Leviticus 14:49

49 "To make the house pure, the priest must get two birds. He must also get some cedar wood, bright red yarn and branches of a hyssop plant.

Leviticus 14:49 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 14:49

And he shall take to cleanse the house
The priest, or by his fellow priest, as Aben Ezra, though some interpret it of the master of the house; in ( Leviticus 14:49-53 ) , an account is given of the manner of cleansing a leprous house, which is the same with that of cleansing a leprous man, see notes on Le 14:4-7,
Two birds.
The birds here indeed are not described as "alive and clean", ( Leviticus 14:4 ) ; but both are plainly implied and the house is said to be cleansed with the blood of the slain bird, as well as with the living bird; and it was the upper door post of the house which was sprinkled seven times with it, but there were no sacrifices offered; in this case, as in the cleansing of the leper, the atonement for it was made by the other rites, which were sufficient to render it habitable again, and free for use, either of the owner or any other person; and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. (See Gill on Leviticus 14:4).

Leviticus 14:49 In-Context

47 If he sleeps or eats in the house, he must wash his clothes.

48 "But suppose the priest comes to look things over carefully. And suppose the mold has not spread after the walls had been coated with new clay. Then he will announce that the house is 'clean.' The mold is gone.

49 "To make the house pure, the priest must get two birds. He must also get some cedar wood, bright red yarn and branches of a hyssop plant.

50 He must kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.

51 "Then he must take the cedar wood, the hyssop plant, the bright red yarn and the live bird. He must dip all of them into the blood of the dead bird. He must also dip them into the fresh water. He must sprinkle the house seven times.