What Does Leviticus 13:35 Mean in the King James?

But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;

Leviticus 13:35 · 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.

THE KEY

The Hebrew says, almost literally, “spreading, it spreads”, cleansing does not erase new evidence.

THE MEANING

A clean state and a later change can both be true. When what was examined begins to spread after cleansing, the new evidence matters; the earlier clean judgment does not make the spreading disappear.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

A past declaration of cleanliness means no later change deserves attention.

THE ROOT

פָּשֹׂה תִּפְשֶׂה

pāśōh tiphśeh

GROWS FROM

פשה

pāśâ

Spread or extend.

The Hebrew repeats the root in two forms: “spreading, it spreads.” The KJV’s “spread much” conveys the force, while the repeated sound makes the ongoing spread audible.

ALSO GROWS

pāśōh: spreading

פָּשֹׂה

This form comes first and sets up the repeated action.

tiphśeh: it spreads

תִּפְשֶׂה

The same root follows as the action itself, intensifying the sense of continued spread.

הִטַּהֲרוֹ

hittahăro

GROWS FROM

טהר

ṭāhēr

Be clean or cleanse.

The verse names a real state of cleansing, then gives equal attention to what becomes visible afterward. A clean judgment and later spread are both held in view.

ALSO GROWS

ṭāhôr: clean

טָהוֹר

The adjective from this root names the clean state that the verse says has already been reached.

ṭihēr: he cleansed

טִהֵר

This verbal form shares the root and makes the cleansing an action, alongside the later change the verse observes.

THE PATTERN

A prior judgment does not cancel the need to respond to what can now be observed and tested.

And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

Leviticus 13:6 · KJVThe judgment of clean status follows another look at whether the mark has spread.

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 · KJVA claim already presented is examined against evidence before judgment is made.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 · KJVThe verse places testing before holding something as sound.

THE THREAD

But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:

Leviticus 13:7 · KJV

The same root ⁨פשה⁩ (pāśâ, spread) appears again in “spread much abroad.” The next verse makes explicit what this one leaves pending: continued spread leads to another examination.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us