Lexical Summary mikvah: Gathering, collection, hope, reservoir, pool Original Word: מִכְוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance that burns, burning From kavah; a burn -- that burneth, burning. see HEBREW kavah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kavah Definition a burnt spot, scar of a burn NASB Translation burn (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִכְוָה noun feminine burnt-spot, scar of a burn; מִכְוַתאֵֿשׁ Leviticus 13:24; מִכְוָה Leviticus 13:24; Leviticus 13:25; Leviticus 13:28; Leviticus 13:28 (all P). כּוֺכָב see below כבב. Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Immediate Context מִכְוָה appears exclusively in Leviticus 13:24–28, where the priest is instructed how to evaluate a skin disorder that develops in the scar tissue of a burn. Twice in verse 24, once in verse 25, and twice in verse 28, the word designates the underlying burn over which a suspicious lesion has arisen. Leviticus 13:24: “If the body sustains a burn from fire and the raw area becomes a reddish-white or white spot, the priest is to examine it.” The remaining occurrences expand the diagnostic criteria and the period of quarantine. In every case, מִכְוָה marks the injury itself, distinguishing it from subsequent discolorations that might signal serious disease. Medical and Ritual Significance Ancient Near-Eastern medicine recognized that damaged tissue could be an entry point for infection. Israel’s law, however, integrates that observation into a larger theological framework: holiness requires wholeness. Because the tabernacle represented the dwelling of a holy God among His people, anything that symbolized decay or death was carefully screened out. A burn scar was not automatically defiling, but any abnormal change over the scar had to be inspected to guard the camp from what Scripture calls “leprosy,” a broad term for progressive skin disease. Burns, unlike other wounds, place living flesh in direct contact with fire—an element often associated with judgment (Genesis 19:24; Numbers 11:1) and purification (Numbers 31:23). The legislation therefore protects both physical health and covenantal purity, reminding Israel that they must be vigilant against hidden corruption. Levitical Procedure and Priestly Ministry The priest’s role was twofold: medical examiner and spiritual guardian. In the case of מִכְוָה: 1. He examined color, depth, and hair in the lesion (Leviticus 13:25). This procedure upheld justice and mercy: no one was pronounced unclean without evidence, yet the congregation was shielded from danger. The priestly ministry thus prefigures Christ, our High Priest, who discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:13-14) and separates sin from righteousness. Spiritual Lessons and Typology 1. Hidden Threats: A burn’s outward healing can mask internal infection. Similarly, forgiven believers must still watch for lingering sin that can re-emerge (1 Corinthians 10:12). Historical Insight Extra-biblical texts show contemporary cultures isolating victims of severe skin disease, but Israel’s law is unique in rooting such isolation in holiness rather than mere sanitation. Unlike pagan rituals that sought to appease capricious deities, Leviticus grounds every medical step in covenant obedience to the God who both judges and heals (Exodus 15:26). Practical Application for Ministry Pastoral care often encounters “burns”—past traumas or sins—that seem resolved but later develop unhealthy symptoms. Following the Levitical pattern: By understanding מִכְוָה and its regulations, modern ministry gains a model for discerning hidden dangers, guarding communal holiness, and extending compassionate restoration. Forms and Transliterations בַּמִּכְוָ֖ה במכוה הַמִּכְוָ֖ה הַמִּכְוָ֗ה המכוה מִכְוַת־ מכות־ bam·miḵ·wāh bammichVah bammiḵwāh ham·miḵ·wāh hammichVah hammiḵwāh michvat miḵ·waṯ- miḵwaṯ-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 13:24 HEB: יִהְיֶ֥ה בְעֹר֖וֹ מִכְוַת־ אֵ֑שׁ וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה NAS: in its skin a burn by fire, KJV: whereof [there is] a hot burning, and the quick INT: sustains skin A burn fire becomes Leviticus 13:24 Leviticus 13:25 Leviticus 13:28 Leviticus 13:28 5 Occurrences |
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