2 "Speak to the sons of Israel , saying : 'When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days , as in the days of her menstruation e she shall be unclean . 3 'On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised . 4 'Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three e days ; she shall not touch any consecrated thing , nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed . 5 'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks , as in her menstruation ; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 12:2-5
Chapter Contents
Ceremonial purification.
After the laws concerning clean and unclean food, come the laws concerning clean and unclean persons. Man imparts his depraved nature to his offspring, so that, excepting as the atonement of Christ and the sanctification of the Spirit prevent, the original blessing, "Increase and multiply," Genesis 1:28, is become to the fallen race a direful curse, and communicates sin and misery. Let those women who have received mercy from God in child-bearing, with all thankfulness own God's goodness to them; and this shall please the Lord better than sacrifices.