And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord ,.... 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 . read more
And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock ,.... See Gill 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... read more
It is a trespass offering ,.... 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 F7 ... read more
Concerning witnesses who, being adjured, refuse to tell the truth, Leviticus 5:1 . Of those who contract defilement by touching unclean things or persons, Leviticus 5:2 , Leviticus 5:3 . Of those who bind themselves by vows or oaths, and do not fulfill them, Leviticus 5:4 , Leviticus 5:5 . The trespass-offering prescribed in such cases, a lamb or a kid, Leviticus 5:6 ; a turtle-dove or two young pigeons, Leviticus 5:7-10 ; or an ephah of fine flour with oil and frankincense, ... read more
If a soul sin - It is generally supposed that the case referred to here is that of a person who, being demanded by the civil magistrate to answer upon oath, refuses to tell what he knows concerning the subject; such a one shall bear his iniquity - shall be considered as guilty in the sight of God, of the transgression which he has endeavored to conceal, and must expect to be punished by him for hiding the iniquity to which he was privy, or suppressing the truth which, being discovered, would... read more
Any unclean thing - Either the dead body of a clean animal, or the living or dead carcass of any unclean creature. All such persons were to wash their clothes and themselves in clean water, and were considered as unclean till the evening, Leviticus 11:24-31 . But if this had been neglected, they were obliged to bring a trespass-offering. What this meant, see in the notes on Leviticus 7 (note). read more
To do evil, or to do good - It is very likely that rash promises are here intended; for if a man vow to do an act that is evil, though it would be criminal to keep such an oath or vow, yet he is guilty because he made it, and therefore must offer the trespass-offering. If he neglect to do the good he has vowed, he is guilty, and must in both cases confess his iniquity, and bring his trespass-offering. read more
He shall confess that he hath sinned - Even restitution was not sufficient without this confession, because a man might make restitution without being much humbled; but the confession of sin has a direct tendency to humble the soul, and hence it is so frequently required in the Holy Scriptures, as without humiliation there can be no salvation. read more
If he be not able to bring a lamb - See the conclusion at Leviticus 1:16 ; (note). read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 5:16
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing ,.... This seems to favour the sense of the word "estimation", in the preceding verse, as understood of the estimate of the damage done in the holy things, which belonged to the priests, for which recompense was to be made according as the damage was valued: and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest ; besides paying the whole damage, he was to give a fifth part of the whole to the priest;... read more