If the disease has indeed spread, the priest shall declare the house unclean. The house must be broken down and the material must be discarded outside the camp; it may not be reused. The verb “break down” (nāṯǎṣ
) is a technical word that is used for the complete destruction of a building (Judges 2:2; Judges 6:30–32; 2 Kings 23:12).
44 then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a persistent leprous disease in the house; it is unclean.