Leviticus 12

Purification after Childbirth

12The Lord spoke to Moses: ²“Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child, ^wshe will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity. ^x3The flesh of his foreskin ^ymust be circumcised ^zon the eighth day. ^a4She will continue in purification ^bfrom her bleeding ^cfor 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. ⁵But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 66 days.

⁶“When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin ^doffering. ⁷He will present them before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female. ⁸But if she doesn’t have sufficient means ^effor a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, ^gone for a burnt offering and the other for a sin ^hoffering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.”