Leviticus 12:1-8 King James Version (KJV)

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

² Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

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

⁴ And she shall then 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 separation: 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 of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

⁷ Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

⁸ And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Leviticus 12:1-8 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

¹ And the LORD ^H3068 spake ^H1696 unto Moses, ^H4872 saying, ^H559

² Speak ^H1696 unto the children ^H1121 of Israel, ^H3478 saying, ^H559 If a woman ^H802 have conceived seed, ^H2232 and born ^H3205 a man child: ^H2145 then she shall be unclean ^H2930 seven ^H7651 days; ^H3117 according to the days ^H3117 of the separation ^H5079 for her infirmity ^H1738 shall she be unclean. ^H2930

³ And in the eighth ^H8066 day ^H3117 the flesh ^H1320 of his foreskin ^H6190 shall be circumcised. ^H4135

⁴ And she shall then continue ^H3427 in the blood ^H1818 of her purifying ^H2893 three ^H7969 and thirty ^H7970 days; ^H3117 she shall touch ^H5060 no hallowed ^H6944 thing, nor come ^H935 into the sanctuary, ^H4720 until the days ^H3117 ^H3117 of her purifying ^H2892 be fulfilled. ^H4390

⁵ But if she bear ^H3205 a maid child, ^H5347 then she shall be unclean ^H2930 two weeks, ^H7620 as in her separation: ^H5079 and she shall continue ^H3427 in the blood ^H1818 of her purifying ^H2893 threescore ^H8346 and six ^H8337 days. ^H3117

⁶ And when the days ^H3117 of her purifying ^H2892 are fulfilled, ^H4390 for a son, ^H1121 or for a daughter, ^H1323 she shall bring ^H935 a lamb ^H3532 of the first ^H1121 year ^H8141 for a burnt offering, ^H5930 and a young ^H1121 pigeon, ^H3123 or a turtledove, ^H8449 for a sin offering, ^H2403 unto the door ^H6607 of the tabernacle ^H168 of the congregation, ^H4150 unto the priest: ^H3548

⁷ Who shall offer ^H7126 it before ^H6440 the LORD, ^H3068 and make an atonement ^H3722 for her; and she shall be cleansed ^H2891 from the issue ^H4726 of her blood. ^H1818 This is the law ^H8451 for her that hath born ^H3205 a male ^H2145 or a female. ^H5347

⁸ And if she be not able to bring ^H4672 ^H1767 ^H3027 a lamb, ^H7716 then she shall bring ^H3947 two ^H8147 turtles, ^H8449 or two young ^H1121 pigeons; ^H3123 the one ^H259 for the burnt offering, ^H5930 and the other ^H259 for a sin offering: ^H2403 and the priest ^H3548 shall make an atonement ^H3722 for her, and she shall be clean. ^H2891

Leviticus 12:1-8 American Standard (ASV)

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.

Leviticus 12:1-8 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

¹ And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

² `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, A woman when she giveth seed, and hath born a male, then she hath been unclean seven days, according to the days of separation for her sickness she is unclean;

³ and in the eighth day is the flesh of his foreskin circumcised;

⁴ and thirty and three days she doth abide in the blood of her cleansing; against any holy thing she doth not come, and unto the sanctuary she doth not go in, till the fulness of the days of her cleansing.

⁵ `And if a female she bear, then she hath been unclean two weeks, as in her separation; and sixty and six days she doth abide for the blood of her cleansing.

⁶ `And in the fulness of the days of her cleansing for son or for daughter she doth bring in a lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering, unto the opening of the tent of meeting, unto the priest;

⁷ and he hath brought it near before Jehovah, and hath made atonement for her, and she hath been cleansed from the fountain of her blood; this `is' the law of her who is bearing, in regard to a male or to a female.

⁸ `And if her hand find not the sufficiency of a sheep, then she hath taken two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, one for a burnt-offering, and one for a sin-offering, and the priest hath made atonement for her, and she hath been cleansed.'

Leviticus 12:1-8 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

¹ And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

² Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a male, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the separation of her infirmity shall she be unclean.

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

⁴ And she shall continue thirty-three days in the blood of her cleansing; no holy thing shall she touch, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her cleansing are fulfilled.

⁵ And if she bear a female, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation; and she shall continue sixty-six days in the blood of her cleansing.

⁶ And when the days of her cleansing are fulfilled, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a yearling lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, unto the priest.

⁷ And he shall present it before Jehovah, and make atonement for her; and she shall be clean from the flux of her blood. This is the law for her that hath borne a male or a female.

⁸ And if her hand cannot find what is sufficient for a sheep, she shall bring two turtle-doves or two young pigeons; 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.

Leviticus 12:1-8 World English Bible (WEB)

¹ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

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.

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

⁴ She 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.

⁵ But 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.

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:

⁷ and he shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. "'This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.

⁸ If 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: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.'"

Leviticus 12:1-8 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

¹ And the Lord said to Moses,

² Say to the children of Israel, If a woman is with child and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days, as when she is unwell.

³ And on the eighth day let him be given circumcision.

⁴ And she will be unclean for thirty-three days till the flow of her blood is stopped; no holy thing may be touched by her, and she may not come into the holy place, till the days for making her clean are ended.

⁵ But if she gives birth to a female child, then she will be unclean for two weeks, as when she is unwell; and she will not be completely clean for sixty-six days.

⁶ And when the days are ended for making her clean for a son or a daughter, let her take to the priest at the door of the Tent of meeting, a lamb of the first year for a burned offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin-offering:

⁷ And the priest is to make an offering of it before the Lord and take away her sin, and she will be made clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for a woman who gives birth to a male or a female.

⁸ And if she has not money enough for a lamb, then let her take two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burned offering and the other for a sin-offering, and the priest will take away her sin and she will be clean,

Commentary on Leviticus 12 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill Keil & Delitzsch Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Chapter 12

After the laws concerning clean and unclean food come the laws concerning clean and unclean persons; and the first is in this chapter concerning the ceremonial uncleanness of women in child-birth (v. 1-5). And concerning their purification from that uncleanness (v. 6, etc.).

Lev 12:1-5

The law here pronounces women lying-in ceremonially unclean. The Jews say, "The law extended even to an abortion, if the child was so formed as that the sex was distinguishable.'

1. There was some time of strict separation immediately after the birth, which continued seven days for a son and fourteen for a daughter, v. 2, 5. During these days she was separated from her husband and friends, and those that necessarily attended her were ceremonially unclean, which was one reason why the males were not circumcised till the eighth day, because they participated in the mother's pollution during the days of her separation.
2. There was also a longer time appointed for their purifying; thirty-three days more (forty in all) if the birth were a male, and double that time if a female, v. 4, 5. During this time they were only separated from the sanctuary and forbidden to eat of the passover, or peace-offerings, or, if a priest's wife, to eat of any thing that was holy to the Lord. Why the time of both those was double for a female to what it was for a male I can assign no reason but the will of the Law-maker; in Christ Jesus no difference is made of male and female, Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11. But this ceremonial uncleanness which the law laid women in child-bed under was to signify the pollution of sin which we are all conceived and born in, Ps. 51:5. For, if the root be impure, so is the branch, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? If sin had not entered, nothing but purity and honour had attended all the productions of that great blessing, Be fruitful and multiply; but now that the nature of man is degenerated the propagation of that nature is laid under these marks of disgrace, because of the sin and corruption that are propagated with it, and in remembrance of the curse upon the woman that was first in the transgression. That in sorrow (to which it is here further added in shame) she should bring forth children. And the exclusion of the woman for so many days from the sanctuary, and all participation of the holy things, signified that our original corruption (that sinning sin which we brought into the world with us) would have excluded us for ever from the enjoyment of God and his favours if he had not graciously provided for our purifying.

Lev 12:6-8

A woman that had lain in, when the time set for her return to the sanctuary had come, was not to attend there empty, but must bring her offerings, v. 6.

1. A burnt-offering; a lamb if she was able, if poor, a pigeon. This she was to offer in thankfulness to God for his mercy to her, in bringing her safely through the pains of child-bearing and all the perils of child-bed, and in desire and hopes of God's further favour both to her and to the child. When a child is born there is joy and there is hope, and therefore it was proper to bring this offering, which was of a general nature; for what we rejoice in we must give thanks for, and what we are in hopes of we must pray for. But, besides this,
2. She must offer a sin-offering, which must be the same for poor and rich, a turtle-dove or a young pigeon; for, whatever difference there may be between rich and poor in the sacrifices of acknowledgment, that of atonement is the same for both. This sin-offering was intended either,
- (1.) To complete her purification from that ceremonial uncleanness which, though it was not in itself sinful, yet was typical of moral pollution; or,
- (2.) To make atonement for that which was really sin, either an inordinate desire of the blessing of children or discontent or impatience under the pains of child-bearing. It is only by Christ, the great sin-offering, that the corruption of our nature is done away, and to that it is owing that we are not for ever excluded by it from the sanctuary, and from eating of the holy things. According to this law, we find that the mother of our blessed Lord, though he was not conceived in sin as others, yet accomplished the days of purification, and then presented her son to the Lord, being a first-born, and brought her own offering, a pair of turtle-doves, Lu. 2:22-24. So poor were Christ's parents that they were not able to bring a lamb for a burnt-offering; and so early was Christ made under the law, to redeem those that were under it. The morality of this law obliges those women that have received mercy from God in child-bearing with all thankfulness to own God's goodness to them, acknowledging themselves unworthy of it, and (which is the best purification of women that have been saved in child-bearing, 1 Tim. 2:15) to continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety; for this shall please the Lord better than the turtle-doves or the young pigeons.

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