Impurity From Childbirth
12 The Lord spoke to Moses and told him 2 to tell the Israelites these things:
When a woman produces offspring[a] and gives birth to a male, she will become unclean for seven days just as she is unclean during the time of her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day, the foreskin of his flesh[b] shall be circumcised. 4 She will remain in the process of being purified from her flow of blood for thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is complete.
5 If she gives birth to a female, she will become unclean for two weeks as she does during her monthly period. She shall remain in the process of being purified from her flow of blood for sixty-six days.
6 At the completion of her time of purification for either a son or a daughter, she shall bring a lamb in its first year as a whole burnt offering and a pigeon or turtledove as a sin offering to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 7 He shall present it before the Lord and make atonement for her, so that she may be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for a woman who gives birth to a male or female.
8 If, however, she cannot afford a sheep or a goat, she may bring two turtledoves or two pigeons, one as a whole burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for her, so that she will be clean.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 12:2 Literally produces seed. The term might mean becomes pregnant.
- Leviticus 12:3 Literally the flesh of his foreskin. Flesh serves as a euphemism for penis. Many English translations simply omit the reference to flesh.