Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 53 questions at the end of this chapter.

Leviticus Chapter 5

We have been studying in the last lessons, sins of ignorance, now we will get into another type of sin and the offerings made for them.

Verses 1-13: Dealing with unintentional sins continues with an emphasis on sins of omission (verses 1-4). Lambs/goats (verse 6), birds (verses 7-10), or flour (verses 11-13), were acceptable sacrifices.

Verses 1-5: This call to confession named a few examples of violations for which penitence was the right response:

(1) Withholding evidence (verse 1);

(2) Touching something unclean (verses 2-3); and

(3) Rash oath making (verse 4).

Leviticus 5:1 “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.”

“The voice of swearing … witness”: “A witness who did not come forward to testify was sinning when he had actually seen a violation or had firsthand knowledge, such as hearing the violator confess to the sin.

This lesson will deal more specifically with sin than the last few lessons. The Scripture above seems to indicate a concealment of knowledge. To witness a crime and not report it would possibly be the sin above. In our courts today, to conceal that type of evidence could make you an accessory to the crime. We can easily see from this, that when we see a crime committed, we must report it. To not report a sin in the verse above, would cause you to be guilty, as well as the person who committed the crime. And you would have to be forgiven the same as the one committing the crime.

Leviticus 5:2 “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.”

Meaning an Israelite, for only such were bound by this law, which pronounced a person unclean that touched anything that was so in a ceremonial sense. This is the general, including whatsoever by the law was unclean. The particulars follow:

“Whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast”: As the camel, the coney, the hare, and the swine (Lev. 11:2).

“Or a carcass of unclean cattle”: As the horse, and the ass, which were unclean for food, and their dead carcasses not to be touched (Lev. 11:26).

“Or the carcass of unclean creeping things”: Such as are mentioned in (Lev.11:29).

“And if it be hidden from him”: That he has touched them; or the uncleanness contracted by touching, he having inadvertently done it. Or being ignorant of the law concerning such uncleanness.

“He also shall be unclean”: In a ceremonial sense, by thus touching them.

“And guilty”: Of a breach of the command which forbids the touching of them. This is by way of prolepsis or anticipation. For as yet the law concerning unclean beasts, and creeping things, and pollution by touching them, was not given. Jarchi and Gersom interpret this guilt, of eating of holy things, and going into the sanctuary when thus defiled. In the Jewish Misnah it is said, the word “hidden” is twice used, to show that he is guilty, for the ignorance of uncleanness, and for the ignorance of the sanctuary.

Carcase means dead body. If the animal died of its own volition (was not killed), then it possibly was diseased. If we look carefully into all of these instructions, we will see that God did everything for a specific reason, and it was usually for the benefit of man. If a person accidently touched it, the person could still take a disease from it. You can see why this instruction was given. We will get into the way a person could purify themselves when they touched a carcase in a later lesson.

Leviticus 5:3 “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.”

The dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body. Or a grave, or any menstruous person.

“Whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal”: Not morally, but ceremonially.

“And it be hid from him”: He is not sensible that he has touched any thing ceremonially unclean.

“When he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty”: Acknowledge his guilt, and offer a sacrifice for it, as after directed.

This just specifies, that the same procedure is to be taken with a dead man as was taken with the dead animal. It goes even further in stating that the man does not have to be dead. Any uncleanness, such as an issue of blood, would be under this ruling as well. We know today how important this is, because of all the diseases that are transferred from one person to another through blood, or in some cases just by touching them, such as shaking hands. Many in our society today have been so frightened of germs that they are afraid to go out of their house for anything. God does not want us to live in fear, but He does want us to practice cleanliness.

Leviticus 5:4 “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.”

“Swear” “Speaking thoughtlessly” suggests a reckless oath for good or bad, i.e., an oath the speaker should not or could not keep.

We are cautioned by Jesus not to swear at all in the following two verses.

Matthew 5:34 “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:”

Matthew 5:36 “Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.”

The very best policy, is to do just what Jesus said. Don’t swear, and then you will not be held accountable for what you swear. One of the most terrible oaths taken in the Bible is Herod’s in the next few verses.

Matthew 14:6-11 “But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.” “Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.” “And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.” “And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her].” “And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.” “And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother.”

This is one oath that Herod wished he had never taken. Do not take an oath lightly.

Verses 5-13: Like the burnt offering, the required sin offering provided options for the poor if a lamb was too expensive.

Leviticus 5:5 “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]:”

“He shall confess”: Confession must accompany the sacrifice as the outward expression of a repentant heart which openly acknowledged agreement with God concerning sin. Sacrifice minus true faith, repentance, and obedience was hypocrisy (compare Psalm 26:4; Isa. 9:17; Amos 5:21-26).

Leviticus 5:6 “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.”

“Trespass offering”: This special ceremony concerns sins involving dishonesty, theft, deceit, or lying to cover up other sins. The guilty party, if repentant, can receive forgiveness, but is expected to make restitution. Christ died for our sins of ignorance, our unintentional sins as well as our intentional sins (6:1-7). All sin can be forgiven through His sacrifice, but true and sincere repentance should result in restitution.

The very first thing a man or woman should do, then or now when they have sinned, is to confess the sin and ask for forgiveness. In the case of the Jews, who were under the law, there was a specific offering to be made. They would come to the tabernacle and place their hands on the head of the offering, confess their sin publicly, and then ask for forgiveness. He would kill the offering (in this case a female lamb or goat). Their prayer for forgiveness would be very similar to one we might pray today. They might say: Lord forgive me, for I have sinned, please accept my prayer and bring me into right standing with God. You may read more detail in Numbers, on these sins and their offerings (Numbers chapters 5, 6, and 7 go more into detail on this). In Numbers, you find that this sinner might be male or female.

Leviticus 5:7 “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.”

He is not possessed of a lamb, nor able to purchase one.

“Then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord”: Either the one or the other. These were common, and in great plenty in the land of Israel, as Maimonides observes. Which was the reason of their being ordered, since they could be gotten cheap. The turtledoves were larger, as the Targum of Jonathan calls them, being older, and the pigeons lesser, being young. Or the one were grown, and not little, and the other little, and not grown, as the Jewish writers observe. And either of them were proper emblems of Christ in his purity, innocence, and meekness, by whom an atonement is made both for the rich and poor.

“One for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering”: One of the turtle doves or pigeons, whichever were brought, was offered up as a sin offering, and the other that remained was offered up as a burnt offering. So that the poor man had two sorts of offerings out of what he brought, when the rich had but one. And may denote the completeness of his sacrifice, and the full atonement made by it (see note on 1:3-17).

When this speaks of not being able, it means they are poor. A sin offering is not a freewill offering. It is a required offering for sin. They must bring something, even if it is a fowl. The sins in the previous verses are very different, but all are sin and must be atoned for. To keep company with a robber, or even worse, makes you a robber by witness. To casually swear to something could be avoided by not speaking rashly. To be in close association with killing diseases could make you very sick. You can easily see from this that, all of these particular warnings that are given to mankind are for his own benefit.

Leviticus 5:8 “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:”

Either two turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

“Who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first”: That which is chosen for it, as the Targum of Jonathan. And this choice was made, not by the priest, but by the man that brought the offering. Who separated it, and said, lo, this is a sin offering, and after that said, lo, this is a burnt offering. The sin offering was offered first, which was to make atonement for sin. And then the burnt offering, to denote the divine acceptance of it. And so, Ben Gersom observes, it was proper to offer the sin offering first, to atone for his sin, that after he (God), was appeased this way, he might receive his gift. For the burnt offering was as a gift. Jarchi compares it to an advocate, who first goes in to appease, and when he has appeased, the gift goes in after him.

“And wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder”: Be it a turtledove or a young pigeon, so it was to be served. The head was not to be separated from the body, but was nipped by the nail of the priest “in” the neck, as it might be rendered. Over against the neck, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it. The hinder part, or what is behind the throat, as Jarchi and Ben Molech interpret it. So that the part which was nipped was the neck. And this nip was made so large, as that the blood was let out by it, as appears from the following verse (Lev. 5:9). And yet the head was not divided from the body. The head hung by a piece of skin on the back part. Of the manner of performing this, and the mystery of it (see notes on Lev. 1:15).

We went into this in detail in a previous lesson, but I will say again here, that this shadows Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus had no broken bones. This fowl will be offered with its wings open wide on the wood, with no bones broken.

Leviticus 5:9 “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.”

Or “wall”. It is asked, “what is the wall at which the rest of the blood is wrung out? This is the lower wall, namely, the half of the height of the altar below, under the thread (of scarlet that goes round the middle of the altar). That the rest of the blood may be squeezed at the bottom of the altar, and because of this the sin offering of the fowl is below, ”that is, the sprinkling of its blood. And so Ben Gersom observes; from hence we learn, says he, that the sprinkling of the sin offering of the fowl was in the lower part of the altar. And I think this sprinkling, adds he, was not in the length, but in the breadth.

“And the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar. The blood sprinkled was that which dropped from it when nipped by the priest. This here was squeezed out by him, and was shed at the foot of the altar. So that the altar had all the blood, and nothing but the blood of the fowl, all the rest belonged to the priest. This might be an emblem both of the drops of blood which fell from Christ in the garden, and of the shedding of his blood upon the cross, whereby remission of sin was obtained, and atonement made.

“It is a sin offering”: An offering whereby sin was typically expiated and stoned.

We see the symbolism of the blood He shed for all who are on the earth, by the blood being wrung out at the foot of the altar. The earth swallowing up the blood, shows that Jesus died for whosoever will in all the earth.

Leviticus 5:10 “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.”

That is, the second turtledove or young pigeon, after the other was made a sin offering. And the manner according to which this was offered was not according to the rite or manner of the bird chosen first for a sin offering, as the Targum of Jonathan. But according to the burnt offering of the fowl in (Lev. 1:15), so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.

“And the priest shall make an atonement for him, for his sin which he had sinned, and it shall be forgiven him”: Upon the atonement made; and so forgiveness of sin with God proceeds upon the atonement made by the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:22). God never took one step towards it, without a regard to Christ the propitiation for sin. He promised it with a view to him. There is no instance of pardon under the Old Testament but in this way. And God always has respect to Christ in pardon, it is for his sake. And this way of forgiveness best provides for the glory of the divine perfections. There can be no better way, or infinite wisdom would have used it. There could be no other way, considering the council and covenant of peace. To pardon, without atonement and satisfaction, is not consistent with the purity, justice, and veracity of God. And to observe this great truth, the phrase is afterwards frequently repeated.

The word atonement in the Scripture above, I would remind you means to cover or cancel. The blood of an animal can only cover the sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cancels sin out. In the case of this sinner, he or she will have to come back every time they sin, but the Christian is forgiven for all his sins at once. Jesus sacrificed once for us that we might be made His righteousness.

In the previous lesson, we have been studying the sin offering for being eyewitness to a sin and not reporting it, the sin of swearing, and the sin of being in contact with an unclean thing. We know that the offering varied according to the ability of the sinner to pay. We will now see that this lesson deals with the very poor who can hardly pay anything. These offerings were all blood offerings.

Leviticus 5:11 “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.”

Which is supposing a man to be in the poorest circumstances he can well be. And such is the grace and goodness of God, that he has provided for the atonement and forgiveness of the poorest, as well as of the rich.

“Then he that hath sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering”: Which is an omer (Exodus 16:36), and is as much as a man can eat in one day, as Aben Ezra remarks. “Ephah”: About 6 gallons.

“He shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon”: To distinguish it from the common meat offering, which had both (Lev. 3:1). And to make it as easy, and as little chargeable to the poor as possible, both oil and frankincense being things of value. And some think that these were prohibited, to show that atonement and forgiveness. And even the salvation of men, are not owing to grace in them. Comparable to oil, or to their prayers, signified by frankincense, and so to any or all of their duties, but to Christ alone, and his atoning sacrifice. Or these were forbidden, because emblems of joy and gladness, and therefore not so proper at a confession of sin, and humiliation for it. Or rather to show how disagreeable and offensive sin was to the Lord, being contrary to grace, of which oil was an emblem, and far from being acceptable to him, which frankincense might signify. And therefore being prohibited, might denote how unacceptable, yea nauseous, sin is to him; which agrees with the reason given. “Put no oil … frankincense”: Contrast the grain offering (2:2).

“For it is a sin offering”: And therefore must not be honored, as Jarchi. Or must have everything removed from it that is beautiful and amiable, as Ben Gersom, such as oil and frankincense.

Even though there is no blood evident in this offering of bread, it does not eliminate the fact that there is no remission of sin except by the shedding of blood. We discussed in a previous lesson, that this is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ (The Bread). The shadow has no blood, but the person it shadows does. Jesus is the Bread of life. His body was spoken of as bread. Jesus was our sin offering when He was crucified on the cross. This is unleavened bread, which is the only kind that can symbolize the sinless body of Christ. Jesus shed His blood for us.

Leviticus 5:12 “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.”

The flour just as it was, not kneaded and made into a cake, as appears by what follows.

“And the priest shall take his handful of it”: As much of the flour as he could hold in one hand.

“Even a memorial thereof”: To bring to mind his sin, and the goodness of God in admitting of an offering for it, and forgiving it upon that.

“And burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord”: In the same manner as other burnt offerings were made.

“It is a sin offering”: Or an expiatory sacrifice for sin.

Leviticus 5:13 “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.”

By burning the handful of flour brought by him, as an emblem of the painful sufferings of Christ, whereby he made atonement for the sins of his people.

“As touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these”: For whatsoever sin he had committed in any of the above cases (Lev. 5:1).

“And it shall be forgiven him”: Upon the foot of the atonement made (see notes on Lev. 5:10).

“And the remnant shall be the priest’s as a meat offering”: The whole tenth part of an ephah of fine flour was the priest’s, excepting the handful he took and burnt. Just as in the case of a common meat offering (Lev. 2:3).

We see clearly here, that the minister of the church is supposed to live of the offerings brought to the church. Notice also that the priest (preacher), is to help the sinner that comes to the church, and that is without exception. When the sinner comes with a repentant heart, the preacher prays for him or her, and then praise God, his sins are forgiven. This memorial of this that is burned on the altar is very pleasing to God. It shows the sincerity of the repentance.

Verses 5:14 – 6:7 (see 7:1-10), for the priests’ instructions. The trespass or guilt offering symbolized an atonement for sin unknowingly committed where restitution was possible. Like the sin offering (4:1 – 5:13), this one was compulsory. For sins against the Lord’s property, restitution was made to the priest (5:14-19), while restitution was made to the person who suffered loss in other instances (6:1-7).

Leviticus 5:14 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

Out of the tabernacle of the congregation (Lev. 1:1), he continued to speak to him.

“Saying”: As follows in the next verse.

I believe this sudden break here back to who is giving these directions, and to whom they are given, is to show us this is not something Moses just came up with but are God’s wishes. These laws are many times called the law of Moses, when in fact, they are the law of God.

Leviticus 5:15 “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:”

In the sacrificial system in general, different animals were designated for different offerings according to their relative value. A bull was considered the costliest offering because the Hebrew people raised them for meat. Rams were needed for servicing ewes, so they too were a significant offering.

“Shekel of the sanctuary”: This amounted to 20 gerahs (Exodus 30:13; Lev. 27:25; Num. 3:47), or 2 bekas (Exodus 38:26), which is the equivalent of four-tenths of one ounce. God fixed the value of a shekel.

The trespass offering and the sin offering, I do not believe to be the same. This trespass offering seemed to be a sin of omission of the duties toward God. In the sin offering, it seemed the offering was for a specific sin; and in the trespass offering, it seemed they were sacrificing for cleansing of their attitude toward God. This would be like a backslider praying to be forgiven for backsliding.

Silver means redemption, as we have said in so many of these lessons. This sacrifice should be of sufficient value, so as to compensate for the neglect of the person’s duties to God. The trespass offering carried a penalty of 20% for failing to pay on time. It seemed that this could be owed to the temple, or to other believers. In this, the person had to make restitution for what he had neglected to do previously. When a person did not pay their tithes and offerings, it was as if they planned to rob God. If people today were fined 20% above their tithes and offerings that they had not brought to the temple, there would be enough ready cash to evangelize the whole world.

Leviticus 5:16 “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.”

“Add a fifth part”: The offender was required to make a 120 percent restitution, which was considerably lower than that prescribed elsewhere in the Mosaic law, e.g. (Exodus 22:7, 9). Perhaps this is accounted for by a voluntary confession in contrast to an adjudicated and forced conviction.

Notice that after the person makes amends for the wrong he or she has done, God forgives them. This should be good news for all the backsliders, God will take you back if you truly repent and try to make amends for the harm you have done.

Leviticus 5:17 “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.”

Respecting holy things: though he wist it not. Or did not know that he had transgressed a negative command.

“Yet he is guilty, and shall bear the iniquity”: Be chargeable with guilt, and is liable to punishment, and must make an atonement and satisfaction for it (see Luke 12:48).

We see in this that ignorance is no excuse. Here in the United States, that is probably more so than any other place on the globe. Bibles are readily available at all book stores. A person has no excuse for not knowing the will of God in their lives. Read your Bible and find the will of God for yourself. In some countries of the world, it is not possible to buy a Bible, even if you had the money to buy it. It is up to us, who are so blessed to see that these people have the privilege of owning a Bible. We must send Bibles to those places at all cost. We are our brother’s keeper.

Leviticus 5:18 “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.”

(See notes on Leviticus 5:15).

“With thy estimation for a trespass offering to the priest”: Along with the offering was to be brought an estimate of whatsoever damage had been done through the breach of any of the commands of God. Where damage could take place, that so recompense be made as before directed. Or else the ram brought was to be valued, and examined whether it was worth two shekels of silver, as before explained (see notes on Lev. 5:15). But no fifth was required as in the former cases.

“And the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred, and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him” (see notes on Leviticus 5:10). This is what the Jews call “Asham Talui”, or guilt-offering.

As we have said so many times in these lessons, this ram typifies Christ. It must be without blemish, as He was perfect in every way. God does not want second best, He wants you to be sold out to Him and bring Him the best you have.

Leviticus 5:19 “It [is] a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.”

An offering for a trespass committed.

“He hath certainly trespassed against the Lord”: Though committed ignorantly, and therefore an offering must be brought. For no sin of any kind must be overlooked, passed by, or forgiven, without a sacrifice, or without atonement made by sacrifice. Or, “he shall offer a trespass offering to the Lord”, or before the Lord, as Onkelos. Or before the Word of the Lord, as Jonathan. And Maimonides out of Siphri observes, that whereas it is said, a trespass or trespass offering to the Lord, it was not lawful for the priests to eat of it.

Trespass was translated from “asham” which means fault. It is our fault, if we do not do as God has instructed us to do. LORD in this is Jehovah, the self-existent One. Sins may be different in that they usually involve other people, but trespass is directly disobeying God. One more time, I believe trespass differs from sin in that trespass is overlooking the things of God that we are obligated to do. It is a trespass of omission rather than commission, which is sin. When we pray we ask God to forgive us of our trespasses and sins. You can easily see; they are not the same.

Leviticus 5: Questions