Leviticus 5:1-11

1 "`And if a soul sin and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he does not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him, he also shall be unclean and guilty.

3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be, that a man shall be defiled thereby, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.

5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing;

6 and he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

7 "`And if he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons unto the LORD: one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder.

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.

10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

11 "`But if he is not able to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon, for it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 5:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 5

This chapter treats of the trespass offering, points at the sins for which it was to be made, and the matter of it; it was for secret sins, and sins of ignorance, such as refusing to bear witness in a known case, Le 5:1 touching unclean things and false swearing, Le 5:2-4 the things directed to in such cases are confession, Le 5:5 sacrifice of a lamb, or kid of the goats, Le 5:6 and in case of poverty, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons; concerning the offering of which instructions are given, Le 5:7-10 and if not able to bring them, then a meat offering of fine flour, about which rules are laid down, Le 5:11-13 and for sins committed through ignorance in holy things or sacrileges, the sacrifice of a ram is enjoined, and satisfaction ordered to be made for the injury done in the holy thing, by adding a fifth part to it, Le 5:14-16 and for sins committed ignorantly against negative precepts, only a ram is appointed for the trespass offering, Le 5:17-19.