Leviticus 12: A mother's purification after childbirth
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh tells Moses the rules for a woman after she gives birth. After a boy she is unclean for seven days, the boy is circumcised on the eighth day, and her purification lasts thirty-three more days; after a girl the times are two weeks and sixty-six days. Then she brings a lamb for a burnt offering and a bird for a sin offering, or two birds if she cannot afford a lamb, and the priest makes atonement for her.
Who is speaking?
There is no story in this chapter. God's own words are in 7 of the 8 verses: from verse 2 to the end, Yahweh tells Moses what to say to the Israelites about a woman who has given birth. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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2“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean.God speaks
In plain English: "Tell the Israelites, 'If a woman conceives (literally: produces seed) and gives birth to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days. She will be unclean just as in the days of her monthly period.
Good to know: The rules for a woman's monthly period are in . For what "unclean" means in Leviticus, see the note at .
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3In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.God speaks
In plain English: On the eighth day the flesh of the boy's foreskin is to be circumcised.
Good to know: Circumcision on the eighth day is first commanded to Abraham in . tells that Jesus was circumcised when eight days were fulfilled.
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4She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.God speaks
In plain English: Then she is to remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days. She must not touch anything holy or come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.
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5But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days.God speaks
In plain English: But if she gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean for two weeks, as in her period. Then she is to remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.
Good to know: The chapter does not give a reason for the uncleanness, or for the different number of days after a boy and after a girl. Readers have offered different explanations.
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6“‘When the days of her purification are completed for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove, for a sin offering.God speaks
In plain English: When the days of her purification are over, for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering (or: purification offering).
Good to know: The verses do not name any wrong the mother has done. says the offering makes her clean "from the fountain of her blood". For the two readings of "sin offering", see the note at .
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7He shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; then she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.God speaks
In plain English: He is to offer it before Yahweh and make atonement for her, and she will be clean from the flow of her blood (literally: the spring of her blood). This is the law for a woman who gives birth, whether to a boy or a girl.
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8If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons: the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”God speaks
In plain English: If she cannot afford a lamb (literally: if her hand does not find enough for a lamb), she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. The priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"
Good to know: to 24 tells that after the birth of Jesus, his parents offered "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons", the offering this verse allows.
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