Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 12

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven dayes : according to the dayes of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

Not for any filthiness which was either in the conception or in bringing forth, but to signifie the universal and deep pollution of mans nature even from the birth and from the conception.

For so long or thereabouts nature is employed in the purgation of most women:

(i. e.) For her monethly infirmity. And it may note an agreement therewith not onely in the time, Levit. 15. 19. but in the degree of uncleanness, which was such that she defiled every thing she touched, &c.

From uncleanness contracted by the touching or eating of external things, he now comes to that uncleanness which ariseth from our selves.

Marginal references: chap. 15. [illegible: 1 word]; Heb. [illegible: 1 word]; Luk. 2. [illegible: 1 word]

3 And in the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised .

Which law is here repeated, because the womans uncleanness lasting for 7 days was one though not the onely reason why the childs circumcision was put off till the eighth day.

Marginal references: Gen. 17. 12. Luk. 1. 59. and 2. 21. Joh. 7. 22.

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty dayes: she shall touch no hallowed thing , nor come into the sanctuary, until the dayes of her purifying be fulfilled.

Heb. sit, i. e. abide, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 22. 5. and 34. 10. or tarry at home, not go into the Sanctuary,

In her polluted and separated estate: for the word blood or bloods signifies both guilt, as Gen. 4. 10. and uncleanness, as here and elsewhere. See Ezek. 16. 6. And it is called the blood of her purifying, because by the expulsion or purgation of that blood, which is done by degrees, she is purified.

She shall not eat any part of the peace-offerings which she or her husband offered, which otherwise she might have done: and, if she be a Priests wife, she shall not eat any of the [illegible: 1+ letters]ithes or firstfruits, or part of the hallowed meats, which at other times she together with her husband might eat.

5 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 dayes .

The time in both particulars is double to the former, not so much from natural causes, because the purifications in female births are longer and flower, which if it were true, yet doth not extend to any such time as here is mentioned, as for moral reasons; either to be as a blot upon that sex for being the first in mans transgression, 1 Tim. 2. 14. or to put an honour upon the Sacrament of Circumcision, which being administred to the Males did put an end to that pollution sooner than otherwise had been: or to shew the priviledge of the man above the woman, and that the women were to be purified sanctified and saved by one of the other sex, even by the man Christ Jesus without whom they should have still continued in their impurity.

6 And when the dayes of his purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter , she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering , unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation unto the Priest:

For the birth of a son, or of a daughter: but the purification was for her self, as appears from the following verses.

Either because of her ceremonial uncleanness which required a ceremonial expiation; or for those particular sins relating to the time and state of child-bearing, of which she is justly presumed to be guilty, which might be many ways.

Marginal references: Heb. son of his year.

7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the Law for her that hath born a male or a female .

For though there was a difference in the time of her uncleanness for the one and for the other, yet both were to be purified one and the same way, to note that though all sins and sinners were not equal, yet all were to be cleansed by the same means, to wit by Christ and by faith. See 1 Cor. 7. 14. Gal. 3. 28.