Leviticus 14:33-44 · Bible study
Leviticus 14:33-44 Commentary: Leprosy in Houses
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did God give laws about house leprosy before Israel entered Canaan? The passage reveals God's foreknowledge and His demand for purity in the land He gives.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God prepares Israel for life in Canaan by giving laws to identify and deal with plague in houses, teaching that the land and all it contains belong to Him.
- Key words: nega (plague), tsara'at (leprosy/mildew), tame' (unclean), mam'eret (malignant/destructive).
- Main debate: Whether God directly sends the plague or permits natural decay, both positions appear in the commentators (Ellicott vs. Clarke).
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over the land and His demand for holiness extend even to the physical structures of daily life.
- Best use: A sermon series on Leviticus or a study on the theology of land, holiness, and the grace of divine inspection before judgment.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
33Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
34“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,
35the owner of the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘Something like mildew has appeared in my house.’
36The priest must order that the house be cleared before he enters it to examine the mildew, so that nothing in the house will become unclean. After this, the priest shall go in to inspect the house.
37He is to examine the house, and if the mildew on the walls consists of green or red depressions that appear to be beneath the surface of the wall,
38the priest shall go outside the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.
39On the seventh day the priest is to return and inspect the house. If the mildew has spread on the walls,
40he must order that the contaminated stones be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city.
41And he shall have the inside of the house scraped completely and the plaster that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the city.
42So different stones must be obtained to replace the contaminated ones, as well as additional mortar to replaster the house.
43If the mildew reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house has been scraped and replastered,
44the priest must come and inspect it. If the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean.
WEB World English Bible 2000
33Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
34“When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of your possession,
35then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of plague in the house.’
36The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean. Afterward the priest shall go in to inspect the house.
37He shall examine the plague; and behold, if the plague is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and it appears to be deeper 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.
39The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house,
40then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the plague, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city.
41He shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped all over. They shall pour out the mortar that they scraped off outside of the city into an unclean place.
42They shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.
43“If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered,
44then the priest shall come in and look; and behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew in the house. It is unclean.
KJV King James Version 1769
33And 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:
41And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
33And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
34When ye are 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;
35then he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, There seemeth to me to be as it were a plague in the house.
36And the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goeth in 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 streaks, greenish or reddish, and the appearance thereof be 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 out the stones in which the plague is, and cast them into an unclean place without the city:
41and he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the mortar, 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 mortar, and shall plaster the house.
43And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken out the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;
44then the priest shall come in and look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
33And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,
34`When ye come in unto the land of Canaan, which I am giving to you for a possession, and I have put a plague of leprosy in a house in the land of your possession;
35then hath he whose the house is come in and declared to the priest, saying, As a plague hath appeared to me in the house;
36and the priest hath commanded, and they have prepared the house before the priest cometh in to see the plague (that all which is in the house be not unclean), and afterwards doth the priest come in to see the house;
37and he hath seen the plague, and lo, the plague is in the walls of the house, hollow strakes, very green or very red, and their appearance is lower than the wall,
38and the priest hath gone out of the house unto the opening of the house, and hath shut up the house seven days.
39`And the priest hath turned back on the seventh day, and hath seen, and lo, the plague hath spread in the walls of the house,
40and the priest hath commanded, and they have drawn out the stones in which the plague is , and have cast them unto the outside of the city, unto an unclean place;
41and the house he doth cause to be scraped within round about, and they have poured out the clay which they have scraped off, at the outside of the city, at an unclean place;
42and they have taken other stones, and brought them in unto the place of the stones, and other clay he taketh and hath daubed the house.
43`And if the plague return, and hath broken out in the house, after he hath drawn out the stones, and after the scraping of the house, and after the daubing;
44then hath the priest come in and seen, and lo, the plague hath spread in the house; it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
33And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
34When ye come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a leprous plague in a house of the land of your possession,
35then he whose house it is shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me like a plague in the house;
36and 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 afterwards the priest shall go in to see the house.
37And when he looketh on the plague, and behold, the plague is in the walls of the house, greenish or reddish hollows, and their look is deeper than the surface of the wall,
38then the priest shall go out of the house to the entrance of the house, and shut up the house seven days.
39And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and when he looketh, and behold, the plague hath 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 out of the city, in an unclean place.
41And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the mortar that they have scraped off, out of the city in an unclean place.
42And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and they shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.
43And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered,
44then the priest shall come, and when he looketh, and behold, the plague hath spread in the house, it is a corroding leprosy in the house: it is unclean.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
33And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
34When you shall come into the land of Chanaan, which I will give you for a possession, if there be the plague or leprosy in a house:
35He whose house it is, shall go and tell the priest, saying: It seemeth to me, that there is the plague of leprosy in my house,
36And he shall command, that they carry forth all things out of the house, before he go into it, and see whether it have the leprosy, let all things become unclean that are in the house. And afterwards he shall go in to view the leprosy of the house.
37And if he see in the walls thereof as it were little dints, disfigured with paleness or redness, and lower than all he rest:
38He shall go out of the door of the house, and forthwith shut it up seven days,
39And returning on the seventh day, he shall look upon it. If he find that the leprosy is spread,
40He shall command, that the stones wherein the leprosy is, be taken out, and cast without the city into an unclean place:
41And that the house be scraped on the inside round about, and the dust of the scrapings be scattered without the city into an unclean place:
42And that other stones be laid in the place of them that were taken away, and the house be plastered with other mortar.
43But if after the stones be taken out, and the dust scraped off, and it be plastered with other earth.
44The priest going in perceive that the leprosy is returned, and the walls full of spots, it is a lasting leprosy, and the house is unclean.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 14:33
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this law, given while Israel camped at Sinai, looks forward to life in Canaan. Barnes notes it is placed last among leprosy laws because it is 'wholly prospective.' Cambridge calls the appearance a 'special visitation of God,' while Clarke and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown point out that Scripture often describes God as doing what He permits in providence. The priestly procedure mirrors that for human leprosy: quarantine, inspection, removal of infected material, and if the plague returns, total demolition. The purpose, as Calvin and Matthew Henry argue, is to teach purity and to remind Israel that the land is a divine gift requiring holiness. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the law 'was made known to Moses and Aaron as intended for the time when Israel should have taken possession of Canaan.' The shared core is clear: God prepares His people for the land He will give, and He claims authority over every part of life, including the houses they will inhabit.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Direct divine judgment: Phrase 'I put the plague' (v34) and Jewish tradition that links house leprosy to specific sins.
- Providentially permitted decay: Natural mold or salt efflorescence; God is spoken of in Scripture as doing what He permits (Clarke, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- Pedagogical symbol: The law teaches Israel about sin's spread and the need for priestly mediation; the physical process is a lesson in holiness (Calvin, Matthew Henry).
What is clear: Regardless of the mechanism, the passage affirms that God owns the land of Canaan, that He requires purity in every sphere of life, and that He provides a gracious process to diagnose and remove defilement before final judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Does God directly send the plague? | All commentators see the phrase 'I put the plague' as attributing the event to God's sovereignty. | Some (Ellicott, Jewish tradition) read it as a direct supernatural judgment for sin. Others (Clarke, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) argue it is natural decay that God permits, described in Scripture as His doing. |
| What is the house leprosy? | It is an organic decay, mold, fungus, or salt efflorescence, that appears as greenish or reddish depressions. | Jewish sources (Mishnah Negaim) treat it as a unique sign for Israel. Modern scholars see a natural phenomenon that the law adapts for ritual purposes. The exact identity remains unknown (Cambridge). |
| Application in Christian tradition | The passage teaches the need for purity in God's presence. | Reformed interpreters (Calvin) emphasize the land as a type of God's dwelling; Wesleyan tradition stresses the grace of quarantine and remediation; others read the house as symbolic of the individual believer (1 Corinthians 3:16). |
| Priestly role | The priest acts as God's appointed inspector, not a medical expert. | Is the priest's verdict simply diagnostic (the plague is real) or also judicial (he declares the house unclean)? Both are involved, but the emphasis differs: some see forensic declaration (Barnes), others a pronouncing of what is true (Calvin). |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage was delivered at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 1:1), decades before Israel crossed the Jordan. The houses in Canaan were typically built of undressed stone, set in mortar made from clay or lime, with timber roofs. The 'plague' (Hebrew nega) described as greenish or reddish depressions suggests a fungal growth or a salt efflorescence that eats into the stone. The word tsara'at (leprosy) here is used by analogy, a spreading decay, not Hansen's disease.
The procedure is practical and theological. The priest orders the house emptied before inspection, so furniture does not become defiled (v.36). Wesley notes that 'neither the people nor the household stuff were polluted till the leprosy was discovered', a lesson about sin known versus unknown. A seven-day quarantine permits observation. If the spot spreads, infected stones are removed and taken to an 'unclean place' outside the city, a designated dump. The house is scraped and replastered. If the plague returns, the house is demolished, its timber, stones and mortar carried away. The carefully graded response, with its multiple chances, mirrors the grace shown to persons with leprosy (Leviticus 14:1-32).
By giving this law in advance, God teaches that Canaan is not ordinary land, it is His possession, and He will inspect what is built on it. The repeated phrase 'unclean place outside the city' (vv.40,41,45) reinforces the separation of purity from defilement, a pattern that shapes Israel's identity as a holy people dwelling with a holy God.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and translations note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 14:33-44. The Hebrew text is stable across the Masoretic tradition. The key terms nega and tsara'at are consistent, and all ancient versions (Septuagint, Peshitta, Targums) follow the same structure.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, especially the Mishnah tractate Negaim (chapters 12-13), expanded these laws with great detail: the minimum size of the spot (two beans), the requirement of four walls, and the exclusion of houses built of brick or marble. The Targums interpret the 'plague' as a punishment for hidden sins like slander or theft.
Christian reception has been largely typological. Origen and the church fathers saw the house leprosy as a figure for heresy spreading in the church. Calvin used the passage to underscore God's authority over the land and the need for constant self-examination. Matthew Henry applied it to 'the plague of sin' in families and the necessity of repentance. Modern interpreters often stress the environmental and liturgical dimensions: the land itself participates in the holiness of God's people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God speaks before the event. (v33-34a) The law is given before entry, showing God's foreknowledge and His claim on the land. He is the Lord of history, who prepares His people for what lies ahead.
- God gives a process of discernment. (v34-38) The owner reports, the priest inspects, there is a quarantine, and then a verdict. Spiritual life requires careful examination, patience, and reliance on appointed leaders.
- Persistence requires removal. (v39-44) If the plague spreads after initial treatment, it is called a 'destructive mildew' (mam'eret, 'malignant'). The house is torn down. Some infections run too deep; the only remedy is total excision.
Five-point outline
- The land as a gift. (v34) 'I give to you for a possession', every good thing comes from God.
- The owner's humility. (v35) He says 'It seemeth to me…' He does not diagnose, he reports his suspicion to the priest.
- Priestly examination. (v36-37) The priest proceeds carefully, protecting the contents of the house.
- Remediation and second chance. (v38-42) After quarantine, infected stones are removed, the house scraped and replastered. This is grace before judgment.
- Final verdict. (v43-44) If the plague returns, the house is condemned. There is a limit to remediation; some corruption is incurable.
Illustration hooks
- A homeowner finds black mold behind a wall. The first attempt: remove the drywall, treat the studs, repaint. If it returns, the structure may need to be rebuilt.
- A person discovers a pattern of gossip in their church. A pastor works with the group to address it. If the pattern continues, eventually those involved may need to be lovingly removed.
- A doctor checks a mole on a patient's skin. The two-step process: observe, then biopsy. If it turns malignant, the entire growth must be excised.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God still send plagues on buildings today? How do we understand divine judgment in natural disasters?
- What does it mean that God 'puts' the plague (v34) if it is a natural mold? Is God the cause or the permitter?
- This law seems remote. Is there a New Testament equivalent for dealing with persistent sin in a community?
Leading a Discussion
This passage sounds strange to modern ears. Yet it teaches something crucial: the God who gives good gifts also sets standards for how those gifts are used. The house, a place of shelter, family, and rest, can become a source of defilement. The owner has no power to cleanse it; he must defer to the priest. The process of quarantine, removal, and rebuilding reflects God's patience and His unwillingness to let impurity remain.
Discussion questions
- Read Leviticus 14:33-34 aloud. Why do you think God mentions 'the land I give you' twice? What does this tell us about His relationship with Israel?
- The owner says 'It seemeth to me…' (v35). He does not claim certainty nor hide his suspicion. What does this teach us about bringing concerns to leaders?
- Why does the priest empty the house before inspecting? Consider the effect on the household. How does this mirror God's approach to our hidden sins?
- The plague returns after new stones and plaster are installed (v43-44). The verdict is final. What do you think this signifies about persistent, unrepented sin?
- In what ways is your life, family, or church subject to a 'spiritual inspection'? Who are the 'priests' you trust to help diagnose problems?
- How does Jesus' cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-17) echo this passage? What does He remove that has defiled God's house?
- What hope does this passage offer for people whose homes or lives feel 'unclean' or decayed? Compare with 1 John 1:9.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 12:7 | Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him. |
| Genesis 13:17 | Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its width; for I will give it to you.” |
| Genesis 17:8 | I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.” |
| Exodus 15:26 | He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.” |
| Leviticus 23:10 | “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. |
| Leviticus 25:2 | “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to Yahweh. |
| Numbers 32:22 | and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be clear of obligation to Yahweh and to Israel. Then this land shall be your possession before Yahweh. |
| Numbers 32:32 | We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the Bible often describes God as doing what He merely permits. The plague of leprosy was likely caused by minute creatures rather than being a direct divine infliction, even though Scripture speaks of God putting it on the house.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the law on leprosy in houses appears last because it was wholly prospective for Israel in the wilderness, where dwellings were made of the same materials as clothing. He emphasizes that Yahweh speaks here as Lord over all creation, determining decay and destruction. The leprosy in houses, like that in clothing and human bodies, teaches that all created things naturally pass away and are sustained only by God’s appointed power.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees leprosy striking houses as a uniquely severe punishment, fitting for a people God had honored with extraordinary privileges. The horror of this affliction drove home the lesson that ingratitude defiling God's gifts brings devastating consequences, and it urgently pressed Israel to maintain purity in every part of life.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary highlights that the law treats this plague on house walls as a special act of God, reserved for Israel and not found among foreigners. It stresses that the owner only reports a suspicion, while the priest makes the final call, and the order to empty the house shows the concern is not about catching anything.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the careful procedure given to prevent the spread of uncleanness. The priest first orders the house emptied so nothing inside becomes defiled by the inspection itself. This practical precaution shows God's concern to limit contamination and protect what can still be saved.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the leprosy in houses described here was not a natural disease but a supernatural plague sent directly by God, often as judgment for sins like evil speaking. Jewish tradition, he notes, restricted this law to houses in Canaan, excluding Jerusalem, and required cautious language when reporting the suspected plague to the priest.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB treats the house leprosy as a natural, material affliction like mildew or salt efflorescence, not a supernatural judgment. The plague was in the building itself, not caught from occupants. The prescribed removal of infected stones and replastering matches exactly what is still done for houses with mural salt.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the house-leprosy is not physical contamination from human disease but a direct, symbolic act of God. He argues God placed these marks on dwellings to remind Israel that their homes, like their bodies, belong to the Lord and must be kept holy. The uncleanness is ideal and ceremonial, not infectious.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the two birds as allegorical symbols: the slain bird represents the leper fallen into death, while the living bird, dipped in blood and set free, pictures recovery and unrestrained motion. The cedar, scarlet, and hyssop dipped with it signify endurance, freshness, and purity of life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that God's detailed instructions for handling leprosy in a house show sin can cling even to lifeless things people live among, so it must be dealt with carefully. The priest
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that nothing became unclean until the priest declared it, showing God's sharp distinction between sins of ignorance and sins committed with full knowledge. He sees this house-leprosy as a unique judgment on Israel, either punishing their greater guilt, prompting them to repent, or picturing sin's power to ruin even their dwellings.