Numbers 5:8

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

Numbers 5:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 5:8

But if a man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass to,
&c.] This supposes that if a man should die, against whom the trespass is, before the restitution is made, then it shall be made to his heirs; and if he has none, then it was to be given to the priest, as after directed: the Jews ^F7 generally understand this of a proselyte, that has no heirs, for they say, there is no Israelite but has kinsmen, a brother or a son, or some one or other near of kin to him, of his father's family, even up to Jacob:

let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, [even] to the priest;
that is, let the principal, with the fifth part, which is the recompence for the trespass committed, be given to the priest of the Lord, which is the same as if it was given to him, he being his minister:

beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made
for him;
which, in this case, was ordered to be offered for the expiation, of the trespass, see ( Leviticus 6:6 Leviticus 6:7 ) ; the Jewish canon is,

``he that takes away anything by force from a proselyte, and swears to him, and he (the proselyte) dies, lo, he shall pay the principal and the fifth to the priests, and the trespass offering to the altar, as it is said, "if a man has no kinsman" when he brings the money and the trespass offering, and he is dead, the money shall be given to his sons, but the trespass offering (the ram) shall feed until it contracts some blemish, and then it shall be sold, and the price of it shall fall to the freewill offerings ^F8.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 9. sect. 11. Jarchi in loc.
F8 Misn. Bava Kama, ib.

Numbers 5:8 In-Context

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

9 And all heueofferynges of all the halowed thinges which the childern of Israel brynge vnto the preaste shalbe the preastes

10 and euery mans halowed thinges shalbe his awne but what soeuer any man geueth the preast it shalbe the preastes.