The Greek and Hebrew that is usually translated in English as “atonement” is translated in Luchazi with minina mata: “to swallow another’s spittle.” “The human bite [is traditionally thought of] as being the most poisonous and dangerous and the poison lies in the saliva. So in swallowing another’s spittle, one takes into oneself all the poison or evil of the other and thus actually ‘becomes sin’ on behalf of the other. The substitute then proceeds to deal with the case as though he were the guilty one.” (Source: E. Pearson in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 160ff. )
While the Greek word strouthion is certainly the name for the sparrow, the Hebrew tsippor is actually an inclusive word that refers to sparrow-sized birds in general. These small birds, especially sparrows, were caught in nets and traps and were an important part of the diet of poor people.
There are three types of sparrow that are common in Israel, the House Sparrow Passer domesticus, the Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis, and the Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus. All three are small speckled brown birds. Additional small birds that abound around towns and settlements are members of the bunting, finch, and tit families. Sparrows in particular are usually found in fairly large numbers roosting and nesting together. All are seed eaters and live mainly on grass seeds and grain.
Sparrows were considered clean birds and were associated with the poor.
Sparrows or sparrow-like small birds are found all over the world. Finding a local word is not usually difficult. The reference to “a lonely bird on the housetop” in Psalms 102:7 takes on additional meaning if the sparrow was intended, since it is a bird that is seldom seen alone. It would then indicate the psalmist’s sense of loneliness at being separated from those with whom he belongs.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 14:53:
Kupsabiny: “After than he is to allow the bird that is alive to fly outside the town. This is how the priest performs/does the ritual by which a house is cleansed.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then he must release the bird that was not killed in the open fields outside the city. In this way he must make an atonement for that house, and then it will be clean."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then he is-to-release that live bird there outside the city. By-means-of this (which) priest will-do, the dirtiness/uncleanliness of the house will-be-taken-(away) and this will- now -be-cleansed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then he must release the other bird and allow it to fly away. By doing that, he will finish the ritual for causing the house to be acceptable for people to live in it again.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The first part of this verse is very similar to verse 7b, although the wording is slightly different. The last half of the verse corresponds to verse 20b.
Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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