Leviticus 12

Purification after Childbirth

1The LORD said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. *If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. 2On the eighth day the boy's foreskin must be circumcised. After waiting thirty-three days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth. During this time of purification, she must not touch anything that is set apart as holy. And she must not enter the sanctuary until her time of purification is over. 5If a woman gives birth to a daughter, she will be ceremonially unclean for two weeks, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. After waiting sixty-six days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth. 6“When the time of purification is completed for either a son or a daughter, the woman must bring a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a purification offering. She must bring her offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.* 7The priest will then present them to the LORD to purify her. 8Then she will be ceremonially clean again after her bleeding at childbirth. These are the instructions for a woman after the birth of a son or a daughter.

nations. The pig, for example, was a common sacrifice of paganreligions. (3) To avoid objectionable associations. The creaturesthat move about on the ground, for example, were reminiscentof serpents, which often symbolized sin.12:1-4 Why was a woman considered “ceremonially unclean”after the wonderful miracle of birth? It was due to the bodilyemissions and secretions occurring during and after childbirth.These were considered unclean and made the woman unpreparedto enter the pure surroundings of the Tabernacle. Her temporarystatus highlighted her role as a young mother and relieved her ofcertain duties that probably made the early days with a new babyeasier.12:1-4 Unclean did not mean sinful or dirty. God created usmale and female, and he ordered us to be fruitful and multiply(Genesis 1:27, 28). He did not change his mind and say that sexand procreation were now somehow unclean. Instead, he madea distinction between his worship and the popular worship offertility gods and goddesses. Canaanite religions incorporatedprostitution and immoral rites as the people begged their godsto make their crops, herds, and families increase. By contrast,(srae!’s religion avoided all sexual connotations. By keepingworship and sex entirely separate, God helped the Israelites avoidconfusion with pagan rites. The Israelites worshiped God as theirloving Creator and Provider, and they thanked him for bountifulcrops, marital love, and safe childbirth.

8“Tf a woman cannot afford to bring a lamb, she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. One will be for the burnt offering and the other for the purification offering. The priest will sacrifice them to purify her, and she will be ceremonially clean.”