Leviticus 6:3

3 or has found that which was lost and then denies it and swears falsely, in any of all these in which a man can 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Leviticus 6:3 In-Context

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
2 If a person commits a sin, a trespass against the LORD, and denies unto his neighbour that which was delivered unto him to keep or left in his hand, or in a thing stolen, or has slandered his neighbour;
3 or has found that which was lost and then denies it and swears falsely, in any of all these in which a man can sin,
4 then it shall be that because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he stole, or for the damage of the slander, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5 or all that about which he has sworn falsely, he shall even restore it in the principal and shall add the fifth part more to it, for the one to whom it belongs, and he shall pay in the day of his guiltiness.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010