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 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 leper 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 examine him; and indeed, if the leprosy is healed in the leper, then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 5And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. 6As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed 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

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‘And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the Lord is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons.
• Leviticus 5:7‘If he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord, for his trespass which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons: one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
• Leviticus 12:8‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ”
• Leviticus 14:6As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.
• Numbers 19:6And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.
• Hebrews 9:19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
• Exodus 12:22And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.
• Numbers 19:18A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a 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