יַלֶּ֫פֶת

# H3217 (yallephet): Scab The Hebrew word *yallephet* refers to a scab—the crusty formation that develops over a wound during healing. Based on its limited biblical record, this term appears only twice in Scripture, suggesting it served a specialized medical or dermatological vocabulary rather than a common everyday term. The rarity of this word's occurrence indicates it likely appeared in specific contexts where precise medical or legal description was necessary, such as regulations concerning skin diseases or bodily conditions. With only two attestations, the word represents a narrow semantic range focused on this single physical phenomenon, with no apparent metaphorical or theological extension in biblical usage. The restricted distribution of *yallephet* in the Hebrew Bible reflects the broader pattern in which ancient Hebrew employed different terms for various skin conditions and stages of wound healing. This specificity suggests the biblical authors and scribes distinguished between different types of skin afflictions—a precision that may have been important for practical, legal, or ritual purposes in ancient Israelite life.