Leviticus 12
What Happens in This Chapter
God gives Moses a rule about mothers who have just had a baby. After the birth, the mother waits a set number of days before she takes part in worship again. The wait is shorter for a boy and longer for a girl. When the days are over, she brings offerings to the priest, and a poor family may bring two birds instead of a lamb.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
1The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
2"Tell the people of Israel this. When a woman has a baby boy, she is unclean for seven days. That is the same as her monthly time of bleeding.
"Unclean" here does not mean dirty or bad. It was a word for a set time when a person did not join in worship at the tent.
3And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
3On the eighth day, the baby boy must be circumcised. A small fold of skin is cut away.
4And 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 be fulfilled.
4Then she waits thirty-three more days until her bleeding time is over. She must not touch holy things during that time. She must not go into the worship tent until the days are done.
5But if she bear a maid child, 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.
5But if she has a baby girl, she is unclean for two weeks. That is the same as her monthly time of bleeding. Then she waits sixty-six more days until her bleeding time is over.
The KJV says "threescore and six." A score is twenty, so threescore is sixty. That makes sixty-six days.
6And 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:
6When those days are over, she brings gifts to the priest. This is the same for a son or a daughter. She brings a lamb one year old to be burned up as a gift to God. She also brings a young pigeon or a dove as a sin offering. She brings them to the door of the tent where people meet with God.
7Who 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 born a male or a female.
7The priest gives them to the LORD and makes things right for her. Then she is clean again after her bleeding. This is the rule for a woman who has a baby boy or girl.
8And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, 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.
8Some families cannot pay for a lamb. Then she may bring two doves or two young pigeons instead. One is burned up as a gift to God. The other is a sin offering. The priest makes things right for her, and she is clean."
The KJV says "two turtles." It means turtledoves, which are small birds, not turtles.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it