Leviticus 14:4

Leviticus 14:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
• New International Version (NIV)the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the person to be cleansed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop.
• New Living Translation (NLT)he will perform a purification ceremony, using two live birds that are ceremonially clean, a stick of cedar, some scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch.

Context of Leviticus 14:4

2"This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 3and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. 5And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. 6He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.

Leviticus 14:4 word by word

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then shall the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• for him that is to be cleansedטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
• and cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• and scarletתּוֹלֵעָהtôlâ‛ tôlê‛âh tôla‛ath tôla‛ath · wormH8438
• and scarletשָׁנִיshânîy · scarletH8144
• and hyssopאֵזוֹב'êzôb · hyssopH231

Cross-references for Leviticus 14:4

• Leviticus 1:14"If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or pigeons.
• Leviticus 5:7"But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
• Leviticus 12:8And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean."
• Leviticus 14:6He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.
• Numbers 19:6And the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn, and throw them into the fire burning the heifer.
• Hebrews 9:19For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
• Exodus 12:22Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
• Numbers 19:18Then a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there and on whoever touched the bone, or the slain or the dead or the grave.
• Psalms 51:7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Commentaries on Leviticus 14:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Two birds alive and clean, etc. - Whether these birds were sparrows, or turtledoves, or pigeons, we know not; probably any kind of clean bird, or bird proper to be eaten, might be used on this occasion, though it is more likely that turtle-doves or pigeons were employed, because these appear to have been the only birds offered in sacrifice. Of the cedarwood, hyssop, clean bird, and scarlet wool or fillet, were made an aspergillum, or instrument to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4These birds were provided by the priest for the man. They were not, like the offerings for the altar, brought by the man himself (compare Leviticus 14:4 with Leviticus 14:10), they were not presented nor brought near the sanctuary, nor was any portion of them offered on the altar. Cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop - These three substances were used as the common materials in rites of purification (compare Exodus 12:22; Numbers 19:8; Psalm 51:7; Hebrews…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The items listed here were part of the cleansing ceremony with the ashes of the red heifer (Numbers 19:6). Their exact significance is unclear (see also Hebrews 9:18–22). Hyssop was a small plant used for sprinkling blood and in purification rites (Exodus 12:22; Numbers 19:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. two birds--literally, "sparrows." The Septuagint, however, renders the expression "little birds"; and it is evident that it is to be taken in this generic sense from their being specified as "clean"--a condition which would have been altogether superfluous to mention in reference to sparrows. In all the offerings prescribed in the law, Moses ordered only common and accessible birds; and hence we may presume that he points here to such birds as sparrows…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 14:4

• Cedar
• Colors
• Hyssop
• Scapebird

In the dictionaries

• Ablution
• Bird
• Clean
• Cleanse
• Colour
• Hyssop
• Leprosy
• Purification
• Scrape
• Sparrow

Commentaries on Leviticus 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings