Leviticus Chapter 5 — Laws for Guilt Offerings
Leviticus 5 outlines the requirements for guilt offerings, covering specific sins like rash oaths, ritual impurity, and unintentional offenses against holy things.
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Notable Verses
Leviticus 5:5
“It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned;”
This verse establishes that personal confession of a specific sin is a necessary step before the sacrifice is made.
Leviticus 5:7
““ ‘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.”
This demonstrates the graduated scale of offerings, ensuring that atonement was available to those with limited financial means.
Leviticus 5:16
“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;”
This verse introduces the requirement of restitution plus a twenty-percent penalty for offenses against dedicated items.
Chapter Summary
Leviticus 5 provides instructions for the 'guilt offering' or 'trespass offering,' addressing specific transgressions that require atonement. These include failing to testify as a witness, touching unclean animals or human uncleanness, and making rash oaths. When an individual realizes their guilt in these matters, they are commanded to confess their sin and bring a sacrifice to the priest. The chapter uniquely highlights God's provision for the poor; if a person cannot afford a lamb, they may offer two birds, and if they cannot afford birds, they may offer fine flour. The latter half of the chapter deals with 'trespasses' against the Lord's holy things—items or offerings dedicated to the sanctuary. For these unintentional sins, the offender must provide a ram without defect and pay full restitution for the holy item plus an additional twenty percent. This chapter emphasizes the importance of making amends and the accessibility of forgiveness for all members of the community, regardless of their wealth.
Frequently Asked Questions
A trespass offering, also known as a guilt offering, was a sacrifice required for specific sins like ritual uncleanness or unintentional misuse of holy items. Unlike a general sin offering, it often involved making financial restitution to the party that was wronged.
The law provided alternatives based on economic status. An individual could offer two birds (turtledoves or pigeons) or, if they were extremely poor, a small amount of fine flour without oil or frankincense.
When a person unintentionally sinned regarding the Lord's holy things, they were required to repay the value of what was lost or misused and add an additional twenty percent as a penalty.
Confession was required to acknowledge the specific act of wrongdoing. It ensured the individual took responsibility for their actions before the ritual of atonement was performed by the priest.
Study Note
The Hebrew word for guilt offering, 'asham,' implies a debt that must be repaid, distinguishing it from the 'sin offering' which focused primarily on purification.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 4
This chapter provides the context for general sin offerings which the guilt offerings of chapter 5 build upon.
Leviticus 6
The laws concerning the guilt offering and restitution continue into the beginning of the next chapter.
Numbers 5
This chapter contains parallel instructions regarding confession and the twenty-percent restitution for wrongs committed.
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