12:1-8
We now come to a series of chapters dealing with uncleanness associated with people, starting with childbirth. One important point to note is that uncleanness is not the same as sinfulness. Many of the states that are “unclean” are nothing to do with sin. Even so, it has to be admitted that we find a lot of this stuff hard to understand!
So we start with a woman who has given birth. She was then unclean for seven days, if the child was male she would have to wait thirty three days after the child was circumcised before being purified of her bleeding. If she gave birth to a daughter then the period of uncleanness island the time before purification took place was double. So why uncleanness at all, and why a double period if the child was female? The Bible gives no explanation. I have read a few “explanations”, and none of them are very satisfactory. The lines of explanation which seem to have some relevance are ones relating to the discharges, as the text does relate the matter here to a woman’s monthly period. One thing to note is that God is providing a way of purification, a way of bringing the woman back into full relationship with Him. Sacrifices are described for the poor as well as the not poor.
The passage finishes with the words “In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean” (Lev 12:8). One thing that we do not like to face up to is that the fall has corrupted every aspect of us and of life, even those aspects, such as childbirth, which should be nothing but joy.
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