In figure the woman represents all mankind (see note Gen. 3:2¹). Thus, the uncleanness within the woman signifies the uncleanness within all mankind. Since the source is unclean, whatever is born of the source must also be unclean. All mankind was born in uncleanness (Psa. 51:5) and consequently lives in uncleanness (Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19). In ch. 11 the uncleanness is outside of man, but in this chapter the uncleanness is within man (cf. Matt. 15:17-20; Rom. 5:19a).

The uncleanness of the male’s birth is for seven days, but that of the female’s is for two weeks (vv. 2, 5a), signifying that the male (representing the strong ones) is fully (signified by the seven days) unclean in spite of his strength, and that the female (representing the weak ones — 1 Pet. 3:7) is doubly (signified by the two weeks) unclean in her weakness.

After the completion of the test of the uncleanness, a burnt offering and a sin offering were to be offered (vv. 6-8), signifying that after our uncleanness by birth is fully dealt with through Christ’s death and resurrection (v. 3 and note Lev. 12:3¹), we need Christ further to be our burnt offering for our not being for God and to be our sin offering for our sin (Heb. 10:5-7), that Christ may be our life and our living that is absolute for God and that He may deal with the sin that is still in our flesh as we live on earth (1 John 1:7-10; 2:1-2).

During the test of the uncleanness, the woman’s not being allowed to touch any sanctified thing or to enter into the sanctuary signifies that man is not allowed to touch the things concerning God or go into the presence of God until his uncleanness is dealt with (see note Lev. 12:3¹ and note Lev. 12:6¹).

After the birth of a male, the woman was to remain in the blood of her purifying thirty-three days, and after the birth of a female, sixty-six days (v. 5b). In the case of the male the total number of days for purifying was forty (seven plus thirty-three), and in the case of the female the total number of days was eighty (fourteen plus sixty-six). In the Bible the number forty denotes a period of testing (Deut. 9:9; 1 Kings 19:8). Because the birth of a human being is altogether unclean, it must be tested for cleanness. The uncleanness of a female’s birth should be doubly tested for cleanness.

See note Lev. 12:3¹.

Verses 3 and 6 reveal the way to deal with the uncleanness in human birth. In this verse the eighth day, the beginning of a new week, refers to Christ’s resurrection (Matt. 28:1; John 20:1), and circumcision, the cutting off of the flesh, refers to the terminating of the old man in Christ’s crucifixion (Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20a). The circumcising of the male on the eighth day after his birth signifies that the flesh of the unclean person (i.e., the entire person — Rom. 3:20) should be cut off, terminated, through the death of Christ that he might be brought into the resurrection of Christ not only to be cleansed but also to have a new beginning of life (Col. 2:11-12). See note Gen. 17:10^1a and note Gen. 17:12¹.