< Leviticus 12 >
1 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 “Tell this to the Israeli people: ‘If a woman gives birth to a son, she must be avoided for seven days, like she must be avoided when she is menstruating each month.
“Say to the Israelites, ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation.
3 The baby son must be circumcised on the eighth day after he is born.
And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised.
4 Then the woman must wait 33 days to be purified from her bleeding [during childbirth]. She must not touch anything that is sacred or enter the Sacred Tent area until that time is ended.
The woman shall continue in purification from her bleeding for thirty-three days. She must not touch anything sacred or go into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are complete.
5 If a woman gives birth to a daughter, she must be avoided for two weeks, like she must be avoided when she is menstruating each month. Then she must wait 66 days to be purified from the bleeding that occurred [when her baby was born].
If, however, she gives birth to a daughter, the woman will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstruation. Then she must continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days.
6 ‘Then that time for her to be purified is ended, that woman must bring to the priest at the entrance of the Sacred Tent a one-year-old lamb to be completely burned [on the altar], and a dove or a young pigeon [to be sacrificed] to enable her to become acceptable to Yahweh again.
When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
7 The priest will offer them to Yahweh in order that she may be forgiven for any sins she has committed. Then she will be purified from her loss of blood [when the baby was born]. ‘Those are the regulations for women who give birth to a son or daughter.
And the priest will present them before the LORD and make atonement for her; and she shall be ceremonially cleansed from her flow of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or to a female.
8 If a woman who gives birth to a child cannot afford a lamb, she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One will be burned completely [on the altar], and one will be an offering to enable her to become acceptable to God again. By doing that, the priest will cause that she will be forgiven for any sins she has committed, and she no longer will need to be avoided.’”
But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”