Leviticus chapter 5

Four sins that require a sin offering. Concessions for poor people. Three sins that require a guilt offering.

 


 

Note: Many people find it morally objectionable that a religion requires the killing of innocent animals.

 


 

FOUR SINS THAT REQUIRE A SIN OFFERING

 

VERSE 1. “ ‘If anyone sins, in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

a public adjuration. That is a solemn request to do something. In this case, it is to testify in court.

if he doesn’t report it. That is, you refuse to give information as a witness.

he shall bear his iniquity. This refusal to give testimony is one of the four sins that require a sin offering:

  • Refusing to give testimony (verse 1)
  • Touching an unclean animal (verse 2)
  • Touching any uncleanness (verse 3)
  • Taking a foolish vow (verse 4)

 

VERSE 2. “ ‘Or if anyone touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him, and he is unclean, then he shall be guilty.

touches any unclean thing. This is one of the four sins that require a sin offering:

  • Refusing to give testimony (verse 1)
  • Touching an unclean animal (verse 2)
  • Touching any uncleanness (verse 3)
  • Taking a foolish vow (verse 4)

 

VERSE 3. “ ‘Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.

touches the uncleanness of man. This is one of the four sins that require a sin offering:

  • Refusing to give testimony (verse 1)
  • Touching an unclean animal (verse 2)
  • Touching any uncleanness (verse 3)
  • Taking a foolish vow (verse 4)

 

VERSE 4. “ ‘Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil or to do good—whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him—when he knows of it, then he will be guilty of one of these.

swears rashly with his lips. This is one of the four sins that require a sin offering:

  • Refusing to give testimony (verse 1)
  • Touching an unclean animal (verse 2)
  • Touching any uncleanness (verse 3)
  • Taking a foolish vow (verse 4)

 

VERSE 5. It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned;

he shall confess. That is, he shall declare.

To declare is to articulate with audible words. It does not mean silently remembering them.

Confession is an act, not an intention.

that in which he has sinned. To sin is to violate God’s will for us. It harms our relationship with God. We all have missed the mark and sinned. Here are the verses we’ve found »

 

VERSE 6. and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

a female from the flock. In most of the the Book of Leviticus, the sacrificial animals were to be male. But in some cases, the animal for a sin offering was to be female. Read more »

 

CONCESSIONS FOR POOR PEOPLE

 

VERSE 7. “ ‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.

If he can’t afford a lamb. In ancient times, after a woman gave birth, she was to bring an offering to the temple for her purification. Mary’s offering was that of a poor person. Read more »

 

VERSE 8. He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one which is for the sin offering. He shall wring off its head from its neck, but shall not sever it completely.

He shall wring off its head. The priest kills the animal.

 

VERSE 9. He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.

at the base of the altar. In sin offerings, some of the blood was smeared on the horns of the altar. The rest of the blood was poured at the base of the altar. Why the base of the altar? Read more »

 

VERSE 10. He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.

 

VERSE 11. “ ‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for that in which he has sinned, one tenth of an efah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, and he shall not put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.

an efah. One efah is about 2/3 of a bushel.

 

VERSE 12. He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of the LORD made by fire. It is a sin offering.

 

VERSE 13. The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’ ”

 

THREE SINS THAT REQUIRE A GUILT OFFERING

 

VERSE 14. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

 

VERSE 15. “If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly regarding the LORD’s holy things, then he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.

commits a trespass. This unintentional violation of Sacred property is one of the three sins that require a guilt offering:

  • unintentional violation of sacred property (verse 15)
  • suspected transgressions of divine commands (verse 17)
  • violation of property rights (Leviticus 6:1)

sins unwittingly. These are infractions you committed without realizing it. You didn’t have full knowledge.

the shekel of the sanctuary. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.

 

VERSE 16. He shall make restitution for that which he has done wrong regarding the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven.

add a fifth part to it. The sacrifice calls for more than restitution. The offending person must restore 120 percent.

In our day, we call that a “fine.”

 

VERSE 17. “If anyone sins, doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he didn’t know it, he is still guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

things which the LORD has commanded not to be done. The suspected transgressions of divine commands is one of the three sins that require a guilt offering:

  • unintentional violation of sacred property (verse 15)
  • suspected transgressions of divine commands (verse 17)
  • violation of property rights (Leviticus 6:1)

 

VERSE 18. He shall bring a ram without defect from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he will be forgiven.

 

VERSE 19. It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before the LORD.”

 


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LEVITICUS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, The Scapegoat, Female Sacrificial Animals

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.