Leviticus 12

Laws of Motherhood

1 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; as she is in the days of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 Then on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall stay at home in her condition of*12:4 Lit blood of purifying; i.e., ritually clean blood from childbirthblood 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*12:5 See note v 4blood purification for sixty-six days.

6 ‘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 as a *12:6 Or purification offeringsin offering. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the *12:7 Lit fountainflow of her blood. This is the law for her who gives birth to a child, whether a male or a female. 8 But if *12:8 Lit her hand does not find enough forshe cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves, the one as a burnt offering and the other as a *12:8 Or purification offeringsin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ "