Lexical Summary bahereth: Bright spot, white spot Original Word: בֹּהֶרֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bright spot Feminine active participle of the same as bahiyr; a whitish spot on the skin -- bright spot. see HEBREW bahiyr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition brightness, bright spot NASB Translation bright spot (9), bright spots (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs בַּהֶ֫רֶת noun feminine brightness, bright spot, of eruption on skin (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic בַּהְרָא) — ׳בּ absolute Leviticus 13:2 7t.; בֶּהָ֑רֶת Leviticus 14:56; plural absolute בֶּהָרוֺת Leviticus 13:38,39; — bright spot (sore, scar, etc.), clean or unclean Leviticus 14:56; following a burn (from fire) Leviticus 13:24,25,26,28; possible beginning of leprosy Leviticus 13:2,4,19,23; but possibly a (passing) eruption מִסְמַּחַת Leviticus 13:6; or due to a boil שְׁחִין Leviticus 13:19; Leviticus 13:23; — due to בֹּהַק (q. v.) Leviticus 13:38,39. Topical Lexicon Nature of the Afflictionבֹּהֶרֶת designates a bright, milk-white patch that may appear on human skin. Scripture classifies it among the several manifestations of צרעת (commonly translated “leprosy,” but encompassing a broader range of dermal disorders). The mark’s diagnostic feature is its intense whiteness, in contrast both to normal flesh and to the reddish or duller hues of other lesions. In Leviticus 13:2 the lesion is listed alongside “a swelling or a scab,” signaling that the priest must differentiate between temporary irritation and an enduring contagion demanding separation. Occurrences in Leviticus Every appearance of בֹּהֶרֶת is concentrated in the priestly legislation of Leviticus 13–14: • Leviticus 13:2; 13:4 establish initial inspection protocols. These tightly grouped references show that the term never functions as casual narrative detail; it appears solely within covenantal regulations for distinguishing holy from profane. Role in Israelite Community Life Because contagion threatened corporate worship, the Lord charged the priests—not physicians—with medical-spiritual oversight. A suspected בֹּהֶרֶת required quarantine and re-examination after seven days. If the spot “has not spread and has faded, the priest shall pronounce him clean” (Leviticus 13:6). The procedures protected the tabernacle from defilement while also preserving communal safety, balancing mercy toward the sufferer with allegiance to God’s holiness. Priestly Examination and Ritual Process 1. Initial Presentation: The sufferer approached a priest, not a civil judge, underscoring that impurity is primarily a theological concern (Leviticus 13:2). Symbolism of Sin and Holiness The dazzling brightness of בֹּהֶרֶת paradoxically depicts that sin can appear outwardly innocuous or even “white,” yet still estrange from God. Isaiah later laments, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18), inverting the association to promise redemptive cleansing. The contrast underscores that external appearance never suffices; divine examination reaches “deeper than the skin” (Leviticus 13:3). Foreshadowing of Christ’s Cleansing Work Leviticus 14 provides the only Old Testament account of a person restored from צרעת—picturing resurrection life. Two birds were required: one slain, one released after being dipped in the blood of the first over “running water” (Leviticus 14:6). The type anticipates Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection secure complete cleansing. The New Testament fulfillment is explicit when Jesus commands healed lepers to “present the offering that Moses commanded” (Matthew 8:4), proving continuity between covenant epochs. Practical Lessons for Modern Believers • Vigilance: Spiritual maladies, like בֹּהֶרֶת, may begin small yet demand prompt examination under Scripture’s light. Summary בֹּהֶרֶת, while a technical medical term, serves Scripture’s larger purpose of unveiling humanity’s need for cleansing and highlighting God’s gracious provision through ordained mediators—ultimately fulfilled in the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations בֶּהָרֹ֑ת בֶּהָרֹ֖ת בַּבֶּהֶ֙רֶת֙ בַּבַּהֶ֗רֶת בַּהֶ֛רֶת בַּהֶרֶת֩ בַהֶ֔רֶת בַהֶ֖רֶת בבהרת בהרת הַבַּהֶ֙רֶת֙ הַבַּהֶ֜רֶת הבהרת וְלַבֶּהָֽרֶת׃ ולבהרת׃ ba·he·reṯ ḇa·he·reṯ bab·ba·he·reṯ bab·be·he·reṯ babbaHeret babbahereṯ babbeHeret babbehereṯ baheRet bahereṯ ḇahereṯ be·hā·rōṯ behaRot behārōṯ hab·ba·he·reṯ habbaHeret habbahereṯ vaHeret velabbeHaret wə·lab·be·hā·reṯ wəlabbehāreṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 13:2 HEB: סַפַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעוֹר־ NAS: or a bright spot, and it becomes KJV: a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin INT: A scab or A bright becomes the skin Leviticus 13:4 Leviticus 13:19 Leviticus 13:23 Leviticus 13:24 Leviticus 13:25 Leviticus 13:26 Leviticus 13:28 Leviticus 13:38 Leviticus 13:38 Leviticus 13:39 Leviticus 14:56 12 Occurrences |
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