Leprosy

A terrible form of skin disease spoken of in the Bible. Many notables were at some time afflicted with it, including Moses (Ex. 4:6–7), his sister Miriam (Num. 12:10), Naaman (2 Kgs. 5), and King Uzziah (2 Chr. 26:19–21). In these cases leprosy was given as a sign, a warning, or a punishment. There were apparently several types of leprosy, and the word is used in the Bible to designate other sicknesses or diseases. For example, clothing and walls were said to be leprous when they had patches of mildew or some fungous growth, as in Lev. 13:47–59; 14:33–37. Instances of Jesus curing leprosy are recorded in Matt. 8:2–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–15; 17:11–15.