The law here pronounces women lying-in ceremonially unclean. The Jews
say, "The law extended even to an abortion, if the child was so formed
as that the sex was distinguishable." 1. There was some time of strict
separation immediately after the birth, which continued seven days for
a son and fourteen for a daughter, v. 2, 5. During these days she was
separated from her husband and friends, and those that necessarily
attended her were ceremonially unclean, which was one reason why the
males were not circumcised till the eighth day, because they
participated in the mother's pollution during the days of her
separation. 2. There was also a longer time appointed for their
purifying; thirty-three days more (forty in all) if the birth were a
male, and double that time if a female, v. 4, 5. During this time they
were only separated from the sanctuary and forbidden to eat of the
passover, or peace-offerings, or, if a priest's wife, to eat of any
thing that was holy to the Lord. Why the time of both those was double
for a female to what it was for a male I can assign no reason but the
will of the Law-maker; in Christ Jesus no difference is made of male
and female, Gal. iii. 28; Col. iii. 11. But this ceremonial uncleanness
which the law laid women in child-bed under was to signify the
pollution of sin which we are all conceived and born in, Ps. li. 5.
For, if the root be impure, so is the branch, Who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean? If sin had not entered, nothing but purity and
honour had attended all the productions of that great blessing, Be
fruitful and multiply; but now that the nature of man is degenerated
the propagation of that nature is laid under these marks of disgrace,
because of the sin and corruption that are propagated with it, and in
remembrance of the curse upon the woman that was first in the
transgression. That in sorrow (to which it is here further added in
shame) she should bring forth children. And the exclusion of the woman
for so many days from the sanctuary, and all participation of the holy
things, signified that our original corruption (that sinning sin which
we brought into the world with us) would have excluded us for ever from
the enjoyment of God and his favours if he had not graciously provided
for our purifying.