Leviticus 12 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Leviticus 12

Purification After Childbirth

12:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.

6 “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, 7 and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons,¹ one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Footnotes

[1] 12:8 Septuagint two young pigeons

Commentary

v1-2: There were good health and hygiene reasons why the woman was "ceremonially unclean" each month. This also happened when she gave birth. This is the Lord’s words, not Moses’ opinion.

v3-5: When the baby is born, the woman is unclean for 33 days for a boy, and 66 days for a girl.

v6-7: Ritual uncleanness, as well as sins, needed atonement; this reflects God's perfect holiness.

v8: "She will be clean"; God's laws were designed to make life better, not worse; to encourage holy worship, not to be a barrier, nor to encourage guilt. This was fulfilled in Luke 2.24. Jesus Christ, in fully identifying with humanity, suffered the indignity of human birth; sacrifices were offered for Him.