Leviticus 利未记 12 — Child Birth 生子

Chapter 12 deals with the ritual defilement that follows childbirth, Chapter 13 and 14 with the uncleanness caused by skin diseases, and Chapter 15 with the uncleanness associated with reproduction, including the woman’s monthly cycle.

第12章论到生产后在仪式上的污秽;第13和14章是皮肤疾病所引起的不洁;第15章则是关于生育的不洁,包括妇女的月经周期。

 

Birth 生产.

First of all, we must be clear that the uncleanness mentioned in these chapters is not directly to do with sin and moral uncleanness but ceremonially unclean. There is no suggestion here that either conception or birth is an act of sin. After all, God created sex and told us to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28). God reminds us that we are conceived sinners (Ps. 51:5; 58:3) and therefore need His grace.

首先,我们必须明白,这些章节所指的“不洁”与罪恶和道德污秽无关,而是礼仪上的不洁净。这里没有提到受孕或生子是一种罪恶的行为,因为神创造了性爱,也告诉我们要生养众多(创1:28)。神提醒​​我们的是,我们生来就是罪人(诗51:5;58:3),因此需要祂的恩典。

 

Compassion 慈悲.

Is a female child twice as unclean as a male child? Of course not, for there were no degrees of uncleanness. God was giving the mother extra time to care for a daughter in a masculine society that preferred sons. He was also giving her time to recuperate before the next pregnancy. A husband to whom she bore a daughter might be anxious to try again for son.

女婴是否比男婴双倍不洁净?当然不是,因为不洁没有程度上的区分。在那个男尊女卑的社会里,神让母亲有双倍的时间照顾女婴。由于女婴母亲的丈夫很可能会急于想要男孩,所以神这么做,也是让母亲在怀下一胎之前有更多时间休养。

 

Grace 恩典.

Even the poorest could bring an acceptable sacrifice, and God would receive it (v. 8). This is the sacrifice that Joseph and Mary brought when they dedicated Jesus (Luke 2:22–24). Truly, He became poor that we might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

即使是最贫穷的人也有能力带一个合宜的祭牲,蒙主悦纳(8节)。这也是约瑟和马利亚在献上耶稣时所带的祭牲(路2:22-24)。没错,祂成了贫穷,叫我们可以为富足(林后8:9)。

 

Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告

 

  1. This law is short and simple. When a baby is born, the mother is contagiously unclean for one or two weeks, as unclean as she is during her menstrual period (v. 2, cf. 5). Why should a woman become unclean by bearing children? This is what the Creator had told her to do (Gen. 1:28). The same question arises with the other bodily sources of defilement mentioned in Lev. 15. Reproduction is essential to the survival of the human race, yet intercourse makes both man and wife unclean (15:18). The law itself does provide a clear answer to the first question. It is not the birth itself that makes the woman unclean. There is no mention of the baby being unclean, but it is the discharge (lochia) that follows childbirth that makes the woman unclean. Just as one’s bodily discharge can be unhygienic or unclean. Let’s thank God for He not only cares about our spiritual health but physically health and cleanliness.

这个律法是简短的。当婴孩出生后,母亲在这一两周是不洁净的,正如她行经时一样(第2节,比照5)。妇女为什么会因为生子而成为不洁?造物主不是曾告诉女人要生养众多(创1:28)吗?当我们在《利未记》15章读到因其他生理物质所造成的不洁时,同样的问题也出现了。生育对人类的生存至关重要,但性爱却使夫妇成为不洁净(15:18)。对此,法律有明确的答案。生育并不能使女人不洁净;这里也没有提到婴孩是不洁净的,乃是分娩后的排泄物(产褥排泄)使女人不洁净。人的排泄物可以是肮脏、不卫生的,这也如此。让我们感谢神,因祂不仅关心我们的属灵健康,也关心我们身体的健康和卫生。

 

  1. No convincing explanation has been offered why the birth of a girl makes the mother unclean for twice as long as the birth of a boy. However, MacArthur Study Bible did provide us with a view: Apparently mothers were unclean twice as long (80 days) after the birth of a daughter as compared to a son (40 days), which reflected the stigma on women for Eve’s part in the Fall. This stigma is removed in Christ (see notes on 1Ti 2:13–15).

生女婴的母亲为何比生男婴的母亲双倍不洁净,到目前为止还没有一个令人信服的解释。然而,麦克阿瑟研读版圣经提出一个观点:生女婴的母亲不洁的时间(80天),显然比生男的长达一倍(40天),而这反映女人因夏娃在堕落中的责任所遭受的耻辱。这种耻辱在基督里已被除去了(见提前2:13-15)。