Leviticuschapter 12

8 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 61 cross-references outward and receives 45 — heaviest partner: Leviticus.

Chapter summary

Purification after childbirth. A woman who bears a man-child is unclean seven days, her separation thirty-three days; a maid-child, fourteen and sixty-six days. At the end, she brings a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering; if she cannot afford a lamb, two turtledoves or two young pigeons. Atonement is made and she is clean. Luke 2:22–24 records Mary's offering of the two birds — the poor woman's offering — at Jesus' presentation. The chapter normalises the ordinary events of human life into the regime of holiness.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Leviticus overview for the book's full setting.

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak 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.

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4 And 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.

5 But 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.

6 And 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:

7 and 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.

8 And 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.

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