What Does Leviticus 13:30 Mean in the King James?

Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.

Leviticus 13:30 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The name of this scalp affliction carries the image of detachment, so the priest’s verdict turns on reading the lesion beneath the surface.

THE MEANING

The diagnosis rests on a particular combination of signs: the lesion appears deeper than the skin, and a fine yellow hair is present within it. The priest names it a dry scall on the head or beard and pronounces the person unclean. The ruling is tied to this discernible pattern, not simply to the presence of a skin mark.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the assumption that every visible skin mark means the same thing: the ruling depends on the lesion’s depth and the hair within it.

THE ROOT

נֶתֶק

neteq

GROWS FROM

נתק

to pull away, detach, or tear off

“dry scall” in this verse is neteq. English gives the condition a label, while ⁨נֶתֶק⁩ (neteq, a scalp or beard affliction) carries the root image of detachment. The verse makes the diagnosis turn on what the lesion looks like beneath the skin and on the hair within it.

ALSO GROWS

nataq: to pull away, tear off, or break apart

נָתַק

The same root appears in Psalm 2:3 for breaking bonds, revealing the detachment-image carried by the condition’s name.

neteq: a scall or affliction of the head or beard

נֶתֶק

This is the name the verse gives the lesion; its root keeps the image of something detached or pulled away within the diagnosis.

רָאָה

ra’ah

GROWS FROM

ראה

to see, look, or perceive

“see / appearance” in this verse is ra’ah. The verse uses this root both for the priest’s inspection and for the lesion’s appearance. Hebrew ties the act of seeing to what is seen, as the priest discerns the lesion’s depth.

ALSO GROWS

ra’ah: to see or look

רָאָה

This is the verb for the priest examining the lesion.

mar’eh: appearance or sight

מַרְאֶה

This is the word for how the lesion appears deeper than the skin, echoing the root of the priest’s seeing.

THE PATTERN

Sound judgment examines specific evidence before naming what is present.

And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Leviticus 13:3 · KJVThe priest’s ruling follows a careful examination of the lesion’s depth and the change in the hair.

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

Deuteronomy 19:18 · KJVThe judges investigate the evidence before deciding whether the accusation is true.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

John 7:24 · KJVThis verse calls judgment beyond a first impression, toward a fuller discernment of what is actually present.

THE THREAD

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Psalm 2:3 · KJV

⁨נֶתֶק⁩ (neteq, a scalp or beard affliction) belongs to ⁨נתק⁩ (nataq, to detach or tear away), the root behind “break” in this verse. The same root image appears in a bodily condition and in the breaking of bonds.

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