Rules for New Mothers

12 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the ·people [^Lsons; children] of Israel this: ‘If a woman [^Lconceives; becomes pregnant and] gives birth to a son, she will become unclean [^Cin a ritual sense] for seven days, as she is unclean during her ·monthly period [menstruation; 15:19]. ³ On the eighth day the ·boy [^Lflesh of his foreskin] must be circumcised [Gen. 17:10–14]. ⁴ Then it will be thirty-three days before she becomes clean from her loss of blood. She must not touch anything that is holy or enter the ·Holy Tent [^Lsanctuary] until her time of ·cleansing [purification] is finished. ⁵ But if she gives birth to a daughter, the mother will be unclean for two weeks, as she is unclean during her ·monthly period [menstruation]. It will be sixty-six days before she becomes clean from her loss of blood.

⁶ “‘After she has a son or daughter and her days of ·cleansing [purification] are over, the new mother must bring certain sacrifices to the Meeting Tent. She must give the priest at the entrance a year-old lamb for a burnt offering [1:1–17] and a dove or young pigeon for a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering. ⁷ He will offer them before the Lord to make her clean [^Cin a ritual sense] ·so she will belong to the Lord again [^Lto make atonement for her]; then she will be clean from her ·loss [flow] of blood. These are the ·teachings [laws; instructions] for a woman who gives birth to a boy or girl.

⁸ “‘If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering [1:1–17] and one for a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering. In this way the priest will make her clean [^Cin a ritual sense] ·so she will belong to the Lord again [^Land make atonement for her], and she will be clean.’”