Leviticus 12:3

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

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 Moshe, saying,

2 "Speak to the children of Yisra'el, 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.

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

4 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.

5 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.