Print Page Options

who is to go outside the camp.(A) If the priest, upon inspection, finds that the scaly infection has healed in the afflicted person, he shall order that two live, clean birds,[a] as well as some cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be obtained for the one who is to be purified.(B) [b]The priest shall then order that one of the birds be slaughtered over an earthen vessel with fresh water in it. Taking the living bird with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, the priest shall dip them, including the live bird, in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water, and then sprinkle seven times on the person to be purified from the scaly infection. When he has thus purified that person, he shall let the living bird fly away over the countryside.(C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 14:4–7 The bird rite is also found for purifying a house from a fungus (vv. 49–53). The rite apparently removes impurity from the individual and, by means of the live bird, sends it away to unpopulated areas (v. 7). This is similar to the dispatch of a goat laden with sins on the Day of Atonement (16:21–22).
  2. 14:5–7 The blood from the bird serves as a ritual detergent, much like the blood from the purification offering (see notes on 4:3). It is not a sacrifice, however, since it is not performed at the sanctuary. Fresh water: lit., “living water,” taken from some source of running water, not from a cistern.

The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.(A) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[a](B) the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop(C) be brought for the person to be cleansed.(D) Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.(E) He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.(F) Seven times(G) he shall sprinkle(H) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.(I)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 14:3 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 7, 32, 54 and 57.

And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;

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:

And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

Read full chapter

And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him; and indeed, if the [a]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, (A)cedar wood, (B)scarlet, and (C)hyssop. And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. As 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. And he shall (D)sprinkle it (E)seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 14:3 Heb. saraath, disfiguring skin diseases, including leprosy, and so in vv. 2–32

and the priest shall go (A)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[a] clean birds and (B)cedarwood and (C)scarlet yarn and (D)hyssop. And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh[b] water. He 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. And he shall (E)sprinkle it (F)seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall (G)let the living bird go (H)into the open field.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 14:4 Or wild
  2. Leviticus 14:5 Or running; Hebrew living; also verses 6, 50, 51, 52