Leviticus 12

God graciously made provision for the cleansing and restoration of anyone who became defiled. For routine situations of uncleanness, the normal procedure was for people to wash themselves and their clothing and remain outside the camp until evening. Numbers 19 describes the preparation of special “water of purification’’ that was kept outside the camp and used for ceremonial cleansing. But with some kinds of defilement, additional measures were necessary, as in cases of childbirth (Lev. 12) and the presence of infectious sores or diseases (chaps. 13—15).

Mother and child (vv. 1–5). In giving birth to a baby, the mother experienced bleeding (vv. 4–5, 7), as well as the secretion of other bodily fluids (see chap. 15), and this made her ceremonially unclean. The theme of this chapter is not personal holiness but ritual purification for the mother, without which she could not return to normal life in her home and in the camp.

Therefore, nothing in Leviticus 12 should be interpreted to teach that human sexuality is “dirty,’’ that pregnancy is defiling, or that babies are impure. God created humans “male and female’’ (Gen. 1:27), and when God declared His creation to be “very good’’ (v. 31), that declaration included sex. He commanded our first parents to “be fruitful, and multiply’’ (v. 28); in spite of contemporary negative attitudes toward babies, Scripture presents children as blessings from God (Ps. 113:9; 127:3–5; 128:3; Prov. 17:6; Matt. 19:14). If for some reason a pregnancy was unwanted, the Jews would never consider aborting the baby.

There are probably matters of health involved in these instructions. Since the mother was considered to some measure “unclean’’ for forty days after the birth of a son, or eighty days after the birth of a daughter, it meant that she had opportunity for rest and recuperation before returning to her household duties. This would encourage her own well-being as well as that of the baby. It would also protect her from possible sickness carried by infected people seeking to assist her, or the spread of any infection she might have (that is, childbed fever).

Scripture doesn’t explain why twice as much time is assigned to a daughter than to a son. There’s no proof that girl babies are necessarily weaker than boy babies and therefore need a longer time with the mother. A daughter would one day be subject to the judgment placed on Eve (Gen. 3:16), but why would God double the confinement of the mother because of the sex of her child, something over which she had no control? And it doesn’t seem reasonable that God set up this schedule in order to “punish’’ the husband by doubling the time he’d have to be apart from his wife. Perhaps God established these regulations primarily for the health of the mother and her “bonding’’ to her daughter. The social structure of Israel was decidedly masculine, and sons were more welcome than daughters.

Circumcision (v. 3). In ancient days, other nations practiced circumcision; but God gave this rite to Abraham as a special mark of the covenant He had with the people of Israel (Gen. 17:10–14). Each male child became a “child of the covenant’’ when he was circumcised and named eight days after his birth. The operation also symbolized the “spiritual surgery’’ that God wants to perform on the human heart (Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4). Unfortunately, the Jewish people ignored the spiritual aspect of the ceremony and considered the physical operation alone a guarantee that the Jews were saved and accepted by God (Matt. 3:7–10; Rom. 2:25–29). A similar idea emerged in the early church and had to be strongly refuted (Acts 15; Rom. 4:1–12).

Some people equate infant baptism with circumcision; but as R. K. Harrison wisely states it, “The parallels are too superficial and narrow to be entirely convincing or valid.’’ The true believer has experienced an inner spiritual circumcision through the Holy Spirit, the “true circumcision’’ that changes the heart and imparts new life (Gal. 6:12–16; Phil. 3:1–3; Col. 2:10–11). Because the sinful nature of the believer has been “put off,’’ he or she can walk in newness of life and does not have to yield to the desires of the flesh.

Sacrifice (vv. 4–8). Forty days after the birth of a son, or eighty days after the birth of a daughter, the mother and father were required to go to the sanctuary and offer the sacrifices for the mother’s cleansing; a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a dove or pigeon for a sin offering. The burnt offering symbolized her dedication to God as she returned to her normal life, and the sin offering took care of the defilement involved in the birth process. It also reminded them that every child, no matter how beautiful or delightful he or she might be, is born in sin and must one day trust the Lord for salvation (Ps. 51:5; 58:3).

How gracious of God to make allowances for the poor who couldn’t afford a lamb! Mary and Joseph took advantage of this provision when they brought Jesus to the temple (Luke 2:21–24).

This entire chapter, brief as it is, shows God’s loving concern for the family, especially mother and child. We aren’t at all surprised to hear Jesus say, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these’’ (Mark 10: niv).