Overview
In the Old Testament cleansing ceremony for leprosy, two birds were used: one was killed over running water, and the other—the scapebird—was dipped in the blood of the dead bird and released alive into the open field. This ritual symbolized the complete removal of the person's uncleanness and their restoration to both physical health and community participation.
Key Scriptures
"The priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. As for the living bird, he shall take it, along with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water" (Leviticus 14:5-6, NASB). "He shall then let the living bird loose in the open field" (Leviticus 14:7, NASB).
Application
The scapebird's release prefigures Christ's redemptive work—our cleansing comes through His sacrificial blood, and we are set free from the bondage of sin and shame.