A chronic leprosy: that is, it is a skin disease that is seen as permanent, deep-rooted, or well established. New Jerusalem Bible translates “a dormant skin disease,” but this also implies that it has not gone away. In some languages one may have to say “it is a disease of the skin that will not go away” or “an advanced stage of the skin disease.”

Pronounce him unclean: see verse 8.

He shall not shut him up: compare verses 4 and 5. It is not necessary to close this person up for observation and reexamination seven days later. It has already been determined that he definitely has a dreaded skin disease and must be more permanently isolated from the community. Some languages may say “it is useless to close him up,” “there is no reason to shut him up,” “closing him up (for later observation) serves no purpose,” or “he [the priest] is not required to shut him up for seven days.”

He is unclean: both Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible add “obviously,” since this is the clear intent in this context.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .