Leviticus 6:3

3 or 1has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do;

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 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD , and deceives his companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion,
3 or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do;
4 then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him or the lost thing which he found,
5 or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Exodus 23:4; Deuteronomy 22:1-4
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