Leviticus 14:8

Verse

The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.

Bible in Basic English

And he who is to be made clean will have his clothing washed and his hair cut and have a bath, and he will be clean. And after that he will come back to the tent-circle; but he is to keep outside his tent for seven days.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when the man hath washed his clothes, he shall shave all the hair of his body, and shall be washed with water: and being purified, he shall enter into the camp, yet so that he tarry without his own tent seven days:

Free Bible Version

The one being made clean must wash their clothes, shave off all their hair, and wash themselves with water; then they will be will be ceremonially clean. After that they can enter the camp, but they must stay outside their tent for seven days.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then he that shall be clensed, shall wash his clothes, and shaue off all his heare, and wash himselfe in water, so he shalbe cleane: after that shall he come into the host, but shall tary without his tent seuen dayes.

King James (Authorized) Version

And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

One Unity Resource Bible

“He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.

Translation for Translators

“Then the person who was healed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe. Then he is allowed to return to the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The person who is being cleansed will wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, and then he will be clean. After that he must come into the camp, but he will live outside his tent for seven days.

Noah Webster Bible

World English Bible

Young's Literal Translation

'And he who is to be cleansed hath washed his garments, and hath shaved all his hair, and hath bathed with water, and hath been clean, and afterwards he doth come in unto the camp, and hath dwelt at the outside of his tent seven days.

Context

Cleansing from Skin Diseases

⁷Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the skin disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and release the live bird into the open field.⁸The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.⁹On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

Summary

In Leviticus 14:8, the priest is instructed to make a sin offering on behalf of the person seeking cleansing from a skin disease. This offering symbolizes the atonement for sin and the restoration of the individual to the community. The ritual underscores the importance of repentance and the need for purification before rejoining society. It also points to the spiritual significance of being made clean through the sacrifice, foreshadowing the ultimate cleansing that comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

And shave off all his hair - That the water by which he was to be washed should reach every part of his body, that he might be cleansed from whatever defilement might remain on any part of the surface of his body. The Egyptian priests shaved the whole body every third day, to prevent all manner of defilement.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes,.... That there may be no remains of the infection in them, and that they might not convey an ill scent to others: so the conversation garments of the saints are to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, Rev 7:14, and shave off all his hair; what is here expressed in general is more particularly declared in Lev 14:9; the hair of his head, beard, and eyebrows; according to Gersom, this was done by the priest, and so Maimonides says (g), that none but a priest might shave him; and yet the text seems plainly to ascribe this, as well as the washing of his clothes and himself, to the leper that was to be cleansed; and the same writers say, that if two hairs were left it was no shaving; and so says the Misnah (h): the shaving of the leper's hairs signified the weakening of the strength of sin; the mortification of the deeds of the body, through the Spirit, and the laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness, and the excrescences of the flesh; a parting with every thing that grows out of a man's self, sin or self-righteousness; a laying a man bare and open, that nothing may lie hid and covered, and escape cleansing: and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: which was to be done by dipping in a collection of water, and not in running water, as Gersom observes, in a quantity of water sufficient to cover the whole body; which, according to the Talmud (i), was forty seahs, and was a cubit square in breadth, and three cubits deep: this may denote the washing of sinful men with the washing of regeneration, but more especially with the blood of Christ, the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, Zac 13:1, and after that he shall come into the camp; into the camp of Israel, while in the wilderness, and in after times into the city, where he used to dwell; and may sign try the admittance of such into the church of God again, who appear to be cleansed from sin, to have true repentance towards God for it, and faith in the blood of Christ: and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days; that is, out of his own tent or house, where his wife and family dwelt: this precaution was taken, lest there should be any remains of his disorder lurking, in him that might endanger his wife and family, especially his wife, with whom he was to have no conjugal conversation as yet; so it is said in the Misnah (k), that he was to be separated from his house seven days, and forbid the use of the marriage bed; and this prohibition. Jarchi thinks is intended in this clause, and so Maimonides (l), to which agrees the Targum of Jonathan,"he shall sit without the tent of the house of his habitation, and shall not come near to the side of his wife seven days.'' (g) Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat, c. 11. sect. 3. (h) Negaim, c. 14. sect. 4. (i) T. Bab. Eruvin, fol. 14. 1, 2. (k) Ut supra, (Misn. Negaim, c. 11) sect. 2. (l) Ut supra, (Hilchot Tumaat Tzarat, c. 11.) sect. 1.