Leviticus 12

Purification after Childbirth

1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 "Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child,  * 12:2 Lv 10:14 she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.  * 12:2 Lv 15:193 The flesh of his foreskin  * 12:3 Ex 4:25 must be circumcised  * 12:3 Gn 34:14 on the eighth day.  * 12:3 Gn 17:12–13; 21:4; Lk 2:21; Gl 3:5; 5:6; 6:154 She will continue in purification  * 12:4 Lv 14:2 from her bleeding  * 12:4 Lk 8:43 for thirty-three days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. 5 But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days.

6 "When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin  * 12:6 Or purification, also in v. 8 offering. 7 He will present them before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female. 8 But if she doesn’t have sufficient means  * 12:8 Lit if her hand cannot obtain what is sufficient,* 12:8 Lv 14:21 for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,  * 12:8 Lk 2:24 one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean."