Before modern science could explain ancient phenomena, people turned to religion and faith for answers. The Bible has long provided guidance for many religions, but it is often underappreciated as a historical text with insights into medical afflictions.

The Book of Exodus documents 10 biblical plagues that passed over Egypt as a form of punishment. The sixth plague fell upon the people as “festering boils [which] will break out on men and animals throughout the land.” The condition, known as Zaraath, described throughout the Bible, is commonly referred to as “leprosy.”

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