Leviticus 12:2 Commentary - Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(2) If a woman have conceived seed.—Rather, if a woman bringeth forth seed, that is, is delivered of a child. (See Gen. 1:11-12; Gen. 1:29.) This general statement is afterwards specified by the phrases “and born a man child,” and “bear a maid child,” in the verse before us, and in Lev. 12:5. Thus the regulations about impurity naturally begin with the beginning of life. According to the administrators of the law during the second Temple, the regulations here set forth with regard to the deliverance are in force even when it is an untimely birth, or when the child is born dead, provided it has a perfect shape, which it assumes after forty days of its conception. Amongst the Hindoos, too, the mother in case of a miscarriage remains in a state of defilement as many nights as months have elapsed since her conception.
And born a man child.—Better, and giveth birth to a male child. The expression rendered here in the Authorised Version by “a man child” is translated in Lev. 12:7 simply “male.” In so short a paragraph discussing the same enactment it is important that words identical in the original should be translated uniformly in English.
She shall be unclean seven days.—Though the issue of blood which succeeds child-birth generally only lasts three or four days, yet the period of uncleanness is extended to seven days to include exceptional cases.
According to the days . . . . —Better, as in the days of the uncleanness of her monthly courses, that is, her uncleanness is to be of the same duration, and she is to observe the same rules, and be subjected to the same restraints as during the period of her menstruation. (See Lev. 15:19.) The fact that reference is here made to the regulations about the periodical impurity of women which have not as yet been laid down shows that, like other laws, this law was already known to and generally practised by the Jews before it was finally fixed in the Levitical code.
Consult other comments:
Leviticus 12:2 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Leviticus 12:2 - Calvin's Complete Commentary
Leviticus 12:2 - The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Leviticus 12:2 - Adam Clarke's Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Leviticus 12:2 - Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Leviticus 12:2 - Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Leviticus 12:2 - Geneva Bible Notes
Leviticus 12:2 - John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Leviticus 12:2 - Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Leviticus 12:2 - English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Leviticus 12:2 - John Trapp's Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Charles John Ellicott (1819 - 1905) was a distinguished English Christian theologian, academic and churchman. He briefly served as Dean of Exeter, then Bishop of the united see of Gloucester and Bristol.
His works include:
- An Old Testament Commentary for English Readers, 1897. (Editor)
- A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, 1878.