Scall
“A tearing away or falling off (of hair)”
Summary
A skin condition affecting the head or beard, characterized by bald or scaly patches, likely caused by parasitic organisms.
☩Description
The Hebrew nethek refers to a diseased falling out of hair from the head or beard, commonly called mange. The term appears exclusively in Leviticus 13-14 where it describes bald or scaly patches requiring priestly examination. Such conditions are generally caused by microscopic organisms, particularly the plant Achorion schoenleinii which produces what is now called 'scalled head.'
☩Ritual Examination
The priest was to examine the scall carefully over a period of days to determine whether it spread and whether yellow thin hair appeared in the affected area. If the scall did not spread and black hair grew, it was pronounced clean; if it spread, the person was unclean.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Scall," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Scall," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).