Leviticus 12:3

3 The flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised on the eighth day.^[a]

Leviticus 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 12:3

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) (See Gill on 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 12:3 In-Context

1 The Lord spoke to Moses:

2 "Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.

3 The flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised on the eighth day.

4 She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification.

5 But 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 17:12-13; 21:4; Lk 2:21; Gl 5:6