Leviticus 12:6

“And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, etc.] For a son forty days, and for a daughter eighty; but the ancient Jews formerly, that they might not break it, ordered, that the offering enjoined as follows should not be brought until the next day after the time was up: their canon runs thus f425, “a new mother does not bring her offering on the fortieth day for a male, nor on the eightieth day for a female, but after her sun is set; and she brings her offering on the morrow, which is the forty first for a male, and the eighty first for a female; and this is the day of which it is said, “when the days”, etc. (<031206>Leviticus 12:6).” She shall bring a…”

“the days of her purifying--Though the occasion was of a festive character, yet the sacrifices appointed were not a peace offering, but a burnt offering and sin offering, in order to impress the mind of the parent with recollections of the origin of sin, and that the child inherited a fallen and sinful nature. The offerings were to be presented the day after the period of her separation had ended--that is, forty-first for a boy, eighty-first for a girl.”

“The sacrificial act expressed an acknowledgment of sin and a dedication of herself to Yahweh. See Leviticus 8:14. Leviticus 12:6 Of the first year - literally, as in the margin, “a son of his year.” This expression is supposed to mean one less than a year old, while the “son of a year” is one that has just completed its first year. Leviticus 12:8 A lamb - Rather, one of the flock; either a sheep or a goat; it is not the same word as in Leviticus 12:6. Two turtles, or two young pigeons - See the note at Leviticus 1:14. The Virgin Mary availed herself of the liberty which the Law allowed to the poor, and offered the inferior burnt-offering Luke 2:24. return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes:…”

“For a son or a daughter - For the birth of a son, or of a daughter: but the purification was for herself, as appears from the following verses. A sin - offering - Because of her ceremonial uncleanness, which required a ceremonial expiation. Leviticus 12:8”

“12:6 purification offering: The Hebrew word is the same as that for the sin offering (khatta’t, see study note on 4:1–5:13). This leads some scholars to think that this offering dealt only with purification or decontamination, including those cases mentioned in 5:1-6. The offering here was certainly part of a purification ritual, but it seems more likely that the sin offering repaired a lack or failure. In this context, the issue is purity rather than sin, and the focus is on restoring the woman to community fellowship, not forgiving a sinner.”

“a lamb: Lev 1:10-13, Lev 5:6-10, Lev 14:22, Lev 15:14, Lev 15:29; Num 6:10; Luk 2:22; Joh 1:29; Co2 5:21; Heb 7:26; Pe1 1:18, Pe1 1:19 of the first year: Heb. a son of his year Leviticus 12:7”

“After the expiration of the days of her purification "with regard to a son or a daughter," i.e., according as she had given birth to a son or a daughter (not for the son or daughter, for the woman needed purification for herself, and not for the child to which she had given birth, and it was the woman, not the child, that was unclean), she was to bring to the priest a yearling lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon or turtle-dove for a sin-offering, that he might make atonement for her before Jehovah and she might become clean from the course of her issue. שׁנתו בּן, lit., son of his year, which is a year old (cf. Lev 23:12; Num 6:12, Num 6:14; Num 7:15, Num 7:21, etc.), is used…”