Leviticus5
New Living Translation
1“If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.
2“Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that is ceremonially unclean, such as the carcass of an unclean animal. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and your guilt. This is true whether it is a wild animal, a domestic animal, or an animal that scurries along the ground.
3“Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that makes a person unclean. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your guilt.
4“Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt.
5“When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin.
6Then you must bring to the Lord as the penalty for your sin a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat. This is a sin offering with which the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord.
7“But if you cannot afford to bring a sheep, you may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as the penalty for your sin. One of the birds will be for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
8You must bring them to the priest, who will present the first bird as the sin offering. He will wring its neck but without severing its head from the body.
9Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the sides of the altar, and the rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering for sin.
10The priest will then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering, following all the procedures that have been prescribed. Through this process the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.
11“If you cannot afford to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, you may bring two quarts of choice flour for your sin offering. Since it is an offering for sin, you must not moisten it with olive oil or put any frankincense on it.
12Take the flour to the priest, who will scoop out a handful as a representative portion. He will burn it on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the Lord. It is an offering for sin.
13Through this process, the priest will purify those who are guilty of any of these sins, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the flour will belong to the priest, just as with the grain offering.”
14Then the Lord said to Moses,
15“If one of you commits a sin by unintentionally defiling the Lord’s sacred property, you must bring a guilt offering to the Lord. The offering must be your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value with silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel.
16You must make restitution for the sacred property you have harmed by paying for the loss, plus an additional 20 percent. When you give the payment to the priest, he will purify you with the ram sacrificed as a guilt offering, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.
17“Suppose you sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands. Even if you are unaware of what you have done, you are guilty and will be punished for your sin.
18For a guilt offering, you must bring to the priest your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value. Through this process the priest will purify you from your unintentional sin, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.
19This is a guilt offering, for you have been guilty of an offense against the Lord.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Concerning various trespasses. (1–13). Concerning trespasses against the Lord. (14–19).
vv1-13
The offences here noticed are, 1. A man's concealing the truth, when he was sworn as a witness to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If, in such a case, for fear of offending one that has been his friend, or may be his enemy, a man refuses to give evidence, or gives it but in part, he shall bear his iniquity. And that is a heavy burden, which, if some course be not taken to get it removed, will sink a man to hell. Let all that are called at any time to be witnesses, think of this law, and be free and open in their evidence, and take heed of prevaricating. An oath of the Lord is a sacred thing, not to be trifled with. 2. A man's touching any thing that was ceremonially unclean. Though his touching the unclean thing only made him ceremonially defiled, yet neglecting to wash himself according to the law, was either carelessness or contempt, and contracted moral guilt. As soon as God, by his Spirit, convinces our consciences of any sin or duty, we must follow the conviction, as not ashamed to own our former mistake. 3. Rash swearing, that a man will do or not do such a thing. As if the performance of his oath afterward prove unlawful, or what cannot be done. Wisdom and watchfulness beforehand would prevent these difficulties. In these cases the offender must confess his sin, and bring his offering; but the offering was not accepted, unless accompanied with confession and humble prayer for pardon. The confession must be particular; that he hath sinned in that thing. Deceit lies in generals; many will own they have sinned, for that all must own; but their sins in any one particular they are unwilling to allow. The way to be assured of pardon, and armed against sin for the future, is to confess the exact truth. If any were very poor, they might bring some flour, and that should be accepted. Thus the expense of the sin-offering was brought lower than any other, to teach that no man's poverty shall ever bar the way of his pardon. If the sinner brought two doves, one was to be offered for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering. We must first see that our peace be made with God, and then we may expect that our services for his glory will be accepted by him. To show the loathsomeness of sin, the flour, when offered, must not be made grateful to the taste by oil, or to the smell by frankincense. God, by these sacrifices, spoke comfort to those who had offended, that they might not despair, nor pine away in their sins. Likewise caution not to offend any more, remembering how expensive and troublesome it was to make atonement.
vv14-19
Here are offerings to atone for trespasses against a neighbour. If a man put to his own use unwittingly, any thing dedicated to God, he was to bring this sacrifice. We are to be jealous over ourselves, to ask pardon for the sin, and make satisfaction for the wrong, which we do but suspect ourselves guilty of. The law of God is so very broad, the occasions of sin in this guilty of. The law of God is so very broad, the occasions of sin in this world are so numerous, and we are so prone to evil, that we need to fear always, and to pray always, that we may be kept from sin. Also we should look before us at every step. The true Christian daily pleads guilty before God, and seeks forgiveness through the blood of Christ. And the gospel salvation is so free, that the poorest is not shut out; and so full, that the most burdened conscience may find relief from it. Yet the evil of sin is so displayed as to cause every pardoned sinner to abhor and dread it.
Key Words
נֶפֶשׁ: properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
חָטָא: properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אָלָה: an imprecation
עֵד: concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince
אוֹ: desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
יָדַע: to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
נֹחַ: Noach, the patriarch of the flood
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
Cross References
Leviticus 5Illustrates 'voice of swearing' as judicial adjuration, where the High Priest adjures Jesus under oath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels hearing the voice of swearing/cursing but failing to testify and bearing guilt.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Directly links confession with the trespass offering and requirements for making full restitution.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the concept of secret or unknown ceremonial sins requiring spiritual cleansing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
An example of a rash oath to do harm, which is later realized to be sinful.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Specific case of eating holy things in ignorance, requiring restitution plus a fifth part.
Supported by JFB
Highlights the principle of guilt and responsibility even when a sin is committed in ignorance.
Supported by JFB
Warning of defiling the Tabernacle if one touches uncleanness and neglects purification.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts concealing sins with confessing and forsaking them to obtain God's mercy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Expresses the spiritual relief of acknowledging and confessing sin to receive forgiveness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfillment of the poor person's offering (turtledoves/pigeons) by Mary at Jesus' purification.
Supported by JFB
Uses 'bear his iniquity' to describe Christ bearing the guilt of transgressors.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes strict penalties for touching unclean things and eating of peace offerings.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Further detail on the restitution and adding of the fifth part for trespasses.
Supported by JFB