The Meaning of Leviticus 14:8 Explained

Leviticus 14:8

KJV: And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

YLT: 'And he who is to be cleansed hath washed his garments, and hath shaved all his hair, and hath bathed with water, and hath been clean, and afterwards he doth come in unto the camp, and hath dwelt at the outside of his tent seven days.

Darby: And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his garments, and shave all his hair, and bathe in water, and he shall be clean; and afterwards shall he come into the camp, and shall abide outside his tent seven days.

ASV: And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he that is to be cleansed  shall wash  his clothes,  and shave  off all his hair,  and wash  himself in water,  that he may be clean:  and after  that he shall come  into the camp,  and shall tarry  abroad  out of his tent  seven  days. 

What does Leviticus 14:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 14:1-20 - The Law Of The Cleansed Leper
The penalty, when leprosy had unmistakably declared itself, included compulsory severance from the camp, the rent garments, the bare head, the covered lip, the cry "unclean," Leviticus 14:45. Sin severs us from fellowship with God and His saints, and makes us a source of contamination to all in contact with us, though they may not realize that we are defiling them.
Being cured, the leper was first restored to the camp, Leviticus 14:1-9. The birds are striking types of death and resurrection. Notice that the blood of one was mingled with fresh, i.e., running, water, because of the perennial freshness of the blood of Christ; and that the ascension of the other, when liberated, is significant of the freedom from the law of sin and death which the soul of the believer experiences through the power of the Holy Spirit. See Romans 8:1-4.
Secondly, the leper was restored to the sanctuary, Leviticus 14:10-20. On the eighth day of resurrection, the blood and oil were placed on thumb and toe and ear, because all our senses have been purchased and consecrated to the service of God. Let us, in gratitude for our own cleansing from sin, consecrate ourselves anew to God! [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 14

1  The rites and sacrifices in cleansing the leper
33  The signs of leprosy in a house
48  The cleansing of that house

What do the individual words in Leviticus 14:8 mean?

And shall wash He who is to be cleansed - his clothes and shave off all his hair and wash himself in water that he may be clean And after [that] he shall come into the camp and shall stay outside his tent seven days
וְכִבֶּס֩ הַמִּטַּהֵ֨ר אֶת־ בְּגָדָ֜יו וְגִלַּ֣ח כָּל־ שְׂעָר֗וֹ וְרָחַ֤ץ בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ וְטָהֵ֔ר וְאַחַ֖ר יָב֣וֹא אֶל־ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָשַׁ֛ב מִח֥וּץ לְאָהֳל֖וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים

וְכִבֶּס֩  And  shall  wash 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבַס  
Sense: to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller.
הַמִּטַּהֵ֨ר  He  who  is  to  be  cleansed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּגָדָ֜יו  his  clothes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
וְגִלַּ֣ח  and  shave  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּלַח  
Sense: to poll, shave, shave off, be bald.
שְׂעָר֗וֹ  his  hair 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׂעָר  
Sense: hair.
וְרָחַ֤ץ  and  wash  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָחַץ  
Sense: to wash, wash off, wash away, bathe.
בַּמַּ֙יִם֙  in  water 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וְטָהֵ֔ר  that  he  may  be  clean 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.
וְאַחַ֖ר  And  after  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יָב֣וֹא  he  shall  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה  the  camp 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וְיָשַׁ֛ב  and  shall  stay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
מִח֥וּץ  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
לְאָהֳל֖וֹ  his  tent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
שִׁבְעַ֥ת  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
יָמִֽים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.