Leviticus 12:5 Meaning and Explanation
“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 days.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →If a son is not born but a daughter, the mother's unclean periods double: fourteen days followed by sixty-six days of purification.
The Context of Leviticus 12:5
Bearing a daughter requires double the purification time: two weeks plus sixty-six days.
What Does Leviticus 12:5 Mean?
The law distinguishes between bearing a son and bearing a daughter by extending the mother's purification period from forty to eighty days. Two weeks (fourteen days) of initial uncleanness are followed by sixty-six days of continued separation from the sanctuary. While scholars have proposed various explanations for this doubling, the text does not provide the reason, and the law stands as a regulation within Israel's comprehensive purity system.
The extended timeline for bearing a daughter does not diminish the child's worth or status—both sons and daughters are full covenant members. Rather, the law demonstrates Israel's precise approach to ritual purity based on physical discharge and recovery patterns, with the mother's full restoration through appropriate sacrifice guaranteeing her return to community and sanctuary participation.
Leviticus 12:5 in the Original Language
maid child — female child; the distinction from 'man child' in verse 2 signals the different purification timeline
Frequently Asked Questions About Leviticus 12:5
What does Leviticus 12:5 mean?
If a son is not born but a daughter, the mother's unclean periods double: fourteen days followed by sixty-six days of purification.
What is the context of Leviticus 12:5?
Bearing a daughter requires double the purification time: two weeks plus sixty-six days.