Treasury of Scripture
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 [], 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 [], {the domestic sparrow}, and both Plattus 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.
Leviticus 1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves...
Leviticus 5:7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he has committed, two turtledoves...
Leviticus 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering...
cedar
Leviticus 14:6,49-52 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop...
Numbers 19:6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the middle of the burning of the heifer.
scarlet
Hebrews 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water...
hyssop
Exodus 12:22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin...
Numbers 19:18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels...
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.