Laws of Motherhood
1 Then the L
ORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:
When a woman gives birth and bears a male
child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean.
3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
4 Then she shall remain in the blood of
her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed.
5 But if she bears a female
child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of
her purification for sixty-six days.
6 When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
7 Then he shall offer it before the L
ORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears
a child, whether a male or a female.
8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.