Leviticus 12:8

8 " 'But suppose she can't afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be "clean." ' "

Leviticus 12:8 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 12:8

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.

Leviticus 12:8 In-Context

6 " 'After she has waited the required number of days to be made pure, she must bring two offerings. She must take them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. She must bring a lamb that is a year old for a burnt offering. She must also bring a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.

7 The priest must offer them to the Lord. They will pay for her sin. Then she will be "clean" from her bleeding. " 'Those are the rules for a woman who has a baby boy or girl.

8 " 'But suppose she can't afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be "clean." ' "