Numbers 5:6

6 speake vnto the childern of Israel: whether it be man or woman whe they haue synned any maner of synne which a man doeth wherewith a man trespaseth agenst the Lorde so that the soule hath done amysse:

Numbers 5:6 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 5:6

Speak unto the children of Israel
Put them in mind of the following law, that they observe it; and which is here repeated, because of two new things in it, as Jarchi observes, the one relates to confession, teaching that there is no fifth part nor trespass offering by witnesses, till a man confesses the thing; and the other is, concerning taking anything away by violence from a proselyte, which is to be given to the priests; see the original law in ( Leviticus 6:1-7 ) ;

when a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit;
or, "any of the sins of men" F5, which are commonly done by men, and men are subject to through the infirmity of the flesh, and the temptations of Satan; or "any sin against man" F6, so some, as this referred to is expressly said to be, ( Numbers 5:7 ) ;

to do a trespass against the Lord;
for every sin against man is also against the Lord, being a breach of his command; as David's sin against Uriah was a sin against the Lord, ( Psalms 51:4 ) ; though the Jews understand it particularly of lying and swearing falsely, appealing to God, and calling him to be a witness to a falsehood; and so the Targum of Onkelos seems to interpret it:

and the person be guilty;
and knows he is so, and even knew it when he took an oath to the contrary; see ( Leviticus 6:3 Leviticus 6:4 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Mdah tajx lkm) "ex omnibus peccatis hominis", Montanus.
F6 "Ex omnibus peccatis contra hominem", Tigurine version; so Patrick.

Numbers 5:6 In-Context

4 And the childern of Israel dyd so and put them out of the hoste: euen as the Lorde comaunded Moses so dyd the childern of Israel.
5 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses sayenge:
6 speake vnto the childern of Israel: whether it be man or woman whe they haue synned any maner of synne which a man doeth wherewith a man trespaseth agenst the Lorde so that the soule hath done amysse:
7 then they shall knowlege their synnes which they haue done and restore agayne the hurte that they haue done in the hole and put the fyfte parte of it moare thereto and geue it vnto him whom he hath trespased agenste.
8 But and yf he that maketh the amendes have no man to doo itto then the amendes that is made shalbe the Lordes and the preastes besyde the ram of the attonementofferynge where with he maketh an attonemet for hymselfe
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