Leviticus5

Leviticus chapter 5 outlines various scenarios where an individual incurs guilt, often through inadvertent actions or omissions, and details the required sin or trespass offerings for such transgressions. It addresses failing to testify, touching unclean things, and making rash oaths. The chapter also provides a graduated scale of offerings, from a lamb to birds or fine flour, depending on the offerer's economic ability, and specifies offerings for sins against holy things or unknown commandments.

Cases Requiring a Sin Offering

1
"'If a person who is a witness, sworn to testify, sins by refusing to tell what he has seen or heard about the matter, he must bear the consequences. ​
2
If a person touches something unclean, whether the carcass of an unclean wild animal, a domestic animal or a reptile, he is guilty, even though he may not be aware that he is unclean. ​
3
If he touches some human uncleanness, no matter what the source of his uncleanness is, and is unaware of it, then, when he learns of it, he is guilty.
4
If someone allows to slip from his mouth an oath to do evil or to do good, and he doesn't remember that he clearly spoke this oath, then, no matter what it was about, when he learns of it, he is guilty. ​
5
A person guilty of any of these things is to confess in what manner he sinned ​
6
and bring his guilt offering to ADONAI for the sin he committed; it is to be a female from the flock, either a lamb or a goat, as a sin offering; and the cohen will make atonement for him in regard to his sin.

Graduated Offerings for the Poor

7
"'If he can't afford a lamb, he is to bring as his guilt offering for the sin he committed two doves or two young pigeons for ADONAI - the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. ​
8
He is to bring them to the cohen, who will offer the one for a sin offering first. He is to wring its neck but not remove the head,
9
sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar and drain out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.
10
He is to prepare the second as a burnt offering in the manner prescribed. Thus the cohen will make atonement for him in regard to the sin which he committed, and he will be forgiven.
11
"'But if his means are insufficient even for two doves or two young pigeons, then he is to bring as his offering for the sin he committed two quarts of fine flour for a sin offering; he is not to put any olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. ​
12
He is to bring it to the cohen, and the cohen is to take a handful of it as its reminder portion and make it go up in smoke on the altar on top of the offerings for ADONAI made by fire; it is a sin offering.
13
Thus the cohen will make atonement for him in regard to the sin he committed concerning any of these things, and he will be forgiven. The rest will belong to the cohanim, as with a grain offering.'"

Trespass Offering for Offenses Against Holy Things

14
ADONAI said to Moshe, ​
15
"If anyone acts improperly and inadvertently sins in regard to the holy things of ADONAI, he is to bring as his guilt offering for ADONAI a ram without defect from the flock or its equivalent in silver shekels (using the sanctuary shekel as the standard), according to your appraisal of its value; it is a guilt offering. ​
16
In addition, he is to make restitution for whatever he did wrong in regard to the holy thing; moreover, he is to add to that one-fifth and give it to the cohen. Then the cohen will make atonement with the ram of the guilt offering, and he will be forgiven. ​

Trespass Offering for Unknown Sins

17
"If someone sins by doing something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, he is guilty, even if he is unaware of it; and he bears the consequences of his wrongdoing. ​
18
He must bring a ram without defect from the flock, or its equivalent according to your appraisal, to the cohen for a guilt offering; the cohen will make atonement concerning the error which he committed, even though he was unaware of it; and he will be forgiven.
19
It is a guilt offering - he is certainly guilty before ADONAI."

Study Notes for Leviticus 5

Verse 1

This verse addresses the failure to testify after hearing a public adjuration (a curse or oath) requiring witnesses to come forward. Withholding information in such a scenario brought guilt upon the silent witness.

Verse 2

This section defines unintentional ritual defilement—touching a carcass or other unclean things without immediate knowledge. The person becomes guilty only when the contamination is later realized.

Verse 4

This refers to rash or forgotten oaths made concerning future actions ('to do evil, or to do good'). Failure to fulfill the vow, even if unintentional, required atonement.

Verse 5

Confession (acknowledgment of the sin) is a mandatory step, preceding the bringing of the sacrificial animal. This highlights the internal and external requirements for true forgiveness.

Verse 7

This passage introduces the principle of the graduated scale, demonstrating God's mercy and ensuring that atonement was accessible even to the poorest members of the community.

Verse 11

The most minimal offering is fine flour, specifically lacking oil and frankincense. This lack of festive elements distinguishes it as a solemn offering for sin, not a standard celebratory grain offering.

Verse 14

This verse marks the formal introduction of the 'Asham' (Trespass/Guilt Offering), which is distinguished from the Sin Offering by the requirement of mandatory restitution.

Verse 15

Sins 'in the holy things' include the unintentional misuse of consecrated property, tithes, or priestly dues. The sacrificial ram is required alongside monetary compensation based on priestly estimation.

Verse 16

Restitution for damage done to holy things requires payment of the full value plus a penalty of one-fifth (20%). This requirement emphasizes justice and practical restoration alongside ritual atonement.

Verse 17

This addresses general unintentional transgressions where the specific commandment violated is unknown to the offender. The trespass offering covers the certainty of guilt before God, even in ignorance.

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