Biblical leprosy: an anachronism whose time has come.

Abstract

Although there is a growing consensus that biblical leprosy was indeed not Hansen's disease, there has been no agreement as to the disease or diseases described in the Bible. Biblical scholars have recently provided valuable insights regarding the interpretation of the original text on the cutaneous diseases described in Leviticus, chapter 13. It is suggested by the author that no particular cutaneous disease was meant to be implicated. Rather the passages were written to exonerate persons whose only "sin" was to have an obvious cutaneous disorder.