BOOK 3 OF 66 · LAW · KING JAMES BIBLE

Leviticus 5

Leviticus book home•Chapter 5 of 27•19 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Leviticus 5 Overview

Leviticus 5 describes several situations in which a person becomes guilty: withholding testimony, touching uncleanness, rash swearing, and certain trespasses involving the holy things of the LORD. Confession is required when guilt is recognized. The chapter also provides graduated offerings so poverty does not prevent access to the appointed sacrifice, ranging from a female animal to birds to fine flour.

LeviticusBook

5Chapter

19Verses

LawDivision

Before you read Leviticus 5

Coming from

Leviticus 4 introduced sin offerings for sins committed through ignorance.

In this chapter

The chapter applies guilt and confession to specific cases and gives alternative offerings according to a person’s means.

Leads into

Leviticus 6 continues trespass law, especially restitution for wrong done against another person, and then begins additional priestly regulations.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Failure to speak when truthful witness is required can itself create guilt.

Truth 2

Contact with uncleanness and careless oaths are treated as matters that require recognition and response.

Truth 3

Confession accompanies the prescribed offering when a person becomes aware of guilt.

Truth 4

God provides sacrificial alternatives for poor worshippers rather than excluding them.

Truth 5

Trespass in holy things includes restitution plus an added fifth, showing that atonement does not make measurable wrong irrelevant.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Leviticus 6 continues the restitution principle when another person has been defrauded.

Connection 2

Numbers 5 also requires restitution with an added fifth in certain trespass cases.

Connection 3

Matthew 5:33–37 and James 5:12 warn against careless oath-making.

Connection 4

Luke 2:24 shows Joseph and Mary bringing the poor person’s bird offering after Jesus’ birth, reflecting Levitical provision.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The graduated offerings show mercy within the law; poverty does not remove guilt, but neither does God make wealth a condition of access.

Keep this clear 2

The fine-flour option in this chapter should not be used to deny the broader biblical significance of blood; it is an explicitly authorized exception within a sacrificial system centered on blood.

Keep this clear 3

Confession here occurs in Israel’s covenant sacrificial life and should not be converted into a meritorious formula for earning eternal life.

Keep this clear 4

Restitution addresses concrete harm and accountability; forgiveness does not make stolen or damaged property irrelevant.

Read Leviticus 5 watching for…

The specific examples of guilt.

When awareness of guilt occurs.

The command to confess.

The descending scale of offerings for poorer worshippers.

The beginning of restitution language.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-6Sins that must be confessed and covered by offering 7-13Provision for those who cannot afford a lamb 14-16The trespass offering for sin in holy things 17-19The trespass offering for ignorant sin against God's commands

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.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Leviticus 5:17

Back to verse ↑

Cross References

Cross-reference storage is active. This passage does not yet have curated references loaded.

Related TWBC Resources

The Scripture resource graph is active. Sermons, Bible Overviews, courses, questions, and studies can attach here without changing the Bible text.