29 "Now if a man or woman has an infection on the head or on the beard , 30 then the priest shall look at the infection , and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and there is thin yellowish hair in it, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean ; it is a scale , it is leprosy of the head or of the beard . 31 "But if the priest looks at the infection of the scale , and indeed , it appears to be no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate the person with the scaly infection for seven days . 32 "On the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection , and if the scale has not spread and no yellowish hair has grown in it, and the appearance of the scale is no deeper than the skin , 33 then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the scale ; and the priest shall isolate the person with the scale seven more days . 34 "Then on the seventh day the priest shall look at the scale , and if the scale has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin , the priest shall pronounce him clean ; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean . 35 "But if the scale spreads farther in the skin after his cleansing , 36 then the priest shall look at him, and if the scale has spread in the skin , the priest need not seek for the yellowish hair ; he is unclean . 37 "If in his sight the scale has remained , however, and black hair has grown in it, the scale has healed , he is clean ; and the priest shall pronounce him clean .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 13:29-37
Commentary on Leviticus 13:18-44
(Read Leviticus 13:18-44)
The priest is told what judgment to make, if there were any appearance of a leprosy in old sores; and such is the danger of those who having escaped the pollutions of the world are again entangled therein. Or, in a burn by accident, verse 24. The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising and breaking out of that corruption, which proves that men are unclean. Human life lies exposed to many grievances. With what troops of diseases are we beset on every side; and thy all entered by sin! If the constitution be healthy, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies. Particular note was taken of the leprosy, if in the head. If the leprosy of sin has seized the head; if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked principles, which support wicked practices, are embraced, it is utter uncleanness, from which few are cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps leprosy from the head.