Old Testament Commentary - Leviticus 12

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
           CHAPTER 12            

The Lord reveals law of purification of women after childbirth, including a sin offering.

  1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
  2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
  3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be acircumcised.
  4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
  5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
  6 And when the days of her apurifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
  7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
  8 And if she be not aable to bring a lamba, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an batonement for her, and she shall be clean.  8a if she be not able to bring a lamb In matter of symbolism it mattereth that it be a lamb, the symbol of the Christ, but it intent and purpose it mattereth not that it be a lamb but that the sacrifice be made. Thus the poor need only to gather that which may be freely had with but a small effort of such as pigeons and turtle doves. These could be gathered freely from the flocks of birds. Yet in the day of the Lord, the transactors in the temple began to sell such and honor only such as they sold to be acceptable in the temple.