Back to Leviticus 12

Leviticus 12:2-5

“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. In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 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. 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.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Leviticus 12:2-5 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “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. In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 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. 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.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    “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.

    In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

    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.

    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.

  • KJV King James Version

    Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

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

    And she shall then 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.

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

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a woman be delivered, 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.

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

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

    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 purification threescore and six days.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Contradictions (1)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

  • Is circumcision required?

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Commandments (1)

The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.

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Cross-references (28)

  • Luke 2:21 (v3) When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was…
  • Luke 1:59 (v3) On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
  • John 7:22-23 (v3) Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy. If a boy receives…
  • Luke 2:22 (v2) When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the…
  • Genesis 17:11-12 (v3) You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old…
Show all 28 cross-references
  • Leviticus 15:19 (v2) “ ‘If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her shall…
  • Philippians 3:5 (v3) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
  • Romans 3:19 (v3) Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world…
  • Romans 4:11-12 (v3) He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might…
  • Galatians 3:17 (v3) Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so…
  • Galatians 5:3 (v3) Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
  • Colossians 2:11 (v3) In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the…
  • Leviticus 18:19 (v2) “ ‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
  • Deuteronomy 30:6 (v3) Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your…
  • Job 14:4 (v2) Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
  • Job 15:14 (v2) What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
  • Job 25:4 (v2) How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?
  • Romans 5:12-19 (v2) Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned. For until…
  • Genesis 1:28 (v2) God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the…
  • Genesis 3:13 (v5) Yahweh God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
  • Genesis 3:16 (v2) To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. You will bear children in pain. Your desire will be for your…
  • Leviticus 12:2 (v5) “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…
  • Leviticus 12:4 (v5) She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until…
  • Leviticus 15:25-28 (v4) “ ‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her…
  • Psalms 51:5 (v2) Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.
  • Haggai 2:13 (v4) Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?” The priests answered, “It will…
  • Luke 2:22-23 (v4) When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the…
  • 1 Timothy 2:14-15 (v5) Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience; but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5 So that her husband for that time could not…

So that her husband for that time could not resort to her.

Or, flowers.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–5 Lev 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2–5 From uncleanness contracted by the touching or eating of…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–5 Speak unto the children of Israel,.... For this law…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5 Seven days - Not for any filthiness which was…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2–4 Verse 2. If a woman have conceived] In the…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5 Lev 12:2. Seven days — Not for any filthiness…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv3–5 On circumcision, see Gen 17:5 note.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2–5 Child. By this manner of expressing himself, Moses excludes…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv3–5 3. Foreskin… circumcised — The sign of the covenant…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 4 2. Compare Gen_17:12; Exo_22:29-30; Luk_1:59; Php_3:5. Reference is here…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–5 (2) If a woman have conceived seed.—Rather, if a…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2, 5 Vers. 2-4. She shall be unclean seven days. The…
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On vv3–4 "And in the eighth day the flesh of his…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v4 the mother's purification from her bleeding will continue for…
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv2–5 12:2 menstrual period: See 15:19-24.
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