Leviticus 5:7

7 If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

Leviticus 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:7

And if he be not able to bring a lamb
He is not possessed of a lamb, nor able to purchase one:

then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord;
either the one or the other; these were common, and in great plenty in the land of Israel, as Maimonides ^F25 observes, which was the reason of their being ordered, since to be had cheap. The turtledoves were larger, as the Targum of Jonathan calls them, being older, and the pigeons lesser, being young; or the one were grown, and not little, and the other little, and not grown, as the Jewish writers ^F26 observe; and either of them were proper emblems of Christ in his purity, innocence, and meekness, by whom an atonement is made both for the rich and poor:

one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering;
one of the turtle doves or pigeons, whichsoever were brought, was offered up as a sin offering, and the other that remained was offered up as a burnt offering; so that the poor man had two sorts of offerings out of what he brought, when the rich had but one; and may denote the completeness of his sacrifice, and the full atonement made by it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F25 Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 46.
F26 Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Cholin, c. 1. sect. 5.

Leviticus 5:7 In-Context

5 If someone incurs guilt in one of these ways, he must confess the sin he has committed,

6 and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.

7 If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it;

9 then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.