6 ' When the days of her purification are completed , for a son or for a daughter , she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering . 7 'Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood . This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female . 8 'But if she cannot afford e a lamb , then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons , the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering ; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean .' "
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 12:6-8
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.