Leviticus 14:6
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes the combination of the living bird with the cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop before being dipped in the blood. This isn't just dipping separate items; it suggests these elements are brought together, symbolizing how Christ's sacrifice (the slain bird's blood) and His ongoing life (the living bird) are intertwined with the cleansing, purification (hyssop), and the enduring truth and promise of His Word (cedar and scarlet).
This passage is part of a detailed ritual for cleansing a person healed from leprosy. Following the priest's inspection to confirm the healing, this specific ritual involves symbolic actions with a live bird, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn dipped in the blood of a killed bird mixed with fresh water. The subsequent steps include sprinkling the person seven times and releasing the live bird, signifying the final act of purification and restoration to community life.
Why were specific items like cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop dipped with the bird?
This ritual wasn't just about outward actions; every element held deep meaning.
Symbolism in the Bundle
When these were bound together with the live bird and dipped in the blood, they represented a complete picture of cleansing and restoration, pointing towards Christ's work for us.
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Why involve a live bird in a ritual that also includes a bird that was killed?
This ceremony masterfully illustrates the core of salvation: life comes through death.
The Sacrifice and the Survivor
This duality speaks volumes: death was necessary for life to be restored. The living bird’s release signifies the complete freedom from uncleanness and sin that the sacrifice provides.
Why was the blood of the killed bird dipped in 'fresh water'?
The inclusion of fresh water alongside the blood is vital, representing a complete cleansing that goes beyond mere symbolic washing.
Blending Blood and Water
The blood of the slain bird represented the payment for sin, the sacrifice required for uncleanness. The fresh water, however, symbolized the Holy Spirit and the washing away of sin.
This combination points to a holistic restoration, where both the penalty for sin is addressed and the power of sin is overcome.
Understand the original words
tsippor · Hebrew Noun
A small, feathered creature used in the ritual cleansing of a person recovering from skin disease; symbolic of the life that is restored and released through the cleansing process.
erez · Hebrew Noun
A type of wood, often associated with majesty, durability, and incorruptibility; used in the construction of the Temple and in various purification rites.
shani · Hebrew Noun
A bright red material often representing blood, life, or sacrificial atonement; used in various purification rituals, including the rite for the cleansing of leprosy.
ezob · Hebrew Noun
A small, fragrant plant used throughout the Old Testament for purification rites, often representing humility and the need for spiritual cleansing.
dam · Hebrew Noun
The vital fluid that carries life; in the Old Testament, it is the primary instrument of atonement and cleansing, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
mayim hayim · Hebrew Noun phrase
Water that is flowing or from a spring, symbolizing life, purity, and the transformative power of God's cleansing.
This passage identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, directly paralleling the sacrificial lamb in Leviticus used for cleansing and atonement.
Hebrews 9:13-14The author of Hebrews explicitly connects the Old Testament purification rituals, including the blood of animals, to the cleansing power of Christ's blood, highlighting the spiritual reality behind these ancient practices.
1 Peter 1:18-19This passage contrasts the 'perishable things' used for redemption with the 'precious blood of Christ,' underscoring that the Levitical sacrifices, like the bird and its blood, pointed towards a far greater, incorruptible sacrifice.
Romans 8:3Paul explains that God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering, directly mirroring the sacrificial system where an animal was sacrificed to deal with sin and uncleanness.
gillLeviticus 14:6: "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:"
As for the living bird, he shall take it,.... And dispose of it as after directed; for there was an use for that: and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop; which were all bound up in one bundle, but whether the living bird was joined to them is a question; according to J…
calvinLeviticus 14:1-57: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
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:
Avem vivam tollet, et lignum cedrinum, et cuccum vermiculi, et hyssopum: et tinget illa, et avem vivam in sanguine avis mactatae super aquas vivas.
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven time…
The verse emphasizes the combination of the living bird with the cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop before being dipped in the blood. This isn't just dipping separate items; it suggests these elements are brought together, symbolizing how Christ's sacrifice (the slain bird's blood) and His ongoing life (the living bird) are intertwined with the cleansing, purification (hyssop), and the enduring truth and promise of His Word (cedar and scarlet).
This passage is part of a detailed ritual for cleansing a person healed from leprosy. Following the priest's inspection to confirm the healing, this specific ritual involves symbolic actions with a live bird, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn dipped in the blood of a killed bird mixed with fresh water. The subsequent steps include sprinkling the person seven times and releasing the live bird, signifying the final act of purification and restoration to community life.
This passage is part of a detailed ritual for cleansing a person healed from leprosy. Following the priest's inspection to confirm the healing, this specific ritual involves symbolic actions with a live bird, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn dipped in the blood of a killed bird mixed with fresh water. The subsequent steps include sprinkling the person seven times and releasing the live bird, signifying the final act of purification and restoration to community life.
"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." — The verse emphasizes the combination of the living bird with the cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop before being dipped in the blood. This isn't just dipping separate items; it suggests these elem…
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