Numbers 5:7

7 1he shall confess his sin that he has committed.[a]2And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.

Numbers 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 5:7

Then they shall confess their sin which they have done
The form of which confession, according to Fagius, was, O Lord, I am guilty of death, I have deserved to be stoned for this sin, or to be strangled for this trespass, or to be burnt for this crime

and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and
add unto it the fifth [part] thereof;
paying the whole of whatsoever he had in any manner defrauded his neighbour of, to which he was to add a fifth part of that; that is, as Aben Ezra interprets it, it he confesses of himself, but if there are witnesses of it he must add two fifths, and some say a fifth of a fifth:

and give [it] unto [him] against whom he hath trespassed;
as a satisfaction for the injury done him.

Numbers 5:7 In-Context

5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
6 "Speak to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person realizes his guilt,
7 he shall confess his sin that he has committed.And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.
8 But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the LORD for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him.
9 And every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Leviticus 5:5; Leviticus 26:40; [Joshua 7:19]
  • 2. Leviticus 6:5

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew they shall confess their sin that they have committed
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.