Leviticus 5:5

5 If someone incurs guilt in one of these cases, he is to confess he has committed that sin.

Leviticus 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:5

And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these
things
Before expressed in the preceding verses; the Targum of Jonathan is,

``in one of the four things,''

which Ben Gersom particularly mentions in the oath of witness, or the pollution of the sanctuary, or the pollution of its holy things, or a vain oath:

that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that [thing];
not make confession of sin in general, but of that particular sin he is guilty of; and this he was to do before he brought his offering, or at least at the time of his bringing it; for without confession his offering would be of no avail; and which he made, as Ben Gersom says, by laying his hand on the head of the offering, thereby signifying and declaring his guilt, and that he deserved to die as the creature would about to be sacrificed for him; or he might make a verbal confession and acknowledgment of his offence. Fagius, from the Jewish writers, has given us the form of it, which was this;

``I beseech thee, O Lord, I have sinned, I have done wickedly, I have transgressed before thee, so and so have I done; and, lo, I repent, and am ashamed of what I have done, and I will never do the same again.''

Though perhaps this form may be of too modern a date, yet doubtless somewhat like this was pronounced; and they make confession of sin necessary to all sacrifices, and say ^F24, atonement is not made by them without repentance and confession.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Maimon. Hilchot Teshubah, c. 1. sect. 1.

Leviticus 5:5 In-Context

3 Or [if] he touches human uncleanness-any uncleanness by which one can become defiled-without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes [it], he is guilty.

4 Or [if] someone swears rashly to do what is good or evil-concerning anything a person may speak rashly in an oath-without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes it, he incurs guilt in such an instance.

5 If someone incurs guilt in one of these cases, he is to confess he has committed that sin.

6 He must bring his restitution for the sin he has committed to the Lord: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin.

7 "But if he cannot afford an animal from the flock, then he may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as restitution for his sin-one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.