What does צָרַע (ṣāraʿ) mean in the Bible?
צָרַע (ṣāraʿ): Physical disease as divine punishment; leprosy marks covenant violation and ritual uncleanness requiring isolation.
Hebrew · H6879
צָרַע
To scourge , i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
צָרַע H6879
Pronunciation ṣāraʿ
What does צָרַע (ṣāraʿ) mean in the Bible?
צָרַע (ṣāraʿ): Physical disease as divine punishment; leprosy marks covenant violation and ritual uncleanness requiring isolation.
Full entry for צָרַע (H6879) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6879?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a leper (2), leprous (2), with leprosy (2), . . . (1), [became] leprous (1).
Where does צָרַע (ṣāraʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 4:6. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Kings (6), Leviticus (5), 2 Chronicles (4), Numbers (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a leper 2× 2 Chronicles 26:21, 2 Chronicles 26:23
leprous 2× 2 Chronicles 26:20, 2 Chronicles 26:21
with leprosy 2× 2 Kings 7:3, 2 Kings 15:5
. . . 1× Leviticus 13:45
[became] leprous 1× Numbers 12:10
[but he was] a leper 1× 2 Kings 5:1
[he was] leprous 1× 2 Kings 5:27
[was] leprous 1× Exodus 4:6
for the one afflicted with a skin disease 1× Leviticus 14:2
has a skin disease 1× Leviticus 22:4
is diseased 1× Leviticus 13:44
lepers 1× 2 Kings 7:8
my leprosy 1× 2 Kings 5:11
or skin disease 1× 2 Samuel 3:29
she [was] leprous 1× Numbers 12:10
the afflicted person 1× Leviticus 14:3
with a skin disease 1× Numbers 5:2
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 4:6 מְצֹרַ֥עַת to [was] leprous Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular construct Leviticus 13:44 צָר֥וּעַ to is diseased Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Leviticus 13:45 וְהַצָּר֜וּעַ to . . . Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Leviticus 14:2 הַמְּצֹרָ֔ע to for the one afflicted with a skin disease Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular Leviticus 14:3 הַצָּרֽוּעַ׃ to the afflicted person Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Leviticus 22:4 צָר֙וּעַ֙ to has a skin disease Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Numbers 5:2 צָר֖וּעַ to with a skin disease Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Numbers 12:10 מְצֹרַ֣עַת to [became] leprous Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular construct Numbers 12:10 מְצֹרָֽעַת׃ to she [was] leprous Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular construct 2 Samuel 3:29 וּמְצֹרָ֞ע to or skin disease Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 4:6
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 6
Exodus 1 Leviticus 5 Numbers 3 2 Samuel 1 2 Kings 6 2 Chronicles 4
Source forms
מְצֹרָע֙ 2x mə·ṣō·rā‘ 2 Kings 15:5, 2 Chronicles 26:20
הַמְּצֹרָ֔ע 1x ham·mə·ṣō·rā‘ Leviticus 14:2
הַמְּצֹרָֽע׃ 1x ham·mə·ṣō·rā‘ 2 Kings 5:11
הַֽמְצֹרָעִ֨ים 1x ham·ṣō·rā·‘îm 2 Kings 7:8
הַצָּרֽוּעַ׃ 1x haṣ·ṣā·rū·a‘ Leviticus 14:3
וְהַצָּר֜וּעַ 1x wə·haṣ·ṣā·rū·a‘ Leviticus 13:45
וּמְצֹרָ֞ע 1x ū·mə·ṣō·rā‘ 2 Samuel 3:29
מְצוֹרָ֣ע 1x mə·ṣō·w·rā‘ 2 Chronicles 26:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular 7x 2 Kings 5:1, 2 Kings 5:27, 2 Kings 15:5, 2 Chronicles 26:20
Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular construct 3x Exodus 4:6, Numbers 12:10
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 3x Leviticus 13:44, Leviticus 22:4, Numbers 5:2
Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular 2x Leviticus 14:2, 2 Kings 5:11
Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural 1x 2 Kings 7:8
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 1x Leviticus 14:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 3:29
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 1x Leviticus 13:45
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical disease as divine punishment; leprosy marks covenant violation and ritual uncleanness requiring isolation.
Strong's H6879
Lexical occurrences 20 verses Word forms 2 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Exodus 4:1-9 Source Gloss
to scourge , i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical disease as divine punishment; leprosy marks covenant violation and ritual uncleanness requiring isolation.
to scourge, i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy BDB: be stricken with leprosy Usage: leper, leprous.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 14
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 11×
Participle passive 2Chr 26:20 · 2Chr 26:21 · 2Chr 26:23 · 2Kgs 5:1 · 2Kgs 5:27 · 2Kgs 7:3 · 2Kgs 15:5 · Exod 4:6 · Num 12:10 11×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 3×
Participle passive Lev 13:44 · Lev 22:4 · Num 5:2 3×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Moses' hand becomes leprous as a sign, demonstrating God's power
Showing 1 selected witness from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
צָרַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain