Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 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 Jarchi they were separate, the bird by itself, and the cedar wood, c. by themselves they were neither bound together nor dipped together; and Ben Gersom is very distinct and expressive; we learn from hence, says he, that three were bound up in one bundle, but the living bird was not comprehended in that bundle; but according to the Misnah c they were all joined together, for there it is said, he (the priest) takes the cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, and rolls them up with the rest of the scarlet thread, and joins to them the extreme parts of the wings and of the tail of the second bird and dips them; and this seems best to agree with the text, as follows:
and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird [that was] killed over the running water; that is, into the blood of it as mixed with the running water in the earthen vessel, which together made a sufficient quantity for all these to be dipped into it; whether separately, first the living bird, and then the cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop, or all together: the bird that was kept alive was a type of Christ, who as a divine Person always alive, and ever will; he is the living God, and impassable: the dipping of this living bird in the blood of the slain one denotes the union of the two natures in Christ, divine and human, and which union remained at the death of Christ; and also shows that the virtue of Christ’s blood arises from his being the living God: the dipping of the cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, into the same blood, signifies the exercise of the several graces of the Spirit upon Christ, as crucified and slain, and their dealing with his blood for pardon and cleansing, as faith and hope do, and from whence love receives fresh ardour and rigour.
c Ebr. Concord. part. 64. No. 318. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) And shall dip them and the living bird.With the crimson thread the priest tied together lengthwise the bundle of hyssop and the cedar wood, extended about them the wings and the tail of the living bird, and then dipped all the four in the mixture of blood and water which was in the earthen vessel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6, 7. The living bird This was tied to the end of the cedar wood or juniper in such a way that the tips of its wings and of its tail, bound with the crimson fillet cord or cloth, might be dipped with the hyssop into the vessel of blood and water. Then the whole was used as a brush with which to sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, thereby indicating the perfectness of the first cleansing. Lev 4:6, note. The cedar, crimson, and hyssop are symbols of the instrumental cause of spiritual cleansing, faith, by which the Spirit applies the blood and the water for our justification and entire sanctification. Both are necessary. Heb 12:14.
Pronounce him clean Next in value to the purification is the divine authentication to the consciousness of the sanctified soul cleansed from the root of all depravity, the leprosy of inbred sin. 1Co 2:12.
Let the living bird loose With blood-stained wings he mounts the skies warbling in gladness at his release from the cedar wood to which he was painfully bound, and from the blood and water into which he had been plunged. It was not released until after the death of its companion; “for the two birds typify one Christ in two stages of his atoning work death and resurrection.” Since, under the reign of natural law the dead bird could not be restored to life, the living bird, reddened with the blood, the life of its sacrificed fellow, per-sonates him, winging its upward way a living witness of the leper’s cleansing through blood. But our Sacrifice, having power to lay down his life and to take it again, needs no one to personate his continued life, for “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.”
“Thy offering still continues new;
Thy vesture keeps its crimson hue;
Thou art the ever-slaughtered Lamb,
Thy priesthood still remains the same.”
The Targum of Palestine adds, “And it will be that if that man is again to be stricken with leprosy, the living bird will come back to his house on that day, and may be held fit to be eaten.” The same is said of the bird let loose for the cleansing of a house. See Lev 14:53.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Was not this living bird dipped in the blood of the bird killed, a type of the LORD JESUS rising for our justification, and taking with him his own blood into the most holy place, there to appear in the presence of GOD for us? Heb 1:3 . Two birds were necessary to be chosen for this purpose, since one could not shadow forth both these doctrines. Moreover observe, that all the articles made use of in this ceremony were dipped in the blood of the bird slain. So must all our most holy things be washed in the blood of CHRIST. Heb 9:21-24 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 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:
Ver. 6. That was killed over the running water. ] Pointing at Christ, who “came not by water only, but by water and blood.” 1Jn 5:6 See Trapp on “ 1Jn 5:6 “ See Trapp on “ 1Co 6:11 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
As. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “and as”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the living bird: Joh 14:19, Rom 4:25, Rom 5:10, Phi 2:9-11, Heb 1:3, Rev 1:18
dip them: Lev 14:51-53, Zec 13:1, Rev 1:5
Reciprocal: Exo 12:22 – a bunch Lev 14:4 – cedar Num 19:2 – a red heifer Num 19:6 – General Son 4:3 – scarlet Heb 9:22 – almost