SCRIPTURE: LEVITICUS 12
IMPORTANT VERSES:
PURIFICATION AFTER CHILDBIRTH (vs. 1-8)
The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eight day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks, the woman will be unclean, as during her period. then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.
“‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. he shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceerremonially8 clean from her flow of blood.
“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'[”
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
A woman is considered “ceremonially unclean” after childbirth because of the bodily emissions and secretions occurring during and after childbirth. These were considered unclean and made the woman unprepared to enter the pure surroundings of The Tabernacle.
THOUGHTS: (By Warren Wiersbe)
BIRTH – There is no suggestion here that either conception or birth is an act of sin. God created sex and told us to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28), God reminds us that we are conceived sinners and therefore need His grace.
COMPASSION – Is a female child twice as unclean as a male child? Of course not, for there were no degrees of uncleanness, God was giving the mother extra time to care for a daughter in a masculine society that preferred sons. He was also giving her time to recuperate before the next pregnancy. A husband to whom she bore a daughter might be anxious to try again for a son!
GRACE – Even the poorest could bring an acceptable sacrifice, and God would receive it. This is the sacrifice that Joseph and Mary brought when they dedicated Jesus. Truly, He became poor that we might be rich.