Leviticus 12:1-5

C. 2. LAWS OF PURIFICATION AFTER CHILDBIRTH 12:1-8
a. THE PERIOD OF CEREMONIAL UNCLEANNESS AFTER CHILDBIRTH 12:1-5
TEXT 12:1-5

1

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.

3

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4

And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

5

But if she bear a maid-child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her impurity; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 12:1-5

228.

Is there any reason for God addressing this instruction to Moses alone?

229.

Is there some physical as well as ceremonial cleansing in the first seven days after childbirth?

230.

On what day after birth are babies circumcised today? Why?

231.

Just what is meant in Leviticus 12:4 by the phrase the blood of her purifying?

232.

From what specific privileges was the mother separated during the thirty-three days?

233.

Why the increase of days in the birth of a girl?

PARAPHRASE 12:1-5

The Lord told Moses to give these instructions to the people of Israel: When a baby boy is born, the mother shall be ceremonially defiled for seven days, and under the same restrictions as during her monthly periods. On the eighth day, her son must be circumcised. Then, for the next thirty-three days, while she is recovering from her ceremonial impurity, she must not touch anything sacred, nor enter the Tabernacle. When a baby girl is born, the mother's ceremonial impurity shall last two weeks, during which time she will be under the same restrictions as during menstruation. Then for a further sixty-six days she shall continue her recovery.

COMMENT 12:1-5

Leviticus 12:1-5 It was to Moses God spoke the order of creation, i.e. fish, fowl and animals and then man. It is here God addresses Moses concerning the purification of fish, fowl and animals, and finally man. Laws of defilement from without and then laws of defilement from within.

Hygienic-medicinal reasons for the strict laws of separation at childbirth immediately come to mind. Very high mortality rate at birth is almost always associated with contamination through contact. If the mother and child are isolated for 40 days the chances for survival are greatly increased. We do not associate moral uncleanness with any of the fish, fowl or animals designated by God as unclean. Neither do we have reason to moralize on the uncleanness of the mother at childbirth. Not one word is said about purifying the child. Circumcision was a mark of identification in the covenant God made with Abraham. Any cleanness was 100% ceremonial. What possible intrinsic moral value could be found in the purification process of the mother or the foreskin of the male child? We won-'t even mention the discussion that could be offered for the plain fact that girls must remain unclean forever if circumcision clears the record with God! The only moral association is in the development of the habit of obedience to the laws of God. The issue of blood following childbirth usually lasts only three or four days, but for exceptional cases seven days are allotted. During this time whoever or whatever the mother touches is ceremonially unclean, so she is insured a practical isolation. This same period of time is prescribed for all women at the time of their monthly menstruation period. Cf. Leviticus 15:19. It would seem such regulations had been observed by the Jews before Moses wrote them into the Levitical code.

Read Genesis 17:10; Genesis 17:13 for the origin of the covenant of circumcision.

The thirty-three day period was given for the complete clearing up of the discharge consequent upon childbirth. Although this happens usually not later than three weeks, more time is given for the exceptional cases. Having a bath at the end of seven days she could return to normal intercourse with her husband and was permitted to partake of the second tithe if she was the wife of a priest. The blood that appeared from the eighth day to the thirty-third would be pure as contrasted with the blood of the after-birth.
We offer no more reason for the double purification period for the birth of the female child other than an emphasis upon the historical fact that by woman came the transgression. Cf. 1 Timothy 2:14. It could be that it was because of such restrictions of female children that Paul said There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28.

FACT QUESTIONS 12:1-5

280.

How does the order of creation relate to this section?

281.

What hygienic or medicinal reasons could be given for this purification?

282.

Show how it is impossible to associate personal moral blame to the uncleanness of this chapter and of chapter eleven.

283.

What moral lesson could have been learned in all this?

284.

Show the practical value of the two periods of purification for mother and child.

285.

Why 80 days for a girl child?