The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast

Leviticus 13:47–59—Leviticus' Moldy Mystery: Leprosy or Mildew?

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Hey there, truth seekers. Ever cracked open your Bible and hit something that makes you stop and go, wait, huh? Leprosy in clothes? That's gotta be a translation glitch or some ancient superstition, right? Or maybe you've wondered, if the Bible's inspired, why would God tell priests to quarantine wool sweaters like they're biohazards? And here's the big one. Does this mean Scripture's just recycling old pagan rituals? Or is there something deeper here about purity, community, and even our spiritual lives today?

Stick around, because we're unpacking all that and more in today's episode. Welcome back to the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast, the podcast where we take those head-scratchers in Scripture head-on. No fluff, just facts, faith, and a whole lot of fascination. I'm your host, Lance Smith, and this is episode 191, Leviticus 13, 47-59. How can the Bible say that leprosy-infected clothing? If you're new here, go ahead and hit that subscribe button wherever you're listening. And let's dive in.

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  1. Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas Howe. The Big Book of Bible Difficulties. Baker Books, 1992. Available at: https://a.co/d/7shn4hI
  2. Balberg, Mira. "Rabbinic Authority, Medical Rhetoric, and Body Hermeneutics in Mishnah Nega‘im." AJS Review 35:2 (November 2011): 323–346.
  3. Feder, Yitzhaq. "Tzaraat in Light of Its Mesopotamian Parallels." TheTorah.com. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://www.thetorah.com/article/tzaraat-in-light-of-its-mesopotamian-parallels
  4. Parry, Donald W. "Ancient Sacred Vestments: Scriptural Symbols and Meanings." In Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, Volume 48 (2021): 11–31. https://cdn.interpreterfoundation.org/jnlpdf/Interpreter-Volume-48-PDF.pdf
  5. Shellberg, Pamela. "From Cleansed Lepers to Cleansed Hearts: The Developing Meaning of Katharizō in Luke-Acts." PhD Dissertation, Marquette University, 2012. https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1179&context=dissertations_mu
  6. Parker, Erik. "How to Handle Garments Stained by Corrupted Flesh." Infant Theology Blog, November 21, 2021. https://infanttheology.wordpress.com/2021/11/21/how-to-handle-garments-stained-by-corrupted-flesh/
  7. "Leviticus 13:47-59 – Contaminated Garments." Be Still Blog. Accessed November 12, 2025. https://be-still.org/leviticus-1347-59-contaminated-garments
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