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Saturday, December 20th, 2025
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Leviticus 14:5

Then the priest will order that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Scapebird;   Scofield Reference Index - Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cedar, the;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Birds;   Hyssop;   Leper;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Leprosy;   Water;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Offerings and Sacrifices;   Priest, Priesthood;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bird;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Atonement, Day of;   Hyssop;   Leper;   Sparrow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Clean, Cleanness;   Leviticus;   Potsherd;   Vessels and Utensils;   Water;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bird;   Clean and Unclean;   Leviticus;   Priests and Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Living (2);   Purification (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Cedar;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Leper;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Purification,;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Bird;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Birds;   Blood;   Dove;   Earthen, Vessels;   Heifer, Red;   Water;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Dove;   Judaism;   Miḳwa'ot;   Sidra;   Symbol;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The Kohen shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
King James Version
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
Lexham English Bible
Then the priest shall command someone to slaughter one bird over fresh water in a clay vessel.
New Century Version
"The priest must order one bird to be killed in a clay bowl containing fresh water.
New English Translation
The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered into a clay vessel over fresh water.
Amplified Bible
"Next the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed [as a sacrifice] in an earthenware container over [fresh] running water.
New American Standard Bible
"The priest shall also give orders to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Priest shall commaunde to kill one of the birdes ouer pure water in an earthen vessell.
Legacy Standard Bible
The priest shall also give a command to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water.
Contemporary English Version
The priest will have someone kill one of the birds over a clay pot of spring water.
Complete Jewish Bible
The cohen is to order one of the birds slaughtered in a clay pot over running water.
Darby Translation
And the priest shall command that one bird be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the priest must order one bird to be killed in a clay bowl over running water.
English Standard Version
And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water.
George Lamsa Translation
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water;
Good News Translation
Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over a clay bowl containing fresh spring water.
Literal Translation
And the priest shall command, and he shall kill the one bird on an earthen vessel, over running water;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and shall commaunde the one byrde to be kylled in an earthen vessell ouer sprynginge water.
American Standard Version
and the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
Bible in Basic English
And the priest will give orders for one of the birds to be put to death in a vessel made of earth, over flowing water.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the priest shall commaunde that one of the birdes be killed in an earthen vessell, and vpon runnyng water.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
King James Version (1611)
And the Priest shall command that one of the birds bee killed in an earthen vessell, ouer running water.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the priest shall give direction, and they shall kill one bird over an earthen vessel over running water.
English Revised Version
And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:
Berean Standard Bible
Then the priest shall command that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the preest schal comaunde that oon of the sparewes be offrid in `a vessel of erthe,
Young's Literal Translation
`And the priest hath commanded, and he hath slaughtered the one bird upon an earthen vessel, over running water;
Update Bible Version
And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel, over running water.
World English Bible
The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
New King James Version
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water.
New Living Translation
The priest will order that one bird be slaughtered over a clay pot filled with fresh water.
New Life Bible
The religious leader will have one of the birds killed in a clay pot over flowing water.
New Revised Standard
The priest shall command that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in an earthen vessel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and the priest shall give command, and one bird shall be slain, - within an earthen vessel over living water:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he shall command one of the sparrows to be immolated in an earthen vessel over living waters.
Revised Standard Version
and the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water.

Contextual Overview

1The Lord spoke to Moses: 2“This is the law concerning the person afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing. He is to be brought to the priest, 3who will go outside the camp and examine him. If the skin disease has disappeared from the afflicted person, 4the priest will order that two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought for the one who is to be cleansed. 5Then the priest will order that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot. 6He is to take the live bird together with the cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, and dip them all into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. 7He will then sprinkle the blood seven times on the one who is to be cleansed from the skin disease. He is to pronounce him clean and release the live bird over the open countryside. 8The one who is to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; he is clean. Afterward he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days. 9He is to shave off all his hair again on the seventh day: his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; he is clean.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

earthen vessel: Leviticus 14:50, Numbers 5:17, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 13:4, Hebrews 2:14

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 36:25 - will I

Cross-References

Genesis 14:10
Now the Siddim Valley contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains.
Genesis 14:11
The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on.
Genesis 14:20
and blessed be God Most Highwho has handed over your enemies to you.
Genesis 14:23
that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
Genesis 15:20
Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim,
Deuteronomy 1:4
This was after he had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei.
Deuteronomy 3:11
(Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed was made of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It is 13½ feet long and 6 feet wide by a standard measure.)
Deuteronomy 3:20
until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession that I have given you.
Deuteronomy 3:22
Don’t be afraid of them, for the Lord your God fights for you.
Joshua 12:4
King Og of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed,.... That is, shall command another priest to kill one of them, or an Israelite, as Aben Ezra; and who also observes, that some say the leper, or the butcher, as the Targum of Jonathan; the killing of this bird, not being a sacrifice, might be done without the camp, as it was, and not at the altar, near to which sacrifices were slain, and where they were offered: and this was to be done

in an earthen vessel over running water: this vessel, according to the Jewish traditions a, was to be a new one, and a fourth part of a log of running water was to be put into it, and then the bird was to be killed over it, and its blood squeezed into it, and then a hole was dug, and it was buried before the leprous person; and so it should be rendered, "over an earthen vessel", as it is in the Tigurine version, and by Noldius b; for how could it be killed in it, especially when water was in it? the killing of this bird may have respect to the sufferings, death, and bloodshed of Christ, which were necessary for the purging and cleansing of leprous sinners, and which were endured in his human nature, comparable to an earthen vessel, as an human body sometimes is; see 2 Corinthians 4:7; for he was crucified through weakness, and was put to death in the flesh, 2 Corinthians 13:4; and the running or living water mixed with blood may denote both the sanctification and justification of Christ's people by the water and blood which sprung from his pierced side, and the continual virtue thereof to take away sin, and free from it; or the active and passive obedience of Christ, which both together are the matter of a sinner's justification before God.

a Negaim, c. 14. sect. 1. b Ebr. Concord. part. p. 64. No. 318.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Running water - literally, living water, i. e. water fresh from the spring Genesis 26:19; Numbers 19:17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 14:5. Over running water. — Literally, living, that is, spring water. The meaning appears to be this: Some water (about a quarter of a log, an eggshell and a half full, according to the rabbins) was taken from a spring, and put into a clean earthen vessel, and they killed the bird over this water, that the blood might drop into it; and in this blood and water mixed, they dipped the instrument before described, and sprinkled it seven times upon the person who was to be cleansed. The living or spring water was chosen because it was purer than what was taken from pits or wells, the latter being often in a putrid or corrupt state; for in a ceremony of purifying or cleansing, every thing must be as pure and perfect as possible.


 
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