Leviticus12
New International Version
1The Lord said to Moses,
2“Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period.
3On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised.
4Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.
5If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.
6“‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.
7He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. “‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl.
8But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will 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