Purification after Childbirth

12 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child,(A) she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.(B) The flesh of his foreskin(C) must be circumcised(D) on the eighth day.(E) She will continue in purification(F) from her bleeding(G) for thirty-three days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days.

“When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin[a] offering. He will present them before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female. But if she doesn’t have sufficient means[b](H) for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,(I) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.”

Footnotes

  1. 12:6 Or purification, also in v. 8
  2. 12:8 Lit if her hand cannot obtain what is sufficient

Purification of Women after Childbirth

12 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites, saying:

“If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean.(A) On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.(B) Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days.

“When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a turtledove for a purification offering.(C) He shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a purification offering, and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean.”(D)