Tag Archives: Menstruation

“1  And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman have conceived seed and borne a manchild, then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days. She shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purifying are fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maidchild, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.”

“6  “‘And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation unto the priest, 7 who shall offer it before the LORD and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath borne a male or a female. 8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for the burnt offering and the other for a sin offering, and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”” (Leviticus 12:1-8 KJ21)

Chapter 12

12:2 ceremonially unclean for seven days. Throughout history, many cultures all over the world have treated genital discharges, including those involved in menstruation and childbirth, as causing ritual impurity (see notes on ch. 15). A Hittite birth ritual text requires a sacrifice on the seventh day after birth and says that a male infant is pure by the age of three months, but a female is pure at four months. As in ch. 12, there is a weeklong initial period of impurity, and purification of a girl takes longer (cf. vv. 4–5). One possible reason why a daughter requires a longer time for purification is that a daughter often has a slight vaginal discharge at birth, making both mother and daughter unclean. We can observe that whereas the Hittite process has to do with the baby’s impurity, Leviticus is concerned with that of the mother. Also, the Hittite sacrifice is offered at the end of the first week, but Israelite sacrifices come after the entire period of purification.

12:7 atonement. See note on 1:4. This case makes it clear that the “sin offering” is more accurately a purification ritual, since no sin is involved here.

…

Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes, Bringing to life the Ancient World of Scripture; by Craig Keener; John H. Walton; Publisher: Zondervan, 2016

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors of ‘Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Christadelphians

+

Preceding

• Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan

++

Additional reading

1. Today’s thought “Period of uncleanness and offerings” (March 1)
2. Today’s thought “Unclean purificated” (March 07)
3. Today’s thought “Unclean, unclean” (March 8)
4. Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:21-24 – Presenting the Baby to God
5. Luke 2 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 2:21-24 – Presenting the Baby to God
6. Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:40-45 – Leper Healed and Then More Isolation
7. Cleaning up
8. At the Shabbat HaChodesh: readings about blood, liberation and purification
9. Shabbat HaGadol in preparation for Pesach
10. Soar to Places Unknown
11. Search for any remnant of chametz