Leviticus 12:1
Leviticus 12:1 in Multiple Translations
Then the LORD said to Moses,
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
And the Lord said to Moses,
The Lord told Moses, “Give these instructions to the Israelites.
And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 12:1
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Leviticus 12:1 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר
יְהוָ֖ה
אֶל
מֹשֶׁ֥ה
לֵּ/אמֹֽר
וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר
dâbar
H1696
to speak
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep
מֹשֶׁ֥ה
Môsheh
H4872
Moses
N-proper
לֵּ/אמֹֽר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 12:1
וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר
dâbar
H1696
"to speak"
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms
To speak or communicate, like God speaking to Moses in Exodus or a king commanding his people. It can also mean to promise or warn someone.
Definition: : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
Usage: Occurs in 1049 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work. See also: Genesis 8:15; Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:9.
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
מֹשֶׁ֥ה
Môsheh
H4872
"Moses"
N-proper
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Definition: A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10; son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115); brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855); father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?) § Moses = "drawn" the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus
Usage: Occurs in 704 OT verses. KJV: Moses. See also: Exodus 2:10; Exodus 13:1; Exodus 32:21.
לֵּ/אמֹֽר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
Study Notes — Leviticus 12:1
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Leviticus 12:1 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 12:1
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 12:1
- Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
- Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 12:1
- Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 12:1
- Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
Context — Purification after Childbirth
Leviticus 12:1 Summary
[This verse shows us that God cares about every detail of our lives, and wants to guide us in all we do, just like He guided Moses in Leviticus 12:1. He wants us to listen to His voice and follow His instructions, just as Moses did. By doing so, we can experience His love and care for us, as promised in Psalm 23:1-4, and live a life that is pleasing to Him, as stated in Colossians 1:10.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did God speak to Moses in this specific verse?
God spoke to Moses to give him instructions to pass on to the Israelites, as seen in Leviticus 12:1, similar to how He spoke to him in Exodus 19:3, giving him the Ten Commandments to share with the people.
What is the significance of God speaking to Moses in this context?
The fact that God spoke to Moses in Leviticus 12:1 emphasizes the importance of the instructions that follow, which concern the purification of a woman after childbirth, as well as the circumcision of her son, highlighting God's care for His people's physical and spiritual well-being, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:12.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the chapter?
Leviticus 12:1 serves as an introduction to the regulations regarding childbirth and purification, which are explained in the following verses, Leviticus 12:2-5, and are part of the larger context of the book of Leviticus, which focuses on the laws and rituals given to the Israelites to maintain their covenant with God, as stated in Leviticus 1:1.
What can we learn from God's direct communication with Moses?
This verse reminds us that God is a personal and relational God, who desires to communicate with His people, as seen in Jeremiah 33:3, where He invites us to call to Him and promises to answer, and in John 10:27, where Jesus says His sheep hear His voice.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean for God to speak to us today, and how can we hear His voice?
- How can we apply the principle of God's care for our physical and spiritual well-being in our daily lives?
- What does this verse teach us about the importance of obedience to God's instructions, as seen in the life of Moses and the Israelites?
- How can we, like Moses, be receptive to God's voice and instructions, and faithfully pass them on to others?
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 12:1
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... The laws in the preceding chapter were delivered both to Moses and Aaron, but what follows in this only to Moses; but inasmuch as the priest had a concern in it, it
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 12:1
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Mankind are not only liable to defilement from without, but have internal causes of pollution lying deep in their nature.
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
XII.(1) And the Lord spake unto Moses.—As the reason why God graciously addressed the regulation about the clean and unclean animals to Moses and Aaron conjointly (see Leviticus 11:1), no longer operates here, the Lord now addresses the laws of purification to the Lawgiver alone. The laws of defilement contracted from without by eating or coming in contact with unclean objects are naturally followed by precepts about defilement arising from within the human body itself. The spiritual guides in the time of Christ, however, account for the sequence of these laws by declaring that the arrangement follows the order of the Creation, Just as at the Creation God made the animals first, and then formed man, so in the laws of purity the animals take the precedence of man, and are treated of first.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
CHAPTER XII Ordinances concerning the purification of women after child-birth, 1; after the birth of a son, who is to be circumcised the eighth day, 2, 3. The mother to be considered unclean for forty days, 4. After the birth of a daughter, fourscore days, 5. When the days of her purifying were ended, she was to bring a lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering, 6, 7. If poor, and not able to bring a lamb, she was to bring either two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, 8. NOTES ON CHAP. XII
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 12:1
1. These precepts are addressed to Moses only.
Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 12:1
This chapter would more naturally follow the 15th chapter of Leviticus. See the note to Leviticus 15:1.
Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 12:1
2. She shall be unclean — It is a mystery that marriage, a sacrament of love, prefiguring the oneness of Christ and the Church, should attain its divinely appointed end only by entailing ceremonial impurity.