Leviticus 14:30

Then he must sacrifice the turtledoves or young pigeons, whichever he can afford,

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The priest acts on behalf of a person recovering from a skin disease, preparing the final sacrificial elements after applying the remaining cleansing oil to the individual’s head.

The words — וְ/עָשָׂ֤ה (ve./'a.Sah) translates literally as "and he will offer," while הָֽ/אֶחָד֙ (ha./'e.Chad) means "the one" and מִן\־ (min-) means "of." The phrase הַ/תֹּרִ֔ים (ha./to.Rim) identifies "the turtle-doves," followed by א֖וֹ ('o) "or" and בְּנֵ֣י (be.Nei) "the young ones of" pigeons.

The thread — Leviticus 14:22 and Leviticus 12:8 repeat the identical allowance for substituting two birds for a lamb based on financial capacity. Leviticus 15:14 commands bringing two turtledoves or young pigeons to the priest but contains no mention of a lamb, financial limitation, or substitution.

Why it lands — The text states that the required sacrifice scales to the worshiper’s means, requiring the priest to accept whichever birds the person can provide. It asks the reader to recognize that atonement procedures accommodate economic reality without altering the required ritual structure.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעָשָׂ֤הve./'a.Sahand/ he will offer אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָֽאֶחָד֙ha./'e.Chadthe/ one מִן־min-of הַתֹּרִ֔יםha./to.Rimthe/ turtle-doves א֖וֹ'oor מִן־min-of בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] young ones of הַיּוֹנָ֑הhai./yo.Nahthe/ dove מֵאֲשֶׁ֥רme./'a.Sherfrom/ [that] which תַּשִּׂ֖יגta.Sigit will reach יָדֽוֹ׃ya.D/ohand/ his

King James Version

And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;

Cross-references

Leviticus 14:22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
Leviticus 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Leviticus 15:14 On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.
Luke 2:24 and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Romans 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,