Leviticus 14:5
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Then the priest shall command that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The former chapter directed the priests how to convict a leper of ceremonial uncleanness. No prescriptions are given for his cure; but, when God had cured him, the priests are in this chapter directed how to cleanse him. The remedy here is only adapted to the ceremonial part of his disease; but the authority Christ gave to his ministers was to cure the lepers, and so to cleanse them. We have here, I. The solemn declaration of the leper's being clean, with the significant ceremony attending it (Lev 14:1-9). II. The sacrifices which he was to offer to God eight days after (v. 10-32). III. The management of a house in which appeared signs of a leprosy (v. 33-53). And the conclusion and summary of this whole matter (Lev 14:54, etc.).
Open source ↗14:5-7 Killing the bird and sprinkling its blood (14:7) reflects Exod 24:6-8, where all of Israel was sprinkled with blood to establish the people as God’s covenant community. Here the individual was cleansed by being sprinkled with blood and allowed to return to community membership. Fresh water was also used in cleansing ceremonies (Num 8:7) and in sacrifice preparation (Lev 1:9, 13).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
and he shall slaughter one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.
Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.