Editing Book of Leviticus (section)

=== Infectious diseases in chapter 13 ===
In chapter 13, God instructs Moses and Aaron on how to identify infectious diseases and deal with them accordingly. The translators and interpreters of the Hebrew Bible in various languages have never reached a consensus on these infectious diseases, or {{transliteration|hbo|[[tzaraath]]}} ({{lang|hbo|צרעת}}), and the translation and interpretation of the scriptures are not known for certain. The most common translation is that these infectious diseases are [[leprosy]];<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=studylight.org|title=Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable Leviticus13|url=https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/leviticus-13.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813024700/https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/leviticus-13.html|archive-date=13 August 2021|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=biblestudytools.com|title=Encyclopedias – International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Tetter|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/tetter/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003234904/http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/tetter/|archive-date=3 October 2014|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref> however, what is described in chapter 13 does not represent a typical manifestation of leprosy. Modern dermatology shows that many of the infectious diseases in chapter 13 were likely [[Dermatophytosis|dermatophytoses]], a group of highly contagious skin diseases.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Kathryn P Trayes, Katherine Savage, James S Studdiford|title=Annular Lesions: Diagnosis and Treatment,Am Fam Physician.2018 Sep 1;98(5):283–291.|url=https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0901/afp20180901p283.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027075215/https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0901/afp20180901p283.pdf|archive-date=27 October 2020|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref>

The infectious disease of the chin described in verses 29–37 seems to be [[Tinea barbae]] in men or [[Tinea faciei]] in women; the infectious disease described in verses 29–37 (as resulting in hair loss and eventual baldness) seems to be [[Tinea capitis]] ([[Favus]]). Verses 1–17 seem to describe [[Tinea corporis]].

The Hebrew word {{transliteration|hbo|bohaq}} in verses 38–39 is translated as '[[tetter]]' or '[[freckle]]s',<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> likely because translators did not know what it meant at the time, and thus, translated it incorrectly. Later translations identify it as talking about [[vitiligo]]; however, vitiligo is not an infectious disease. The disease, described as healing itself and leaving white patches after infection,{{citation needed|reason=verse needed|date=March 2022}} is likely to be [[Tinea versicolor|pityriasis versicolor]] (tinea versicolor).<ref name=":2" /> ''Tetter'' originally referred to an outbreak, which later evolved meaning ringworm-like lesions. Therefore, a common name for [[Athlete's foot|Tinea pedis]] (athlete's foot) was Cantlie's foot tetter.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Homei, A.; Worboys, M.|title=Fungal Disease in Britain and the United States 1850–2000: Mycoses and Modernity. Springer. 2013-11-11: 44. ISBN 978-1-137-37702-9|date=11 November 2013|publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-137-37702-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wVDyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA44}}</ref> In addition, verses 18–23 describe infections after [[Scalding|scald]], and verses 24–28 describe infections after [[burn]].