Leviticus 5:2

2 "If you touch anything unclean --the unclean dead body of a wild or tame animal or the body of an unclean, swarming creature--and then ignore what you did, you are unclean and will be guilty.

Leviticus 5:2 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:2

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing
Meaning an Israelite, for only such were bound by this law, which pronounced a person unclean that touched anything that was so in a ceremonial sense; this is the general, including whatsoever by the law was unclean; the particulars follow:

whether [it be] a carcass of an unclean beast,
as the camel, the coney, the hare, and the swine, ( Leviticus 11:2-3 )

or a carcass of unclean cattle;
as the horse, and the ass, which were unclean for food, and their dead carcasses not to be touched, ( Leviticus 11:26-28 )

or the carcass of unclean creeping things:
such as are mentioned in ( Leviticus 11:29-31 )

and if it be hidden from him;
that he has touched them; or the uncleanness contracted by touching, he having inadvertently done it; or being ignorant of the law concerning such uncleanness:

he also shall be unclean;
in a ceremonial sense, by thus touching them:

and guilty;
of a breach of the command which forbids the touching of them: this is by way of prolepsis or anticipation; for as yet the law concerning unclean beasts, and creeping things, and pollution by touching them, was not given: Jarchi and Gersom interpret this guilt, of eating of holy things, and going into the sanctuary when thus defiled: in the Jewish Misnah ^F23 it is said, the word "hidden" is twice used, to show that he is guilty, for the ignorance of uncleanness, and for the ignorance of the sanctuary.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Misn. Shebuot, c. 2. sect. 5.

Leviticus 5:2 In-Context

1 [The LORD continued,] "Now, if you are a witness under oath and won't tell what you saw or what you know, you are sinning and will be punished.

2 "If you touch anything unclean --the unclean dead body of a wild or tame animal or the body of an unclean, swarming creature--and then ignore what you did, you are unclean and will be guilty.

3 "If you become unclean by touching human uncleanness of any kind and then ignore it (although you know what you did), you will be guilty.

4 "If you hastily take a vow about what you will or will not do (as some people do) and then ignore it (although you know what you said), you will be guilty.

5 "So if you are guilty of any of these sins, you must confess it.