Leviticus 13:55

And the Priest shall looke on the plague after that it is washed: and behold, if the plague haue not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread, it is vncleane, thou shalt burne it in the fire, it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without. Leviticus 13:55 (KJV)

This verse belongs to a section of Leviticus that records the laws and regulations concerning leprosy and other skin diseases. The Israelites regarded skin diseases as serious matters that required careful examination and separation so that contamination would not spread within the community.

In this particular verse the focus is on the priest’s assessment of a plague or skin disease after it has been washed. The phrase “And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed” indicates that the priest was responsible for examining the affected person or object once it had been cleansed, highlighting the importance of proper hygiene in dealing with contagious conditions.

The next clause, “and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread,” shows that the priest was to observe whether the colour of the plague remained the same and whether the infection had failed to spread. If the colour did not change and the disease had not spread, this signified that the condition was not improving and was therefore deemed unclean.

“It is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire” declares that an unchanged and non‑spreading plague is unclean and must be burned. Burning served to remove impurity and to protect the community from further contamination.

The phrase “It is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without” refers to a deeper infection that has penetrated the inner layers of the skin or covered the whole area. Such a condition was also considered unclean and required burning.

Overall, Leviticus 13:55 demonstrates the meticulous procedures the Israelites followed to prevent the spread of disease and to maintain communal cleanliness. While these ceremonial and civil regulations were specific to the Mosaic covenant and are not binding for Christians today, the passage still offers insight into the value of hygiene, careful observation, and concern for the well‑being of others when confronting contagious illnesses.