Why did God command the Jews to conduct the ritual of male circumcision on the 8th day? I ended up asking myself this question while reading the second chapter of Luke last week; Jesus was circumcised at the end of eight days. I had an idea based on Jewish numerology, but the answer seems to be a lot more amazing than I anticipated.
Modern science has a great explanation for why this is the ideal time to perform the procedure. The short answer is that newborns are significantly more likely to bleed to death in the first week. But, on the eighth day of life, a baby’s body actually contains an elevated level of prothrombin, a protein necessary for blood to coagulate.
Why Circumcise on the 8th Day?
First, I think it’s worth acknowledging that any consideration of this subject is purely academic for everyone outside of orthodox Judaism. When asking, “Why circumcise on the 8th day?” we have to actually acknowledge that we don’t follow this Jewish commandment.
Paul and the other apostles made this clear in their response to the Galatians:
“I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Galatians 5:3-6
So, while circumcision is prevalent in the United States, we practice it for cultural and medical reasons. We do not adhere to the Abrahamic covenant. Parents who elect to circumcise their boys almost always have it done before leaving the hospital after the delivery.
Jewish Circumcision on the 8th Day
God established the practice of Jewish circumcision on the 8th day in his covenant with Abraham. “You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised.” Genesis 17:11-12
Even today, almost all Jews follow this מצוה mitzvah (commandment or a good deed done out of religious duty). It is called ברית מילה brit or bris milah, depending on who you’re talking to. Jews of Ashkenazi and Sephardic descent differ in many ways, and their pronunciation of the ת tav is one of them.
In practice, Jewish circumcision is similar to what western medicine offers. There are several differences, though. First, it is only done on the 8th day, as directed in Genesis. Second, the procedure carries overt religious significance. Third, to perform the procedure, a person must receive special training as a mohel. As you would imagine, many doctors are certified as mohels; not all mohels are doctors.
Gonna make a side note here, that there is a (thankfully) uncommon practice in Jewish circumcision which I strongly oppose. It’s called מציצה בפה metzitza b’peh (don’t look that Hebrew phrase up on its own). It increases the risk of circumcision, and it’s utterly unnecessary given the technology that we have today.
Scientific Reason for 8th Day Circumcision
I must admit that I love these moments when I discover a new way that science reveals the inspiration of God’s word. There is indeed a scientific reason for 8th day circumcision. But, it should go without saying, I’m not a scientist. So, if there are errors below, I’m interested in knowing.
Doctors have long known that newborns bleed longer than usual. Doctors referred to this effect in medical literature as Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) in the late 1800s. Henrik Dam won the Nobel prize in 1943 for his discovery of vitamin k, as part of his search to explain how blood clots (the k is for koagulant).
HDN became known as Vitamin K Deficient Bleeding (VKDB) to reflect our understanding of the importance of vitamin k. It is necessary for the production of a protein called prothrombin. And, without prothrombin, the coagulation cascade never reaches the point of creating fibrin, which is what holds platelets in place to form scabs.
During the first seven days of life, VKDB is more common, occurring in 1 in 60 to 1 in 250 newborns. But starting on the 8th day, the prevalence drops to 1 in 14,000 to 1 in 25,000 infants. The CDC reports that 1 out of 5 babies with VKDB dies.
Prothrombin on the 8th Day
Bronze age man had no access to the above medical information, let alone intervention. Abraham had nothing more than the word of God to trust. But, as it turns out, science has proven that the prothrombin level on the 8th day is actually elevated beyond what is normal.
I have found multiple references to this finding, which was apparently published in the 1953 edition of Holt Pediatrics. But, I could not locate that source. However, this chart references that finding, from the book None of These Diseases by S.I. McMillen, published in 1963.
I think that McMillen said it quite well. “Yet, as we congratulate medical science for this recent finding, we can almost hear the leaves of the bible rustling.” Abraham did not pluck the 8th day out of a hat or after countless years of trial and error. It was given to him by the creator of vitamin k.
You might disagree wholesale with circumcision. You might be a huge supporter. If you’re like me, then you’re probably just glad you never had to make that choice for your sons. But, I think regardless of position, the facts make it clear that if circumcision must occur, then the 8th day is an inspired choice.
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