- two birds:
- or, sparrows, The word tzippor, from the Arabic zaphara, to fly, is used in the Scriptures to denote birds of every species, particularly small birds. But it is often used in a more restricted sense, as the Hebrew writers assert, to signify the sparrow. Aquinas says the same; and Jerome renders it here the sparrow. So the Greek στρουθια, in Matthew and Luke, which signifies a sparrow, is rendered by the Syriac translator tzipparin, the same as the Hebrew tzipporim. Nor is it peculiar to the Hebrews to give the same name to the sparrow and to fowls of the largest size; for Nicander calls the hen στρουθος κατοικαδος, the domestic sparrow, and both Plautus and Ausonius call the ostrich, passer marinus, "the marine sparrow." It is evident, however, that the word in this passage signifies birds in general; for if the sparrow was a clean bird, there was no necessity for commanding a clean one to be taken, since every one of the species was ceremonially clean; but if it was unclean, then it could not be called clean. "And if¹ the burnt sacrificeª for his offeringª to the LORDª [be] of¹ fowls,ª then he shall bringª°¹ his offeringª of¹ turtledoves,ª or¹ of¹ youngª pigeons.ª" {Lev 1:14} + "And if¹ he² be not¹ able² to bringª°¹¹ a lamb,ª then he shall bringª°¹ for² his trespass,ª which¹ he hath committed,ª° twoª turtledoves,ª or¹ twoª youngª pigeons,ª unto the LORD;ª oneª for a sin offering,ª and the otherª for a burnt offering.ª" {Lev 5:7} + "And if¹ she be not¹ able to bringªªª° a lamb,ª then she shall bringª° twoª turtles,ª or¹ two¹ youngª pigeons;ª the oneª for the burnt offering,ª and the otherª for a sin offering:ª and the priestª shall make an atonementª° for¹ her, and she shall be clean.ª°" {Lev 12:8}
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