Leviticus 14:49

49 For the cleansing of the house he shall take two birds, with cedarwood and crimson yarn and hyssop,

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 and all who sleep in the house shall wash their clothes; and all who eat in the house shall wash their clothes.
48 If the priest comes and makes an inspection, and the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, the priest shall pronounce the house clean; the disease is healed.
49 For the cleansing of the house he shall take two birds, with cedarwood and crimson yarn and hyssop,
50 and shall slaughter one of the birds over fresh water in an earthen vessel,
51 and shall take the cedarwood and the hyssop and the crimson yarn, along with the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.