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Leviticus 12
The shortest chapter in Leviticus turns from clean animals to childbirth. A mother is unclean seven days after a son (with circumcision on the eighth), then thirty-three more days of purification blood; a daughter doubles both counts to fourteen and sixty-six. The numbers, not any explanation, carry the weight. At the end of that span she brings a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or dove for a sin offering — and a crucial escape clause if she cannot afford the lamb.
- 1
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
- 2
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean.
- 3
In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
- 4
She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.
- 5
But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification 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 door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove, for a sin offering.
- 7
He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her; then she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.
- 8
If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons: the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”
- 1
Y HABLÓ Jehová á Moisés, diciendo:
- 2
Habla á los hijos de Israel, diciendo: La mujer cuando concibiere y pariere varón, será inmunda siete días; conforme á los días que está separada por su menstruo, será inmunda.
- 3
Y al octavo día circuncidará la carne de su prepucio.
- 4
Mas ella permanecerá treinta y tres días en la sangre de su purgación: ninguna cosa santa tocará, ni vendrá al santuario, hasta que sean cumplidos los días de su purgación.
- 5
Y si pariere hembra será inmunda dos semanas, conforme á su separación, y sesenta y seis días estará purificándose de su sangre.
- 6
Y cuando los días de su purgación fueren cumplidos, por hijo ó por hija, traerá un cordero de un año para holocausto, y un palomino ó una tórtola para expiación, á la puerta del tabernáculo del testimonio, al sacerdote:
- 7
Y él ofrecerá delante de Jehová, y hará expiación por ella, y será limpia del flujo de su sangre. Esta es la ley de la que pariere varón ó hembra.
- 8
Y si no alcanzare su mano lo suficiente para un cordero, tomará entonces dos tórtolas ó dos palominos, uno para holocausto, y otro para expiación: y el sacerdote hará expiación por ella, y será limpia.
The poor woman's two birds
Verse 8 lets a mother who "cannot afford a lamb" bring "two turtledoves or two young pigeons" instead — one for each offering. The law builds poverty into its own provision rather than pricing anyone out of purification.
This is the exact offering Luke reports for Mary, the quiet marker that Jesus was born into a household too poor for the lamb. The chapter's small print becomes a detail the Gospel later leans on.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- Leviticus 16:29-30Key passage connected to Atonement.
- Romans 3:24-26Key passage connected to Atonement.
- Hebrews 9:11-14Key passage connected to Atonement.
- Proverbs 1:7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Psalms 111:10Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Luke 12:4-7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
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