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Purification After Childbirth

12 Then[a] Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites,[b] saying, ‘When a woman becomes pregnant and she gives birth to a male,[c] then[d] she shall be unclean seven days—as in the time of her menstrual bleeding, she shall become unclean. And on the eighth day his foreskin’s flesh shall be circumcised. And for thirty-three days she shall stay in the blood of her cleansing; she must not touch any holy object, and she may not come to the sanctuary until the fulfilling of the days of her cleansing. But[e] if she gives birth to a female,[f] then[g] she shall be unclean for two weeks as in her menstruation, and for sixty-six days she shall stay through[h] the blood of her cleansing. And at the fulfilling of the days of her cleansing, whether for a son or for a daughter, she must bring to the priest at the tent of assembly’s entrance a yearling[i] male lamb as a burnt offering and young dove[j] or a turtledove as a sin offering. And the priest shall present it before[k] Yahweh, and he shall make atonement for her, so that[l] she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the regulation of childbearing[m] for the male[n] or for the female.[o] And if she cannot afford[p] a sheep,[q] then[r] she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves[s]—one as a burnt offering and one as a sin offering—and the priest shall make atonement for her, so that[t] she shall be clean.’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 12:1 Or “And”
  2. Leviticus 12:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. Leviticus 12:2 Or “son”
  4. Leviticus 12:2 Or “and”
  5. Leviticus 12:5 Or “And”
  6. Leviticus 12:5 Or “daughter”
  7. Leviticus 12:5 Or “and”
  8. Leviticus 12:5 Or “at” or “on”
  9. Leviticus 12:6 Literally “a son of his year”
  10. Leviticus 12:6 Literally “son of a dove”
  11. Leviticus 12:7 Literally “to the faces of”
  12. Leviticus 12:7 Or “and”
  13. Leviticus 12:7 Literally “the childbearing”
  14. Leviticus 12:7 Or “son”
  15. Leviticus 12:7 Or “daughter”
  16. Leviticus 12:8 Literally “her hand does not find enough”
  17. Leviticus 12:8 Or “small livestock”
  18. Leviticus 12:8 Or “and”
  19. Leviticus 12:8 Literally “sons of a dove”
  20. Leviticus 12:8 Or “and”

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

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.

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

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.

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.

And when the days of her purifying 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:

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.

And if she be not able to bring a lamb, 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 atonement for her, and she shall be clean.