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,(A) she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.(B)
3 The flesh of his foreskin(C) must be circumcised(D) on the eighth day.(E)
4 She will continue in purification(F) from her bleeding(G) for 33 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 66 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(a) 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(b)(H) for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,(I) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin(c) offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.”
Footnotes:
a.
Leviticus 12:6: Or purification
b.
Leviticus 12:8: Lit if her hand cannot obtain what is sufficient
c.
Leviticus 12:8: Or purification