Leviticus 12

Laws of Motherhood

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:

‘When a woman 1gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, 2as in the days of 3her menstruation she shall be unclean. 3On 4the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 5But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her 5menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.

6‘6When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove 7for a sin offering. 7Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the 8flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 8But if 9she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take 10two turtledoves or two young pigeons, 11the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the 12priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”