Leviticus 5:5

5 Than when he hath synned in one of these thinges, he shall confesse that wherein that he hath synned,

Leviticus 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:5

And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these
things
Before expressed in the preceding verses; the Targum of Jonathan is,

``in one of the four things,''

which Ben Gersom particularly mentions in the oath of witness, or the pollution of the sanctuary, or the pollution of its holy things, or a vain oath:

that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that [thing];
not make confession of sin in general, but of that particular sin he is guilty of; and this he was to do before he brought his offering, or at least at the time of his bringing it; for without confession his offering would be of no avail; and which he made, as Ben Gersom says, by laying his hand on the head of the offering, thereby signifying and declaring his guilt, and that he deserved to die as the creature would about to be sacrificed for him; or he might make a verbal confession and acknowledgment of his offence. Fagius, from the Jewish writers, has given us the form of it, which was this;

``I beseech thee, O Lord, I have sinned, I have done wickedly, I have transgressed before thee, so and so have I done; and, lo, I repent, and am ashamed of what I have done, and I will never do the same again.''

Though perhaps this form may be of too modern a date, yet doubtless somewhat like this was pronounced; and they make confession of sin necessary to all sacrifices, and say ^F24, atonement is not made by them without repentance and confession.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Maimon. Hilchot Teshubah, c. 1. sect. 1.

Leviticus 5:5 In-Context

3 Ether when he toucheth any vnclennesse of ma (what soeuer vnclennesse it be that a man is defyled with all) and is not warre of it and afterwarde cometh to the knowlege of it, he is a trespaser.

4 Ether when a soule sweareth: so that he pronounceth with his lippes to do euell or to do good (what soeuer it be that a man pronounceth with an othe) and the thinge be out of his mynde and afterwarde cometh to the knowlege of it, than he hath offended in one of these.

5 Than when he hath synned in one of these thinges, he shall confesse that wherein that he hath synned,

6 and shall bringe his trespaceofferynge vnto the Lorde for his synne which he hath synned. A female from the flocke, whether it be an yewe or a she goote, for a synneofferynge. And the preast shall make an attonement for him for his synne.

7 But yf he be not able to brynge a shepe, then let him brynge for his trespace which he hath synned, two turtyll doues or two yonge pygeons vnto the Lorde one for a synneoffrynge and another for a burntofferynge.