Leviticus 5:1-7

Cases Requiring Sin Offerings

1 "When someone sins [in any of these ways]: [If] he has seen, heard, or known about something he has witnessed, and did not respond to a public call to testify, he is guilty.^[a]

2 Or [if] someone touches anything unclean-a carcass of an unclean wild animal, or unclean livestock, or an unclean swarming creature^{[b] [c]}-without being aware of it, he is unclean and guilty.

3 Or [if] he touches human uncleanness^[d]-any uncleanness by which one can become defiled-without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes [it], he is guilty.

4 Or [if] someone swears rashly to do what is good or evil-concerning anything a person may speak rashly in an oath^[e]-without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes it, he incurs guilt in such an instance.^[f]

5 If someone incurs guilt in one of these cases, he is to confess he has committed that sin.

6 He must bring his restitution for the sin he has committed to the Lord: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin.^[g]

7 "But if he cannot afford an animal from the flock, then he may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as restitution for his sin-one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

Leviticus 5:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 5

This chapter treats of the trespass offering, points at the sins for which it was to be made, and the matter of it; it was for secret sins, and sins of ignorance, such as refusing to bear witness in a known case, Le 5:1 touching unclean things and false swearing, Le 5:2-4 the things directed to in such cases are confession, Le 5:5 sacrifice of a lamb, or kid of the goats, Le 5:6 and in case of poverty, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons; concerning the offering of which instructions are given, Le 5:7-10 and if not able to bring them, then a meat offering of fine flour, about which rules are laid down, Le 5:11-13 and for sins committed through ignorance in holy things or sacrileges, the sacrifice of a ram is enjoined, and satisfaction ordered to be made for the injury done in the holy thing, by adding a fifth part to it, Le 5:14-16 and for sins committed ignorantly against negative precepts, only a ram is appointed for the trespass offering, Le 5:17-19.

Footnotes

• [a]. Pr 29:24
• [b]. a fish, insect, rodent, or reptile; Lv 11:20-23,29-31; Gn 1:20
• [c]. Lv 11:24-40; Dt 14:8
• [d]. Lv 12:2; 15:2,19; 18:19
• [e]. Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21-22; Ec 5:5
• [f]. Lit in one of such things
• [g]. Lv 1:4; 4:20,31,35; 6:7