Leviticus 6:3

3 either findeth a thing lost, and denieth it furthermore, and forsweareth, and doeth any other thing of many, in which things men be wont to do sin, (or who findeth a lost thing, but denieth it forevermore, and forsweareth, or who doeth any other thing of many things, in which people be wont to sin,)

Leviticus 6:3 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 6:3

Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it,
&c.] Who having found anything lost, at once concludes it his own, and converts it to his own use, never inquiring after the proprietor of it, or taking any method to get knowledge of him, and restore it to him; but so far from that, being suspected of finding it, and charged with it denies it: Maimonides ^F11 gives a reason why a lost thing should be restored, not only because so to do is a virtue in itself praiseworthy, but because it has a reciprocal utility; for if you do not restore another's lost things, neither will your own be restored to you:

and sweareth falsely;
which is to be understood, not of the last case only, but of all the rest, or of anyone of them, as it follows:

in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein;
by unfaithfulness in a trust, cheating, defrauding, lying, and false swearing.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 40.

Leviticus 6:3 In-Context

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

2 A soul, that is, a man, that sinneth, and despiseth the Lord, and denieth to his neighbour a thing betaken to his keeping, that was betaken to his faith, either taketh masterfully a thing by violence, either maketh false challenge, (Anyone who sinneth, and despiseth the Lord, and denieth to his neighbour that a thing was given to his keeping, that was given to him in faith, or who taketh a thing by violence, or who maketh false challenge,)

3 either findeth a thing lost, and denieth it furthermore, and forsweareth, and doeth any other thing of many, in which things men be wont to do sin, (or who findeth a lost thing, but denieth it forevermore, and forsweareth, or who doeth any other thing of many things, in which people be wont to sin,)

4 if it is convicted of the guilt, he shall yield whole all things which he would get by fraud, (if he is convicted, and found guilty, he shall give back whole everything which he hath gotten by fraud,)

5 and furthermore (add) the fifth part to the lord, to whom he did [the] harm. (and furthermore add a fifth part to it, for the person to whom he did the harm.)