Leviticus 14:7

"As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood, 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."

Key Reflection

This verse describes a purification ritual where the living bird, along with cedar wood, scarlet cloth, and hyssop, are dipped in the blood of a slain bird and then immersed in running water. This act symbolizes the cleansing process, integrating natural elements like water and plants with sacrificial blood to achieve spiritual purity, mirroring broader themes of forgiveness and renewal found throughout Leviticus.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Seven times -The seal of the covenant, expressed in the number seven (compareLeviticus 14:9), was renewed in sprinkling him who, during his leprosy, had lived as an outcast. The details of a restoration to health and freedom appear to be well expressed in the whole ceremony. Each of the birds represented the leper. They were to be of a clean kind, because they stood for one of the chosen race. The death-like state of the leper during his exclusion from the camp was expressed by killing one of the birds.

More from Leviticus 14

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