Leviticus 5:3

3 Or when he touches human uncleanness, {namely} any uncleanness of his by which he might become unclean, but {he is unaware of it}, and he himself finds out, then he will be guilty.

Leviticus 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:3

Or if he touch the uncleanness of man
The dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body, or a grave, or any profluvious or menstruous person:

whatsoever uncleanness [it be] that a man shall be defiled withal:
not morally, but ceremonially:

and it be hid from him;
he is not sensible that he has touched any thing ceremonially unclean:

when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty:
acknowledge his guilt, and offer a sacrifice for it, as after directed.

Leviticus 5:3 In-Context

1 " 'When a person sins in that he hears [the] utterance of a curse and he [is] a witness or he sees or he knows, if he does not make [it] known, then he shall bear his guilt.

2 Or if a person touches anything unclean, {whether} an unclean [wild] animal's dead body or an unclean domestic animal's dead body or an unclean swarmer's dead body, but {he is unaware of it}, he [is] unclean and he is guilty.

3 Or when he touches human uncleanness, {namely} any uncleanness of his by which he might become unclean, but {he is unaware of it}, and he himself finds out, then he will be guilty.

4 Or when a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with [his] lips, to do evil or to do good {with regard to} anything that {the person} in a sworn oath speaks thoughtlessly, but {he is unaware of it}, he will be guilty {in any of} these.

5 When he becomes guilty {in any of} these, he shall confess what he has sinned {regarding} it,

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "for" or "to" (see HALOT 510)
• [b]. Or "and"
• [c]. Literally "it is concealed from him"
• [d]. Or "and"