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Leviticus 12

8 verses

TL;DR

Leviticus 12 outlines the post‑birth purification rites for women, specifying periods of uncleanness, circumcision, and the required offerings for atonement.

Summary

The chapter begins with God speaking to Moses, who is instructed to tell Israel that a woman who has given birth to a son is unclean for seven days, while a girl’s uncleanness lasts for two weeks. On the eighth day the newborn boy’s foreskin must be circumcised. The mother remains in the blood of her purification for thirty days for a son and sixty‑six days for a daughter, during which she may not touch holy objects or enter the sanctuary. After the purification period, she must bring a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove as a sin offering to the tabernacle, where the priest will make atonement for her. If she cannot bring a lamb, she must instead offer two pigeons or turtledoves—one for each type of offering—to achieve purification.

Outline
  1. Uncleanness period and circumcision requirement
  2. Blood purification period and restrictions on the mother
  3. Offerings and priestly atonement for cleansing
Themes
Purity and impurityAtonement and sacrificeGender distinctions in ritual law
Keywords
uncleanpurificationbloodcircumcisionburnt offeringsin offering
People
Mosesthe LORDwomen of Israelpriests
Places
tabernacle of the congregationsanctuary
Things
bloodlambyoung pigeonturtledovecircumcision
Key Verses
  • Leviticus 12:4: Introduces the blood purification period and restrictions on holy objects
  • Leviticus 12:6: Specifies the required offerings for atonement
  • Leviticus 12:1: Begins the law by divine instruction
Questions
  • What does the separation period signify in the context of Israel’s covenant with God?
  • How does the law treat male and female offspring differently, and what might that reveal about ancient Israelite society?
  • In what ways does the requirement for offerings emphasize the priest’s role in mediating between people and God?
  • How might modern believers understand the principle of purification and atonement as presented here?
  • What parallels can be drawn between the purification laws in Leviticus and contemporary views on ritual cleanliness?
Sentiment

neutral
The passage presents legal instructions without emotional language.