Daily Bread

Regulations About Defiling Molds

⁴⁷ “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, ⁴⁸ any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— ⁴⁹ if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.^{(A) 50} The priest is to examine the affected area^(B) and isolate the article for seven days. ⁵¹ On the seventh day he is to examine it,^(C) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.^{(D) 52} He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.^(E)

⁵³ “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, ⁵⁴ he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. ⁵⁵ After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. ⁵⁶ If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. ⁵⁷ But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. ⁵⁸ Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”

⁵⁹ These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

14 The Lord said to Moses, ² “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:^{(F) 3} The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.^(G) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,^{[a](H) 4} the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop^(I) be brought for the person to be cleansed.^{(J) 5} Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.^{(K) 6} He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.^{(L) 7} Seven times^(M) he shall sprinkle^(N) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.^(O)

⁸ “The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes,^(P) shave off all their hair and bathe with water;^(Q) then they will be ceremonially clean.^(R) After this they may come into the camp,^(S) but they must stay outside their tent for seven days. ⁹ On the seventh day^(T) they must shave off all their hair;^(U) they must shave their head, their beard, their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves with water, and they will be clean.^(V)

¹⁰ “On the eighth day^(W) they must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb^(X) a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah^[b](Y) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering,^(Z) and one log^[c] of oil.^{(AA) 11} The priest who pronounces them clean shall present^(AB) both the one to be cleansed and their offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(AC)

¹² “Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering,^(AD) along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.^{(AE) 13} He is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area^(AF) where the sin offering^[d] and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest;^(AG) it is most holy. ¹⁴ The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.^{(AH) 15} The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand,^{(AI) 16} dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the Lord seven times.^{(AJ) 17} The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.^{(AK) 18} The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed^(AL) and make atonement for them before the Lord.

¹⁹ “Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from their uncleanness.^(AM) After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering ²⁰ and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for them,^(AN) and they will be clean.^(AO)

²¹ “If, however, they are poor^(AP) and cannot afford these,^(AQ) they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah^[e] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, ²² and two doves or two young pigeons,^(AR) such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.^(AS)

²³ “On the eighth day they must bring them for their cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting,^(AT) before the Lord.^{(AU) 24} The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering,^(AV) together with the log of oil,^(AW) and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.^{(AX) 25} He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.^{(AY) 26} The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,^{(AZ) 27} and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. ²⁸ Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering—on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. ²⁹ The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for them before the Lord.^{(BA) 30} Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, such as the person can afford,^{(BB) 31} one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering,^(BC) together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed.^(BD)”

³² These are the regulations for anyone who has a defiling skin disease^(BE) and who cannot afford the regular offerings^(BF) for their cleansing.