Leviticus 5:1-6

1 And if any one sin, and hear the voice of adjuration, and he is a witness whether he hath seen or known [it], if he do not give information, then he shall bear his iniquity.

2 Or if any one touch any unclean thing, whether it be the carcase of an unclean beast, or the carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of an unclean crawling thing, and it be hid from him, -- he also is unclean and guilty;

3 or if he touch the uncleanness of man, any uncleanness of him by which he is defiled, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth [it], then he is guilty.

4 Or if any one swear, talking rashly with the lips, to do evil or to do good, in everything that a man shall say rashly with an oath, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth [it], then is he guilty in one of these.

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

6 and he shall bring his trespass-offering to Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the small cattle, a sheep or doe goat, for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him [to cleanse him] from his sin.

Leviticus 5:1-6 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Chata, 'to sin,' as in ch. 4.2,3, is departure from the right. First used Gen. 4.7. Asham, 'guilty,' vers. 2,3,4,5,17, is guilty as regards one we are responsible to -- here God of course.
• [b]. See Matt. 26.63; Num. 5.21; 1Kings 8.31; Prov. 29.24.
• [c]. The word has the force of 'because he is a witness,' practically.
• [d]. See Note b, ver. 1.
• [e]. Here is seen the use of 'atonement,' Heb. kaphar, to cover. It is a thing done for men towards God. It is not 'sprinkling,' 'washing,' nor exactly 'propitiation,' though that be nearer; but there was guilt on the man, a moral offensiveness which had to be removed out of God's sight. So it was in the offering. It was really bringing his trespass to God in the offering, but in the way of a given atonement for it, by entering into it as his. In ver. 7 it is lit. 'he shall bring his trespass [offering] which he hath sinned.' For the burnt-offering, which was also to make atonement [kaphar], see ch. 1.4.