritual is no longer in force, but the principle endures. God cares about purity in every part of life, including the everyday things we handle. The passage invites us to take sin seriously, to not dismiss small compromises. The pattern of examination, waiting, washing, and radical removal can guide how we deal with persistent wrong in our own hearts, trusting that God provides real cleansing through Christ.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study