Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 12:8
And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
8. if her means suffice not for a lamb ] ‘if she be not able to bring,’ A.V. Its mg. ‘If her hand find not sufficiency of,’ is the literal rendering of the Heb.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons] As the Virgin Mary brought only the latter, hence it is evident that she was not able, i. e., she was not rich enough to provide the former; for such a holy woman would not have brought the less offering had she been capable of bringing the greater. How astonishing is this! The only heir to the throne of David was not able to bring a lamb to offer in sacrifice to God! How abominable must SIN be when it required him who was in the form of God thus to empty and to humble himself, yea, even to the death of the cross, in order to make an atonement for it, and to purify the soul from all defilement!
The priest shall make an atonement for her] Every act of man is sinful, but such as proceed from the influence of the grace and mercy of God. Her sorrow in conception, and her pain in bringing forth children, reminded the woman of her original offence; an offence which deserved death, an offence which she could not expiate, and for which a sacrifice must be offered: and in reference to better things the life of an animal must be offered as a ransom for her life. And being saved in childbed, though she deserved to die, she is required, as soon as the days of her separation were ended, to bring a sacrifice according to her ability to the priest, that he might offer it to God as an atonement for her. Thus, wherever God keeps up the remembrance of sin, he keeps up also the memorial of sacrifice, to show that the state of a sinner, howsoever deplorable, is not hopeless, for that he himself has found out a ransom. Every where, in the law and in the Gospel, in every ordinance and in every ceremony, we may see both the justice and the mercy of God. Hence, while we have the knowledge of our sin we have also the knowledge of our cure.
Reader, whilst thou art confessing thy own misery do not forget the Lord’s mercy; and remember, be saves to the uttermost all that come through Christ unto him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
8. bring two turtles, &c.(Seeon Le 5:6). This was the offeringmade by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and it affords an incontestableproof of the poor and humble condition of the family (Lu2:22-24).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if she be not able to bring a lamb,…. As everyone was not in circumstances sufficient to be at the expense of buying a lamb for this purpose, having none of their own:
then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; which was a kind and merciful provision for the poorer sort; since it was necessary that by them the favour received should be acknowledged, as well as the sin attending them in such circumstances should be atoned for. This being the offering brought by the mother of our Lord, shows the state of poverty in which she was; and by this, and the circumcision of her child, and the presentation of it before the Lord at the time of her purification, it appears that they were both under the law, and obedient to it:
the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin [offering]; Jarchi observes, that in oblations the sin offering goes before the burnt offering, for sin being atoned for, the gift was accepted; but here the burnt offering went first, the reason is not very apparent:
and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean; equally the same as if she had brought a lamb, instead of young pigeons, or turtledoves.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(8) And if she be not able.As a merciful provision for those who were too poor to bring a lamb, the law permits them to bring a turtle-dove or a pigeon for a burnt offering, provided only it is the same kind of bird as the one brought for a sin offering; that is, they must either be both turtle-doves or both pigeons, and not one turtle-dove and one pigeon. Turtle-doves and pigeons were plentiful and cheap in Palestine (see Lev. 1:14). It was therefore the poor womans sacrifice which the mother of our Lord offered, when, in accordance with this commutation, she offered a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons, on presenting herself for purification at the Temple with the child Jesus, on the expiration of the prescribed term of uncleanness (Luk. 2:24), and the priest, after sprinkling her with the blood of the humble sacrifice, declared her cleansed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. If she be not able The law of God adjusts itself to our natural and gracious ability. Nevertheless, where grace has been slighted and withdrawn, the demand of the law continues after ability had ceased. The mother of our Lord in her poverty availed herself of this concession to the poor. Luk 2:22-24.
Turtles or pigeons For the supply of these in the wilderness and in Palestine, see Introduction, (4.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And if her means do not suffice for a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, the one for a whole burnt offering, and the other for a purification for sin offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
However provision was made for a lesser whole burnt offering for those who were unable to afford a lamb, a bird could be offered as a replacement (see Lev 1:14-17). It was this that Mary offered for Jesus (Luk 2:24), but there is reason to think that by New Testament times that had become the standard offering.
It should be noted finally that neither the woman or the child were seen as ‘unclean’ in themselves. (We are not talking about sin but about ritual uncleanness). They were unclean because of the processes through which they went. But the requirement for sacrifices demonstrates that in uncleanness sin was also in mind.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Lev 12:8. If she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles See note on ch. Lev 5:7, &c. The mother of our blessed LORD was in so humble a state of life as to be able only to bring this offering, mercifully ordained for those in that state. Learn we hence how much our Redeemer humbled himself for our salvation!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe, though difference of circumstances made allowance for the difference of gifts in the burnt-offering, yet there was none for the sin-offering; meaning that in sin both great and small, high and low, rich and poor, are all upon a level. Reader! I hope you will not forget the poverty of JESUS at his birth, whose mother after the flesh, on account of her humble circumstances, brought only the humble offering: Luk 2:24Luk 2:24 .Lev 12 REFLECTIONS
TRULY was it said to the woman in the garden, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. And thus from age to age the unalterable decree continues. But blessed be GOD since JESUS came, the sorrow is turned into joy. JESUS by his great undertaking hath finished transgression, made an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in an everlasting righteousness.
Blessed GOD! help both reader and writer to praise thee for the deliverance from this yoke of ceremonial bondage, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. Praised be that mercy which saveth with the circumcision made without hands. And doubly praised be that grace which condescended to circumcision, and the fulfilling the whole law, and the death upon the cross, for the salvation of his people. Dearest LORD, grant that, as in CHRIST JESUS, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature; may it be my happiness and the happiness of all thy blood-bought children, to walk according to this rule, that peace may be on us, and mercy, and upon the Israel of GOD.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Ver. 8. And if she be not able. ] As the blessed Virgin was not. Luk 2:22 ; Luk 2:24 Who now can despise any one for want, when the mother of our Lord was not rich enough to bring a lamb for her purification? We may be as happy in russet a , as in tissue.
a A coarse homespun woollen cloth of a reddish-brown, grey or neutral colour, formerly used for the dress of peasants and country folk
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
two turtles. See Luk 2:22, Luk 2:24, and compare 2Co 8:9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
she be not able to bring a lamb: Heb. her hand find not sufficiency of a lamb, Lev 1:14, Lev 5:7, Lev 14:22, Lev 15:14, Lev 15:29, Luk 2:22, Luk 2:24, 2Co 8:9
make an atonement: Lev 4:26, When burnt offerings and sin offerings were brought together, the sin offerings were first offered.
Reciprocal: Gen 15:9 – General Lev 4:19 – General Lev 4:20 – an atonement Lev 4:35 – and the priest shall make Lev 14:4 – two birds Lev 14:21 – poor Lev 14:30 – General Lev 27:8 – poorer Deu 16:10 – a tribute Mat 21:12 – doves
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 12:8. The morality of this law obliges women who have received mercies from God in child-bearing, with all thankfulness to acknowledge his goodness to them, owning themselves unworthy of it, and (which is the best purification) to continue in faith, and love, and holiness, with sobriety.