The Ritual After Childbirth(A)

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a (B)woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then (C)she shall be [a]unclean seven days; (D)as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. And on the (E)eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any [b]hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.

(F)‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a (G)lamb [c]of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a (H)sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make [d]atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

(I)‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. (J)So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be [e]clean.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 12:2 impure
  2. Leviticus 12:4 consecrated
  3. Leviticus 12:6 Lit. a son of his year
  4. Leviticus 12:7 Lit. covering
  5. Leviticus 12:8 pure

Purification After Childbirth

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period.(A) On the eighth day(B) the boy is to be circumcised.(C) Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

“‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over,(D) she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb(E) for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.[a](F) He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons,(G) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.(H) In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.(I)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 12:6 Or purification offering; also in verse 8

30 ‘You shall [a]keep My Sabbaths and (A)reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.

31 ‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after (B)them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

32 (C)‘You shall [b]rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and (D)fear your God: I am the Lord.

33 ‘And (E)if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 (F)The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as [c]one born among you, and (G)you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

35 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. 36 You shall have (H)honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37 (I)‘Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 19:30 observe
  2. Leviticus 19:32 rise to give honor
  3. Leviticus 19:34 native among you

30 “‘Observe my Sabbaths(A) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.(B)

31 “‘Do not turn to mediums(C) or seek out spiritists,(D) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect(E) for the elderly(F) and revere your God.(G) I am the Lord.(H)

33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.(I) Love them as yourself,(J) for you were foreigners(K) in Egypt.(L) I am the Lord your God.

35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.(M) 36 Use honest scales(N) and honest weights, an honest ephah[a](O) and an honest hin.[b](P) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.(Q)

37 “‘Keep all my decrees(R) and all my laws(S) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 19:36 An ephah was a dry measure having the capacity of about 3/5 of a bushel or about 22 liters.
  2. Leviticus 19:36 A hin was a liquid measure having the capacity of about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters.