Leviticus 5: Understanding Sin, Atonement, and Restitution
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord.
Leviticus 5 delves into various scenarios of unintentional sins and the prescribed methods for atonement, highlighting God's concern for both the individual's relationship with Him and their interactions within the community. This chapter provides valuable insights into the nature of sin, the importance of confession, and the provision of grace through sacrifice.
Sins of Omission and Neglect (Leviticus 5:1-4)
Leviticus 5:1-4 outlines four conditions that could be categorized as sins of omission or neglect. The first involves failing to speak up when one possesses knowledge relevant to a case, essentially withholding testimony (Leviticus 5:1). The offender is guilty for not fulfilling their responsibility to speak the truth.
The other two offenses involve touching something that rendered an Israelite ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 5:2-3). This refers to ceremonial defilement that disqualified the offender from participating in worship, making them guilty before God. These may seem like minor offenses to us today, but God used them to teach His people the important distinction between clean and unclean, holy and profane.
The fourth instance relates to rash oaths, swearing to do either good or evil (Leviticus 5:4). God took vows very seriously (see Leviticus 27). As Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 says, “When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it." This emphasizes the gravity of making promises to God and the importance of fulfilling them.
Atonement for Unintentional Sins (Leviticus 5:5-13)
Upon realizing their guilt in any of these situations, the individual was required to confess the specific sin (Leviticus 5:5). Confession is a crucial step in the process of seeking forgiveness and restoration. Following confession, a guilt offering was to be presented.
Leviticus 5:6 specifies that a female lamb or goat was an acceptable sacrifice if the person could afford it. Recognizing that not everyone had the same financial means, God provided alternative options. In cases of severe poverty, the offering could be two turtledoves or two young pigeons (Leviticus 5:7), or even two quarts of fine flour (Leviticus 5:11). This demonstrates God's compassion and His desire for all people to have access to atonement, regardless of their economic status. A person’s financial ability or inability in no way lessened the guilt that needed to be atoned for.
The Guilt Offering: Atonement and Restitution (Leviticus 5:14-19)
Leviticus 5:14 introduces the regulations for the guilt offering, which extends into Leviticus 6. The guilt offering was similar to the sin offering in that both required atonement for a guilty party through the blood of a sacrifice. However, the guilt offering introduces the concept of restitution when one sinned against "any holy thing" or defrauded his neighbor (Leviticus 5:16; 6:2-3).
The required sacrifice was an unblemished ram (Leviticus 5:15), symbolizing the perfection required for atonement. Furthermore, a fine was added to this offering, acknowledging the wrong that had been done against God or the injured party (Leviticus 5:16).
The opening section deals with offenses against God in regard to his holy things (Leviticus 5:15) or his commands (Leviticus 5:17). The offense against “any holy thing” could involve anything from mishandling the portion of a sacrifice that was meant for the priest, to failure to give God the tithe, to not keeping a vow. Since the offense was against God, the extra penalty was paid to His representative, the priest (Leviticus 5:16). In both of these instances the sin was done unintentionally or out of ignorance (Leviticus 5:15, 17), but, again, this did not excuse the guilty party once he became aware of his sin.
The guilt offering underscores the multifaceted nature of sin, acknowledging its impact not only on our relationship with God but also on our relationships with others. It highlights the importance of both seeking forgiveness and making amends for the harm caused. The principles within Leviticus 5 regarding confession, sacrifice, and restitution offer profound lessons applicable to our lives today, reminding us of the need for humility, accountability, and a genuine desire to restore what has been broken.
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering.
And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord.
Leviticus 5 delves into various scenarios of unintentional sins and the prescribed methods for atonement, highlighting God's concern for both the individual's relationship with Him and their interactions within the community. This chapter provides valuable insights into the nature of sin, the importance of confession, and the provision of grace through sacrifice.
Sins of Omission and Neglect (Leviticus 5:1-4)
Leviticus 5:1-4 outlines four conditions that could be categorized as sins of omission or neglect. The first involves failing to speak up when one possesses knowledge relevant to a case, essentially withholding testimony (Leviticus 5:1). The offender is guilty for not fulfilling their responsibility to speak the truth.
The other two offenses involve touching something that rendered an Israelite ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 5:2-3). This refers to ceremonial defilement that disqualified the offender from participating in worship, making them guilty before God. These may seem like minor offenses to us today, but God used them to teach His people the important distinction between clean and unclean, holy and profane.
The fourth instance relates to rash oaths, swearing to do either good or evil (Leviticus 5:4). God took vows very seriously (see Leviticus 27). As Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 says, “When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it." This emphasizes the gravity of making promises to God and the importance of fulfilling them.
Atonement for Unintentional Sins (Leviticus 5:5-13)
Upon realizing their guilt in any of these situations, the individual was required to confess the specific sin (Leviticus 5:5). Confession is a crucial step in the process of seeking forgiveness and restoration. Following confession, a guilt offering was to be presented.
Leviticus 5:6 specifies that a female lamb or goat was an acceptable sacrifice if the person could afford it. Recognizing that not everyone had the same financial means, God provided alternative options. In cases of severe poverty, the offering could be two turtledoves or two young pigeons (Leviticus 5:7), or even two quarts of fine flour (Leviticus 5:11). This demonstrates God's compassion and His desire for all people to have access to atonement, regardless of their economic status. A person’s financial ability or inability in no way lessened the guilt that needed to be atoned for.
The Guilt Offering: Atonement and Restitution (Leviticus 5:14-19)
Leviticus 5:14 introduces the regulations for the guilt offering, which extends into Leviticus 6. The guilt offering was similar to the sin offering in that both required atonement for a guilty party through the blood of a sacrifice. However, the guilt offering introduces the concept of restitution when one sinned against "any holy thing" or defrauded his neighbor (Leviticus 5:16; 6:2-3).
The required sacrifice was an unblemished ram (Leviticus 5:15), symbolizing the perfection required for atonement. Furthermore, a fine was added to this offering, acknowledging the wrong that had been done against God or the injured party (Leviticus 5:16).
The opening section deals with offenses against God in regard to his holy things (Leviticus 5:15) or his commands (Leviticus 5:17). The offense against “any holy thing” could involve anything from mishandling the portion of a sacrifice that was meant for the priest, to failure to give God the tithe, to not keeping a vow. Since the offense was against God, the extra penalty was paid to His representative, the priest (Leviticus 5:16). In both of these instances the sin was done unintentionally or out of ignorance (Leviticus 5:15, 17), but, again, this did not excuse the guilty party once he became aware of his sin.
The guilt offering underscores the multifaceted nature of sin, acknowledging its impact not only on our relationship with God but also on our relationships with others. It highlights the importance of both seeking forgiveness and making amends for the harm caused. The principles within Leviticus 5 regarding confession, sacrifice, and restitution offer profound lessons applicable to our lives today, reminding us of the need for humility, accountability, and a genuine desire to restore what has been broken.