Bible Commentary

Leviticus 12:2-4

The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:2-4

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

She shall be unclean seven days. The mother is to be unclean seven days, and after that to be in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days (). The difference between these two states maybe seen by looking on to Le , and comparing that passage with of this chapter.

In the first stage, during the seven days, she made all that she touched unclean; in the second stage, during the thirty-three days, she was only required to touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, as she was progressing towards cleanness.

The number of days during which she is to be altogether unclean is to be according to the days of the separation for her infirmity, that is, seven days, as in the case of her monthly courses (see Le ).

In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. The Levitical legislation recognizes the regulation as to the day of the circumcision made at the time of the covenant with Abraham. "And he that is eight days old (or a son of eight days) shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations" ().

Until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. "When in a state of impurity, the Hebrews were forbidden to enter the sanctuary, to keep the Passover, and to partake of holy food, whether of sacrificial meat, of sacred offerings and gifts, or of shew-bread, because the clean only were fit to approach the holy God and all that appertains to him (; ; ; ; )' (Kalisch).

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Leviticus 12:1-8After 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 sanctificatio…Matthew HenrycommentaryCeremonial Purification. (b. c. 1490.)CEREMONIAL PURIFICATION. (B. C. 1490.) The law here pronounces women lying-in ceremonially unclean. The Jews say, "The law extended even to an abortion, if the child was so formed as that the sex was distinguishable." 1…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:1-8Born in sin. cf. Genesis 3:16; Psalms 51:5; Luke 2:21; 1 Timothy 2:15. From the division of the animals into clean and unclean, and the sanctity thereby inculcated, we are invited to proceed to those personal liabilitie…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:1-8The purification of the Church. At the commencement of his treatise on this Book of Leviticus, Cyril of Alexandria truly says, that as the Word of God came into the world arrayed in flesh, in which bodily appearance he…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:1-8EXPOSITION UNCLEANNESS DERIVED FROM CHILDBIRTH. As there is a natural disgust felt for some kinds of food, which serves as a foundation for the precepts of the last chapter, so there is an instinct which regards some of…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:1-8The statutes on maternity. We may seek— I. THE EXPLANATION or THIS STATUTE. And we shall find the explanation 1. The sorrow of maternity (John 16:21) points clearly to the primeval curse, and therefore to the primeval s…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 12:2-7Woman under the Law and under the gospel. Every childbirth re-echoes in the ears of woman the sentence passed upon her ancestress Eve. That such a season of rejoicing should be attended with such throes of agony speaks…Joseph S. Exell and contributors