Leviticus 12:1

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

Leviticus 12:1 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 12:1

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 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 12:1 In-Context

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,
2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, If a woman, when she hath received seed, childeth a knave child, she shall be unclean by seven days, by the days of her separating of corruptible blood, that runneth from her by months; (Speak thou to the Israelites, and thou shalt say to them, If a woman, when she hath received seed, beareth a boy, she shall be unclean for seven days, as she is in the days of her separation for the corrupt blood that runneth from her every month;)
3 and the young child shall be circumcised in the eighth day. (and the young boy shall be circumcised on the eighth day.)
4 Soothly she shall dwell three and thirty days in the blood of her purifying; she shall not touch any holy thing, neither she shall enter into the saintuary, till the days of her cleansing be [ful]filled.
5 Soothly if she childeth a female, she shall be unclean (for) two weeks, (as she is) by the custom of [the] flowing (out) of unclean blood, and threescore and six days she shall dwell in the blood of her cleansing.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.