Leviticus12
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.
3And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
4And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
5But if she bear a maid-child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her impurity; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
6And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb a year old for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtle-dove, for a sin-offering, unto the door of the tent of meeting, unto the priest:
7and he shall offer it before Jehovah, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. This is the law for her that beareth, whether a male or a female.
8And if her means suffice not for a lamb, then she shall take two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons; the 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.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Ceremonial purification. (1-8).
vv1-8
After the laws concerning clean and unclean food, come the laws concerning clean and unclean persons. Man imparts his depraved nature to his offspring, so that, excepting as the atonement of Christ and the sanctification of the Spirit prevent, the original blessing, “Increase and multiply,” Ge 1:28, is become to the fallen race a direful curse, and communicates sin and misery. Let those women who have received mercy from God in child-bearing, with all thankfulness own God's goodness to them; and this shall please the Lord better than sacrifices.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אִשָּׁה: a woman
זָרַע: to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify
יָלַד: to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
זָכָר: properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)
טָמֵא: to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated)
Cross References
Leviticus 12Mary and Joseph present Jesus at the temple when the days of her purification were accomplished.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Mary offers the poor option of two turtledoves or two pigeons, showing Christ's humble birth.
Supported by JFB
The foundational covenant command to circumcise male children on the eighth day.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David laments being shapen in iniquity, illustrating hereditary corruption from birth.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day in fulfillment of this law.
Supported by JFB
Relates the doubled uncleanness period for a female birth to Eve being first in transgression.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The basic law for ceremonial uncleanness during menstrual separation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Asks who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, highlighting born corruption.
Supported by John Calvin
Contrastive hope that women are saved in childbearing, reversing the curse.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
In Christ there is neither male nor female; the gender distinction in purification is removed.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The previous law allowing poor offering substitutions of turtledoves or young pigeons.
Supported by JFB
The original creation blessing to multiply now carries fallen hereditary pollution.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Spiritual circumcision, the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus discusses the origin of eighth-day circumcision, traced back to the patriarchs.
Supported by Matthew Poole