Leviticuschapter 12
8 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law
Original Language
Leviticus 12— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition
In Jewish life
Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Leviticus 12. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.
The reading
Weekly portion 27 of 54
תַזְרִיעַ Tazria, Leviticus 12:1 to 13:59
Read with it: 2 Kings 4:42 to 5:19.
The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →
Where the rabbis cite this chapter
3 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 3 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.
How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.
Days of purifying after a birth1
Leviticus 12:1· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Leviticus 12:2· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Ramban on Leviticus 12:2
Rashi commented: “ If a woman have conceived seed, and born [ a male ].
Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Leviticus 12:3· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Leviticus 12:4· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Ramban on Leviticus 12:4
AND SHE SHALL THEN ‘TEISHEIV’ 17 Literally: “sit” or “dwell.” (REMAIN) IN THE BLOOD OF PURIFICATION THREE AND THIRTY DAYS. “The term yeshivah [literally: sitting ] signifies here ‘remaining,’ just like in the verses: ‘vateishvu’ ( and ye stayed ) in Kadesh; 18 Deuteronomy:46.
Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Leviticus 12:5· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
A lamb — or two birds if she is poor6
Leviticus 12:6· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Leviticus 12:7· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible
Ramban on Leviticus 12:7
AND HE SHALL OFFER IT BEFORE THE ETERNAL, AND MAKE ATONEMENT FOR HER; AND SHE SHALL BE CLEANSED FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF HER BLOOD. Scripture is stating that she shall offer a ransom for her soul. See Exodus:12.
Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Leviticus 12:8· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible