Luke 2:24

24 and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, `A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.'

Luke 2:24 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 2:24

And to offer a sacrifice
That is, when the time of purification came, the parents of our Lord brought him from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, to present him in the temple to the Lord as his, and to redeem him; and not only so, but to offer the sacrifice required of child-bed women:

according to that which is said in the law of the Lord,
( Leviticus 12:8 )

a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons:
if the person was able, she was to bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering; and a young pigeon, or a turtle dove, for a sin offering; but in case of poverty, then the above sufficed, and one of them was for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering; which shows not only that the virgin offered for herself a sin offering, being ceremonially unclean, but also her mean estate and poverty, in that she offered the offering of the poorer sort; see ( Leviticus 12:6 Leviticus 12:8 ) .

Luke 2:24 In-Context

22 And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,

23 as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, -- `Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,'

24 and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, `A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.'

25 And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [is] Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,

26 and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit -- not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.