Leviticus 14:7

_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:_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-9 The priests could not cleanse the lepers; but when the Lord removed the plague, various rules were to be observed in admitting them again to the ordinances of God, and the society of his people. They represent many duties and exercises of truly repenting sinners, and the duties of ministers respecting them. If we apply this to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw from those who walk disorderly, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren. And also that when God by his grace has brought to repentance, they ought with tenderness and joy, and sincere affection, to be received again. Care should always be taken that sinners may not be encouraged, nor penitents discouraged. If it were found that the leprosy was healed, the priest must declare it with the particular solemnities here described. The two birds, one killed, and the other dipped...

Verse Leviticus 14:7. _SHALL LET THE LIVING BIRD LOOSE_] The Jews teach that _wild_ birds were employed on this occasion, no _tame_ or _domestic_ animal was used. Mr. Ainsworth piously conjectures that the _living_ and _dead_ birds were intended to represent the _death_ and _resurrection_ of Christ, by which an atonement was made to purify the soul from its spiritual leprosy. The bird let loose bears a near analogy to the _scapegoat_. See Leviticus 16:5-3....

SEVEN TIMES - The seal of the covenant, expressed in the number seven (compare Leviticus 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. The living bird was identified with the slain one by being dipped in his blood mixed with the spring water that figured the process of purification, while the cured leper was identified with the rite by having the same water and blood sprinkled over him. The bird then liberated was a sign that the leper left behind him all the symbols of the death disease and

EXPOSITION THE FORM OF PURIFICATION OF THE LEPER (Leviticus 14:1). This is the most minute of all the forms of purification, those for purification from contact with a dead body (Numbers 19:1) and for the cleansing of a defiled Nazarite (Numbers 6:1) being alone to be compared with it in this respect. Some purifications were accomplished, as we have seen, in a very summary manner: one who touched the carcass of a beast that had died a natural death had only to wash his clothes (Leviticus 11:40). The

AND HE SHALL SPRINKLE UPON HIM THAT IS TO BE CLEANSED FROM THE LEPROSY SEVEN TIMES,.... With the hyssop fastened to the cedar stick, with the scarlet wool or thread bound about it, dipped into the blood and water in the earthen vessel; to which the psalmist alludes, Psalms 51:7; the Egyptians had a great notion of "hyssop", as of a purifying nature, and therefore used to eat it with bread, to take off the strength of that d: upon what part of the leper this sprinkling was made is not said; the Targum of Jonathan says, upon the house of his face, that is, upon the vail that was over his face: but in the Misnah e it is said to be on the back of his hand; and so Gersom, though some say it was on his forehead; and sprinkling was typical of Christ's blood of sprinkling, and of the application of it, and of sharing in all the blessings of it; and this was done seven times, to denote the

4. THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER CHAPTER 14 _ 1. The cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:1)_ 2. Leprosy in the house and its purification (Leviticus 14:33) The cleansing and restoration of the leper is full of significance, foreshadowing once more the blessed work of our Saviour. Two parts in this ceremonial are to be noticed first of all. The first thing done was to restore the leper among the people from whom he had been put away. The second part of the ceremony restored him fully to communion with God. The first part was accomplished on the first day; the second part on the eighth day. A careful distinction must be made between the healing and the cleansing. All the ceremonies could not heal the leper. Jehovah alone could heal that loathsome disease. But after the

NORMAL LAW OF CLEANSING after the disease has disappeared. The patient brings to the priest two birds, and he is sprinkled with the blood of one of them, killed in an earthenware (and therefore cheap) bowl, for mixing the blood, over running (and therefore pure) water, along with cedar wood (perhaps because of its supposed healing properties), scarlet wool, and hyssop (_cf._ Numbers 19:6 *). The other bird carries away the pollution. He then removes his hair and washes himself and his clothes (_cf._ Deuteronomy 21:12; Numbers 6:18 *). In the second part of the rite, next day, the semi-magical elements (except perhaps in Le

SEVEN TIMES. Compare Leviticus 4:6; 2 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 5:14. App-10. PRONOUNCE HIM CLEAN. Hebrew make him clean. Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct). declare him to be clean....

The priest was to see that two living clean birds were brought. The Heb. word is _ẓippôr_, which is used of the birds of Abraham's sacrifice (Genesis 15:10) and of clean birds generally (Deuteronomy 14:11). In Psalms 84:3 [Hebrews 4], Psalms 102:7 [Hebrews 8] it is translated -sparrow," and A.V. mg. of Leviticus 14:4 has -sparrows," following the traditional interpretation, and Vulg. These birds we