Leviticus 22:16

16 They must make those people pay the penalty for their guilt because they have eaten the priests' holy offerings. I am the LORD, who sets them apart as holy."

Leviticus 22:16 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 22:16

Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass
The punishment of sin: either the strangers, when they eat their holy things;
the holy things belonging to the priests, which they permitting them to do, suffer them to be liable to the punishment incurred thereby, or else the priests themselves; so the Septuagint version renders the word "themselves"; and in like manner Jarchi interprets it; and then the sense may be, according to the Targums of Jonathan and Onkelos, that the priests shall bear the punishment of their sins,

``when they shall eat the holy things in uncleanness,''

which is what is forbidden them in the former part of the chapter; but this seems to be too remote; rather the former sense is best: for I the Lord do sanctify them;
both the priests, to whom the holy things belong, and the holy things for their use, and the use of their families, and them only.

Leviticus 22:16 In-Context

14 "Those who eat a holy offering by mistake must give another holy offering to the priest and add one-fifth more to it.

15 Priests must not dishonor the holy offerings that the Israelites contribute to the LORD.

16 They must make those people pay the penalty for their guilt because they have eaten the priests' holy offerings. I am the LORD, who sets them apart as holy."

17 The LORD spoke to Moses,

18 "Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites: Israelites or foreigners may bring burnt offerings to the LORD for anything they vowed or as freewill offerings.