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Leviticus
Chapter Twelve
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 12
This
chapter treats of the purification of a new mother
the time of whose
purification for a man child was forty days
and for a maid child eighty
Leviticus 12:1 at
the close of which she was to bring her offerings to the priests
to make
atonement for her
Leviticus 12:6.
Leviticus 12:1. Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... The laws in the
preceding chapter were delivered both to Moses and Aaron
but what follows in
this only to Moses; but inasmuch as the priest had a concern in it
it being
his business to offer the sacrifices required by the following law
it was no
doubt given to Moses
to be delivered to Aaron
as well as to the people. R. Semlai
remarks
that as the creation of man was after that of the beasts
fowls
fishes
&c. so the laws concerning the uncleanness of men are after those
relating to beasts
&c
and they begin with the uncleanness of a new
mother
because
as Aben Ezra observes
the birth is the beginning of man:
saying: as follows.
Leviticus 12:2.
2 “Speak to the children of
Israel
saying: ‘If a woman has conceived
and borne a male child
then she
shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall
be unclean.
YLT 2`Speak unto the sons of Israel
saying
A
woman when she giveth seed
and hath born a male
then she hath been unclean
seven days
according to the days of separation for her sickness she is
unclean;
Speak unto the children of Israel
.... For this law only
concerned them
and not other nations of the world:
if a woman have conceived seed; by lying with a man
and
so becomes pregnant
and goes on with her pregnancy until she brings forth a
child. The Jews from hence gather
that this law respects abortions; that if a
woman has conceived and miscarries
eighty one days after the birth of a
female
and forty one after a male
she must bring her offeringF13Misn.
Ceritot
c. 1. sect. 6. Maimon. & Bartenora
in ib. ; but the law seems
only to regard such as are with child
and proceed to the due time of
childbirth
whether then the child is born alive or dead:
and born a man child; which is
generally
speaking
not only matter of joy to the mother
but to the whole family
see John 16:21 then she
shall be unclean seven days; be separate from all company
except those whose
presence is necessary to take care of her in her circumstances
and do what is
proper for her
and even these became ceremonially unclean thereby; yea
her
husband was not permitted to sit near her
nor to eat and drink with her:
according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall
she be unclean; the same number of days
even seven
she was unclean on account
of childbirth
as she was for her monthly courses
called here an infirmity or
sickness
incident to all females when grown up
at which time they were
separate from all persons; and the case was the same with a new mother; see Leviticus 15:14.
Leviticus 12:3.
3 And on the eighth day the
flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
YLT 3and in the eighth day is the flesh of his
foreskin circumcised;
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised. Or the foreskin of his flesh
that is
of the man child born
according to the law
Genesis 17:12 and
this seems to furnish out a reason why a male child was not circumcised before
the eighth day
and why it was then
because before that its mother was in her
separation and uncleanness
and then was freed from it; and so the Targum of
Jonathan. The circumcision of a male child on the eighth day was religiously
observed
and even was not omitted on account of the sabbath
when the eighth
day happened to be on that; see Gill on John 7:22
John 7:23. It is an
observation of Aben Ezra on this place
that the wise men say "in the
day"
and not in the night
lo
he that is born half an hour before the
setting of the sun is circumcised after six days and a half
for the day of the
law is not from time to time.
Leviticus 12:4.
4 She shall then continue in
the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any
hallowed thing
nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification
are fulfilled.
YLT 4and thirty and three days she doth abide in
the blood of her cleansing; against any holy thing she doth not come
and unto
the sanctuary she doth not go in
till the fulness of the days of her
cleansing.
And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying three and
thirty days
.... That is
so many more
in all forty; for though at the end
of seven days she was in some respects free from her uncleanness
yet not
altogether
but remained in the blood of her purifying
or in the purifying of
her blood
which was more and more purified
and completely at the end of forty
days: so with the Persians it is said
a new mother must avoid everything for
forty days; when that time is passed
she may wash and be purifiedF14Lib.
Shad-der
port. 86. apud Hyde Hist. Relig. Vet. Pers. p. 478. ; and which
perhaps Zoroastres
the founder of the Persian religion
at least the reformer
of it
being a Jew
as is by some supposed
he might take it from hence:
she shall touch no hallowed thing; as the tithe
the heave
offering
the flesh of the peace offerings
as Aben Ezra explains it
if she
was a priest's wife:
nor come into the sanctuary; the court of the
tabernacle of the congregation
or the court of the temple
as the same writer
observes; and so with the Greeks
a pregnant woman might not come into a temple
before the fortieth dayF15Censorinus apud Grotium in loc.
that is
of her delivery:
until the days of her purifying be fulfilled; until the
setting of the sun of the fortieth day; on the morrow of that she was to bring
the atonement of her purification
as Jarchi observes; See Gill on Leviticus 12:6.
Leviticus 12:5. 5 ‘But
if she bears a female child
then she shall be unclean two weeks
as in her
customary impurity
and she shall continue in the blood of her
purification sixty-six days.
YLT 5`And if a female she bear
then she hath been
unclean two weeks
as in her separation; and sixty and six days she doth abide
for the blood of her cleansing.
But if she bear a maid child
.... A daughter
whether
born alive or dead
if she goes with it her full time:
then she shall be unclean two weeks; or fourteen days
running; and on the fifteenth day be free or loosed
as the Targum of Jonathan
just as long again as for a man child:
as in her separation; on account of her
monthly courses; the sense is
that she should be fourteen days
to all intents
and purposes
as unclean as when these are upon her:
and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying sixty and six
days; which being added to the fourteen make eighty days
just as many
more as in the case of a male child; the reason of which
as given by some
Jewish writers
is
because of the greater flow of humours
and the corruption
of the blood through the birth of a female than of a male: but perhaps the
truer reason may be
what a learned manF16Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr.
vol. 2. p. 314
315. suggests
that a male infant circumcised on the eighth day
by the profusion of its own blood
bears part of the purgation; wherefore the
mother
for the birth of a female
must suffer twice the time of separation;
the separation is finished within two weeks
but the purgation continues sixty
six days; a male child satisfies the law together
and at once
by
circumcision; but an adult female bears both the purgation and separation every
month. According to HippocratesF17Apud Grotium in loc.
the
purgation of a new mother
after the birth of a female
is forty two days
and
after the birth of a male thirty days; so that it should seem there is
something in nature which requires a longer time for purifying after the one
than after the other
and which may in part be regarded by this law; but it
chiefly depends upon the sovereign will of the lawgiver. The Jews do not now
strictly observe this. BuxtorfF18Synagog. Jud. c. 5. p. 120. says
the custom prevails now with them
that whether a woman bears a male or a
female
at the end of forty days she leaves her bed
and returns to her
husband; but Leo of Modena relatesF19History of Rites
Customs
&c. of the Jews
par. 4. c. 5. sect. 3.
that if she bears a male child
her husband may not touch her for the space of seven weeks; and if a female
the space of three months; though he allows
in some places
they continue
separated a less while
according as the custom of the place is.
Leviticus 12:6. 6 ‘When
the days of her purification are fulfilled
whether for a son or a daughter
she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering
and
a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering
to the door of the tabernacle
of meeting.
YLT 6`And in the fulness of the days of her
cleansing for son or for daughter she doth bring in a lamb
a son of a year
for a burnt-offering
and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering
unto the opening of the tent of meeting
unto the priest;
And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled
for a son
or
for a daughter
.... For a son forty days
and for a daughter eighty; but the
ancient Jews formerly
that they might not break it
ordered
that the offering
enjoined as follows should not be brought until the next day after the time was
up: their canon runs thusF20Maimon. Mechosre Capparah
c. 1. sect.
5.
"a new mother does not bring her offering on the fortieth day for a
male
nor on the eightieth day for a female
but after her sun is set; and she
brings her offering on the morrow
which is the forty first for a male
and the
eighty first for a female; and this is the day of which it is said
"when
the days"
&c. Leviticus 12:6."
She shall bring a lamb of the first year; the
Septuagint adds
without blemish
as all sacrifices should be
if not
expressed; "or the son of his year"F21בן
שנתו "filium sui anni"
Montanus
Piscator
Drusius. ; some distinguish between "the son of a year"
as the
phrase sometimes is
and "the son of his year"
as here; the latter
denoting a lamb in its first year
though something wanting of it
the former a
full year old
neither more nor less:
for a burnt offering; in gratitude
and by way
of thanksgiving for the mercies she had received in childbearing:
and a young pigeon
or a turtledove
for a sin offering; either the
one or the other. With the PersiansF23Lib. Shad-der
port. 73. apud
Hyde
ut supra
(Hist. Relig. Vet. Pers.) p. 473.
it is incumbent on a new
mother
in Abam (the twelfth month)
to bring twelve oblations for the sin
which proceedeth from childbirth
that so she might be purified from her sins.
It is an observation of the Misnic doctorsF24Misn. Ceritot. c. 6.
sect. 9.
that turtles precede pigeons in all places; upon which they ask this
question
is it because they are choicer or more excellent than they? observe
what is said
Leviticus 12:6 from
whence may be learned
that they are both alike
or of equal value. But why a
sin offering for childbearing? is it sinful to bear and bring forth children in
lawful marriage
where the bed is undefiled? The Jews commonly refer this to
some sin or another
that the childbearing woman has been guilty of in relation
to childbirth
or while in her labour; and it is not unlikely that she may
sometimes be guilty of sin in some way or other
either through an immoderate
desire after children
or through impatience and breaking out into rash
expressions in the midst of her pains; so Aben Ezra suggests
perhaps some
thought rose up in her mind in the hour of childbirth because of pain
or
perhaps spoke with her mouth; meaning what was unbecoming
rash
and sinful.
Some take the sin to be a rash and false oath: but there seems to be something
more than all this
because though one or other of these might be the case of
some women
yet not all; whereas this law is general
and reached every new
mother
and has respect not so much to any particular sin of her's
as of her
first parent Eve
who was first in the transgression; and on account of which
transgression pains are endured by every childbearing woman; and who also
conceives in sin
and is the instrument of propagating the corruption of nature
to her offspring; and therefore was to bring a sin offering typical of the sin
offering Christ is made to take away that
and all other sin; whereby she shall
be saved
even in childbearing
and that by the birth of a child
the child
Jesus
if she continues in faith
and charity
and holiness
with sobriety
1 Timothy 2:15
these offerings were to be brought
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation
unto the
priest; to offer them up for her. When the temple was built
these were
brought to the eastern gate
the gate Nicanor
where the lepers were cleansed
and new mothers purifiedF25Misn. Sotah
c. 1. sect. 5. .
Leviticus 12:7. 7 Then
he shall offer it before the Lord
and make atonement for
her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law
for her who has borne a male or a female.
YLT 7and he hath brought it near before Jehovah
and hath made atonement for her
and she hath been cleansed from the fountain
of her blood; this [is] the law of her who is bearing
in regard to a male or
to a female.
Who shall offer it before the Lord
.... Upon the altar of
burnt offering:
and make an atonement for her; for whatsoever sin in
connection with or that attended childbearing; as typical of the atonement by
Christ both for sin original and actual:
and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood; in a
ceremonial sense
and according to that law be pure and clean:
this is the law for her that hath born a male or a female; enjoined her
and to be observed by her; and though now with the rest of the ceremonial law
it is abolished
yet it has this instruction in it; that it becomes women in
such circumstances to bring the freewill offerings of their lips
their
sacrifices of praise
and in a public manner signify their gratitude and
thankfulness for the mercy and goodness of God vouchsafed to them
in carrying
them through the whole time of childbearing
and saving them in the perilous
hour.
Leviticus 12:8. 8 ‘And
if she is not able to bring a lamb
then she may bring two turtledoves or two
young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the
priest shall make atonement for her
and she will be clean.’”
YLT 8`And if her hand find not the sufficiency of
a sheep
then she hath taken two turtle-doves
or two young pigeons
one for a
burnt-offering
and one for a sin-offering
and the priest hath made atonement
for her
and she hath been cleansed.'
And if she be not able to bring a lamb
.... As
everyone was not in circumstances sufficient to be at the expense of buying a
lamb for this purpose
having none of their own:
then she shall bring two turtles
or two young pigeons; which was a
kind and merciful provision for the poorer sort; since it was necessary that by
them the favour received should be acknowledged
as well as the sin attending
them in such circumstances should be atoned for. This being the offering
brought by the mother of our Lord
shows the state of poverty in which she was;
and by this
and the circumcision of her child
and the presentation of it
before the Lord at the time of her purification
it appears that they were both
under the law
and obedient to it:
the one for a burnt offering
and the other for a sin offering; Jarchi
observes
that in oblations the sin offering goes before the burnt offering
for sin being atoned for
the gift was accepted; but here the burnt offering
went first
the reason is not very apparent:
and the priest shall make an atonement for her
and she shall be
clean; equally the same as if she had brought a lamb
instead of young
pigeons
or turtledoves.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》