Leviticus 12:4-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 12:1-5

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. There was some time of strict separation immediately after the birth, which continued seven days for a son and fourteen for a daughter, Lev. 12:2, 5. During these days she was separated from her husband and friends, and those that necessarily attended her were ceremonially unclean, which was one reason why the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 12:4

And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days ,.... That is, so many more, in all forty; for though at the end of seven days she was in some respects free from her uncleanness, yet not altogether, but remained in the blood of her purifying, or in the purifying of her blood, which was more and more purified, and completely at the end of forty days: so with the Persians it is said, a new mother must avoid everything for forty days; when that time is passed, she may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 12:5

But if she bear a maid child ,.... A daughter, whether born alive or dead, if she goes with it her full time: then she shall be unclean two weeks ; or fourteen days running; and on the fifteenth day be free or loosed, as the Targum of Jonathan, just as long again as for a man child: as in her separation ; on account of her monthly courses; the sense is, that she should be fourteen days, to all intents and purposes, as unclean as when these are upon her: and she shall continue in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 12:4

The blood of her purifying - A few words will make this subject sufficiently plain. God designs that the human female should bring forth children. That children should derive, under his providence, their being, all their solids and all their fluids, in a word, the whole mass of their bodies, from the substance of the mother. For this purpose he has given to the body of the female an extra quantity of blood and nutritious juices. Before pregnancy this superabundance is evacuated at... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 12:4

Verse 4 4.And she shall then continue. The uncleanness of seven days in the case of a male, and fourteen days for a female, has reference to the hemorrhage, as we shall also see elsewhere of the menstrual discharge. For the remainder of the time she is forbidden to take part in religious services, and to approach the sanctuary, (by which word the court is here meant,) and thus is accounted unholy, not only that she should herself lament her condition, but that her husband also, admonished by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 12:1-8

The 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 was seen of all, while his divinity was seen only by the elect; so has the written Word a letter, or outward sense, which is obvious to ordinary perception, and an inward meaning which must be spiritually discerned. According to this rule, the purification of the Church is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 12:1-8

Born 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 liabilities to uncleanness for which due rites were provided. The first of these takes life at its fountain-head, and refers to the uncleanness connected with birth. Motherhood involved a longer or shorter period of ceremonial separation—forty days in the case of a son,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 12:1-8

The 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 sin ( Genesis 3:16 ). 2 . The birth of a human child means the entrance into the world of one in whom are the germs of sin ( Psalms 51:5 ; Psalms 58:3 ; Ephesians 2:3 ). 3 . Maternity suggests the sexual relation, and that suggests the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 12:2-4

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 ( Leviticus 12:4 ). The difference between these two states maybe seen by looking on to Le Leviticus 15:19-28 , and comparing that passage with Leviticus 15:4 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 12:2-7

Woman 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 loudly of the curse entailed by sin. There is no earthly pleasure entirely free from its shadow, pain. Great movements of society, deep thoughts, even inspiring melodies, are not ushered into the world without the pangs of travail. I. THE LAW REMINDS US HERE ... read more

Group of Brands