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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Leviticus 14:4

2“This shall be the law of the person with leprosy on the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest; 3and the priest shall go out to a place outside of the camp. Then the priest shall look, and if the leprous infection has been healed in the person with leprosy, then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds, cedar wood, a scarlet string, and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5The priest shall also give orders to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. 6As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood, the scarlet string, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the running water.

Leviticus 14:4 word by word

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

• then the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• shall giveצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
• birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• scarletשָׁנִיshânîy · scarletH8144
• and hyssopאֵזוֹב'êzôb · hyssopH231
• for the one who is to be cleansedטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891

Cross-references for Leviticus 14:4

• Leviticus 1:14‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young doves.
• Leviticus 5:7‘But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young doves, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
• Leviticus 12:8But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves, the one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
• Leviticus 14:6As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood, the scarlet string, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the running water.
• Numbers 19:6And the priest shall take cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet material, and throw it into the midst of the burning heifer.
• Hebrews 9:19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
• Exodus 12:22And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.
• Numbers 19:18And a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on the one who touched the bone or the one who was killed or the one who died naturally, or the grave.
• Psalms 51:7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Cleanse me, and I will 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