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“The following instructions are for those seeking ceremonial purification from a skin disease. Those who have been healed must be brought to the priest, 3who will examine them at a place outside the camp. If the priest finds that someone has been healed of a serious skin disease, 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. 5The priest will order that one bird be slaughtered over a clay pot filled with fresh water. 6He will take the live bird, the cedar stick, the scarlet yarn, and the hyssop branch, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered 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 you present a bird as a burnt offering to the Lord, choose either a turtledove or a young pigeon.
• Leviticus 5:7“But if you cannot afford to bring a sheep, you may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as the penalty for your sin. One of the birds will be for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
• Leviticus 12:8“If a woman cannot afford to bring a lamb, she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. One will be for the burnt offering and the other for the purification offering. The priest will sacrifice them to purify her, and she will be ceremonially clean.”
• Leviticus 14:6He will take the live bird, the cedar stick, the scarlet yarn, and the hyssop branch, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water.
• Numbers 19:6Eleazar the priest must then take a stick of cedar, a hyssop branch, and some scarlet yarn and throw them into the fire where the heifer is burning.
• Hebrews 9:19For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool.
• Exodus 12:22Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning.
• Numbers 19:18Then someone who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or who died naturally, or touched a grave.
• Psalms 51:7Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash 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