What Does Leviticus 12:7 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew root behind “atonement” names a covering, joining a covering before the LORD to cleansing at the source of her blood.
THE MEANING
Childbirth’s blood is named plainly: an offering is brought before the LORD as covering for the woman, and cleansing reaches the source of her blood. The instruction speaks equally of the woman who bears a male child and the one who bears a female child.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that blood after childbirth leaves a woman permanently unclean is undone here: the verse explicitly names her cleansing.
THE ROOT
כִּפֶּר
kippēr
GROWS FROM
כפר
k-p-r
To cover over; to provide a covering.
The verb rendered “make an atonement” carries the root image of covering. The same root names the coating placed over Noah’s ark and the cover over the covenant ark, giving “atonement” a concrete covering beneath it; the next clause says cleansing reaches the source of her blood.
ALSO GROWS
kōpher: Pitch used as a coating or cover.
כֹּפֶר
In Genesis 6:14, this root describes the coating placed on the ark, making the covering sense tangible.
kappōret: Cover or lid placed over the ark; traditionally rendered “mercy seat.”
כַּפֹּרֶת
It is the ark’s covering, another concrete branch that keeps the root’s covering image visible in “atonement.”
THE PATTERN
Cleansing marks a passage from a named source of uncleanness toward restored wholeness.
But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.THE THREAD
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.Leviticus 17:11 uses the same כפר (k-p-r), “cover,” root for “make an atonement,” placing that covering on the altar alongside blood as life. This opens the birth rite onto a wider scriptural link between blood, life, and covering.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us