Leviticus 12:5

If, however, she gives birth to a daughter, the woman will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstruation. Then she must continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The directive is issued within the covenant law code given to Israel concerning ritual purity following childbirth. It addresses the community’s response to a woman’s postpartum state, specifying the duration of her ceremonial separation.

The words — תֵלֵ֔ד (te.Led) translates literally as “she will bear,” and שְׁבֻעַ֖יִם (she.vu.'A.yim) means “two weeks.” These terms anchor the verse’s distinction between the shorter initial impurity for a daughter and the extended purification period.

The thread — The text extends the childbirth purity regulations introduced in Leviticus 12:2 and detailed in Leviticus 12:4. It connects to the broader biblical theme of ritual separation, paralleling the consequences of transgression noted in Genesis 3:13.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize that ritual status follows a fixed, measurable timeline rather than subjective experience. It demands compliance with prescribed boundaries before reentering sacred space.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if נְקֵבָ֣הne.ke.Vaha female תֵלֵ֔דte.Ledshe will bear וְטָמְאָ֥הve./ta.me.'Ahand/ she will be unclean שְׁבֻעַ֖יִםshe.vu.'A.yimtwo weeks כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּke./ni.da.Ta/hlike/ menstruous impurity/ her וְשִׁשִּׁ֥יםve./shi.Shimand/ sixty יוֹם֙yOmday[s]וְשֵׁ֣שֶׁתve./She.shetand/ six יָמִ֔יםya.Mimdays תֵּשֵׁ֖בte.Shevshe will remain עַל־'al-on דְּמֵ֥יde.Mei[the] blood<s> of טָהֳרָֽה׃to.ho.Rahpurification

King James Version

But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

Cross-references

Genesis 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”
Leviticus 12:2 “Say to the Israelites, ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation.
Leviticus 12:4 The woman shall continue in purification from her bleeding for thirty-three days. She must not touch anything sacred or go into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are complete.
1 Timothy 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression.