Leviticus 12 6

Leviticus 12:6 kjv

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:

Leviticus 12:6 nkjv

'When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

Leviticus 12:6 niv

"?'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, 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 dove for a sin offering.

Leviticus 12:6 esv

"And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering,

Leviticus 12:6 nlt

"When the time of purification is completed for either a son or a daughter, the woman must bring a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a purification offering. She must bring her offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Leviticus 12 verses

Leviticus 12 6 Meaning

Leviticus 12:6 details the ritual actions a woman must undertake to be ritually purified following childbirth. Upon the completion of her specified purification period, she is required to bring two distinct animal offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle: a yearling lamb for a burnt offering (symbolizing complete dedication to God and general atonement), and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering (addressing the ritual impurity associated with the outflow of life, indicating the need for cleansing or atonement for ritual defilement). This process enables her return to full participation in the worshipping community.

Leviticus 12 6 Context

Leviticus Chapter 12 details the laws concerning a woman's ritual purification after childbirth. The preceding verses (Lev 12:1-5) establish the duration of impurity: 40 days for a male child and 80 days for a female child, including specific initial periods of strict uncleanness. This chapter, within the broader book of Leviticus, is concerned with holiness and purity, outlining how a people separated for God should maintain a proper relationship with His sacred presence. The impurity from childbirth, like other bodily discharges (Lev 15), was a ritual, not moral, uncleanness, symbolizing the fragility of life and humanity's fallen state, requiring specific actions to regain ceremonial purity for communal worship. Historically, these laws distinguished Israel from surrounding pagan cultures, which often involved immoral practices in fertility rites; Israel's God instituted precise, ordered, and clean practices for life's processes, affirming that life came from God, while ensuring separation from anything that diminished holiness.

Leviticus 12 6 Word analysis

• וּבִמְלֹאת (u-vi-mlot) - "And when are fulfilled": The prefix "u-" means "and," indicating a continuation. "Bi-" means "in/at." "Mlot" is from the root `מלא` (mala'), meaning "to be full," "to fill," or "to fulfill." This highlights the completion of a specific, commanded duration before the next step of purification can occur.
• יְמֵי (yemei) - "days of": Refers to the defined time period.
• טָהֳרָהּ (tahorah) - "her purifying/cleansing": From the root `טהר` (tahar), meaning "to be clean" or "to be pure." This emphasizes ceremonial or ritual purity, distinct from moral purity or sinfulness. It relates to the removal of ritual defilement.
• לְבֵן (le-ven) - "for a son": `בן` (ben) means "son." The "le-" preposition means "for."
• אוֹ (o) - "or": Connects the two possibilities for the child's gender.
• לְבַת (le-vat) - "for a daughter": `בת` (bat) means "daughter." The difference in purification time for a son versus a daughter is outlined in preceding verses.
• תָּבִיא (tavi) - "she shall bring": A command or divine instruction indicating her mandatory action.
• כֶּבֶשׂ (keves) - "a lamb": A young sheep, commonly used for sacrifices due to its innocence and suitability.
• בֶּן שָׁנָה (ben shanah) - "a son of a year" (a yearling): Specifies the ideal age for the animal, indicating its prime and soundness for sacrifice, mirroring other offering requirements (e.g., Exod 12:5).
• לְעֹלָה (l'olah) - "for a burnt offering": From `עֹלָה` (olah), meaning "that which ascends" or "goes up." This sacrifice was wholly consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication to God and making general atonement (Lev 1).
• וְבֶן יוֹנָה (v'ven yonah) - "and a young pigeon": `בן יונה` (ben yonah) literally "son of a dove/pigeon." Pigeons and turtledoves were common and affordable, thus provided a merciful alternative, especially for the less affluent (Lev 5:7, 12:8).
• אוֹ (o) - "or": Provides an option between two types of birds.
• תֹר (tor) - "a turtledove": Another type of common bird used in sacrifices.
• לְחַטָּאת (l'chatta't) - "for a sin offering": From `חַטָּאת` (chatta't), meaning "sin" or "sin offering." This sacrifice dealt with specific unintentional sins or ritual impurity, re-establishing a right relationship with God by removing defilement (Lev 4).
• אֶל פֶּתַח (el petach) - "unto the door of": `פתח` (petach) means "opening" or "doorway." Specifies the exact location for presenting the offerings.
• אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד (ohel mo'ed) - "the tabernacle of the congregation" (or "Tent of Meeting"): The portable sanctuary, the central place of worship and where God's presence dwelt among Israel (Exod 25-40).
• אֶל הַכֹּהֵן (el hakkohen) - "unto the priest": `כהן` (kohen) meaning "priest." The designated mediator who carried out the sacrificial ritual, ensuring proper procedure and acceptance by God (Lev 6-7).

• "When the days of her purifying are fulfilled": This phrase emphasizes that ritual actions have precise timelines and require patience and obedience. The "purifying" is ceremonial, marking the return to full participation in Israel's holy life.
• "A lamb... for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon... for a sin offering": The dual nature of the offerings is significant. The burnt offering is about complete dedication, while the sin offering addresses the defilement, acknowledging humanity's inherent need for atonement and cleansing even from processes designed by God (childbirth).
• "Unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest": Highlights the ordained channel for approaching God—through His prescribed sacred space and His appointed intermediary, the priest. This reinforces the structured, centralized nature of Israelite worship.

Leviticus 12 6 Bonus section

The concept of "unclean" in Leviticus does not equate to "sinful" in a moral sense. Instead, it refers to a state of ritual defilement that temporarily prevented an individual from participating in communal worship and touching holy things. This distinction is crucial to understanding why offerings were required for natural bodily processes like childbirth or menstruation (Lev 15), rather than them being deemed inherently evil.

The provision for two different types of birds (young pigeon or turtledove) for the sin offering (and as an alternative for a poor person's burnt offering in Lev 12:8) demonstrates the merciful and compassionate nature of God's law. He understands the financial constraints of His people and makes purification accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic status, reinforcing that purification and worship are not only for the wealthy.

The act of "purification" following childbirth, involving a sin offering, carries significant theological implications. It may reflect not merely personal defilement but the impurity of a world into which a new soul is born, linking implicitly to the broader concept of inherited sinfulness (as hinted in Ps 51:5). In this light, the sacrifices point forward to Christ's perfect and ultimate sacrifice, which genuinely cleanses from all sin, both ritual and moral, fulfilling what these animal offerings could only foreshadow.

Leviticus 12 6 Commentary

Leviticus 12:6 prescribes the required offerings for a woman after completing her purification period following childbirth. The need for these sacrifices highlights the biblical emphasis on purity in God's presence. Childbirth, while a blessing and fulfillment of God's command to be fruitful, also involved the shedding of blood and contact with the beginnings of life in a fallen world, thus creating ritual impurity. The offerings — a burnt offering for dedication and a sin offering for cleansing — restored her to full ceremonial cleanness and communion with the holy God. This law underscored the pervasive nature of human imperfection and the constant need for divine atonement and purification under the Old Covenant. It provided a concrete ritual path for women to reintegrate into the worshiping community after this significant life event, affirming both the sanctity of life and the holiness of God. The flexibility in offering birds, alongside the more costly lamb, demonstrates God's compassion and accessibility for all economic strata within Israel. This very requirement was faithfully observed by Mary and Joseph after the birth of Jesus (Lk 2:22-24), signifying Jesus' humble entry "under the law" and ultimately His fulfillment of all its requirements.