Leviticus 12
Expanded Bible
Rules for New Mothers
12 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel this: ‘If a woman [L conceives; becomes pregnant and] gives birth to a son, she will become unclean [C in a ritual sense] for seven days, as she is unclean during her ·monthly period [menstruation; 15:19]. 3 On the eighth day the ·boy [L flesh 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 [L sanctuary] 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 [C in a ritual sense] ·so she will belong to the Lord again [L to 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 [C in a ritual sense] ·so she will belong to the Lord again [L and make atonement for her], and she will be clean.’”
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Leviticus 12
New American Standard Bible
Laws of Motherhood
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:
‘When a woman gives birth and delivers a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days; (A)as she is in the days of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 Then on (B)the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall stay at home in her condition of [a]blood purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 5 But if she gives birth to a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall stay at home in her condition of [b]blood purification for sixty-six days.
6 ‘(C)When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one-year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove (D)as a [c]sin offering. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the [d]flow of her blood. This is the law for her who gives birth to a child, whether a male or a female. 8 But if [e]she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take (E)two turtledoves or two young doves, (F)the one as a burnt offering and the other as a [f]sin offering; and the (G)priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
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- Leviticus 12:4 Lit blood of purifying; i.e., ritually clean blood from childbirth
- Leviticus 12:5 See note v 4
- Leviticus 12:6 Or purification offering
- Leviticus 12:7 Lit fountain
- Leviticus 12:8 Lit her hand does not find enough for
- Leviticus 12:8 Or purification offering
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