Leviticus 5

AND if a soul sin, and And, for that is, as that particle is oft used, as Gen. 13. 15. 1 Chron.. 12. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 13. For this declares in particular what the sin was. hear the voice of swearing Either 1. of adjuration upon oath, when the Judge adjures a witness to speak the whole truth; of which see Mat. 26. 63. But this seems too much to narrow the sense, and this and the other laws both before and after it speak of private sins committed through ignorance. Or 2. of false swearing before a Judge. But that is expressely forbidden Lev. 6. 3. Or rather 3. of cursing or blasphemy or execration, as the word commonly signifies, and that either 1. against ones neighbour, as 2 Sam. 16. 7. or 2. against God, as Levit. 24. 10, 11. which may seem to be principally intended here, because the crime here spoken of is of so high a nature, that he who heard it was obliged to reveal it and prosecute the guilty. And though God be not here mentioned, yet the general word is here to be understood of the most famous particular, as it is frequently in all authors, of which there are many instances., and is a witness, whether he has Being present, when it it was said. seen or known By sufficient information from others. of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity (i. e.) The punishment of it, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 19. 15. Numb. 18. 1. See of this phrase Levit. 17. 16. and 20. 20. Isa. 53. 11..

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing To wit, ceremonially. Of which see more fully, chap. 11. &c. and Deut. 14., whether it be a carkass of an unclean beast, or a carkass of unclean cattel, or the carkass of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him If he do it unwittingly, yet that would not excuse him, because he should have been more diligent and circumspect to avoid all unclean things. Hereby God designed to awaken men to watchfulness against and repentance for their unknown or unobserved sins. See Psal. 19. 12. 1 Ioh. 3. 20.; he also shall be unclean, and guilty Not morally, for the conscience was not directly polluted by these things, Mat. 15. 11, 18. but ceremonially.:

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 As soon as he knowethit, he must not delay to make his peace with God. And though it was sin before, though not known, yet the knowledge of it made it worse, and therefore required the more speedy repentance., then he shall be guilty Not only ceremonially by that touch, but morally for his violation and contempt of Gods authority and command..

Or if a soul swear To wit, rashly, without consideration either of Gods law or his own power or right, as David did, 1 Sam. 25. 22., pronouncing with his lips to do evil Either 1. to himself, to wit, to punish himself, either in his body, or estate or something else which is dear to him. Or rather 2. to his neighbour, as 1 Sam. 25. 22. Act. 23. 12., or to do good To wit, to his neighbour, as Mark 6. 23. when a man either may not or cannot do it, which may frequently happen., whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him (i. e.) He did not know or not consider that what he swore to do was or would be impossible or unlawful.; when he knoweth of it When he discovers it to be so either by his own consideration or by information from others. then he shall be guilty in one of these Either in the good or evil which he swore to do..

And it shall be when he shall be guilty in one of these things In one of the three forementioned cases, either by sinful silence and compliance with others in their sin, ver. 1. or by an unclean touch, as ver. 2, 3. or by rash swearing, ver. 4. that he shall confess Before the Lord in the place of publick worship. And this confession is not to be restrained to the present case, but by a parity of reason and comparing of other Scriptures to be extended to other sacrifices for sin, to which this was a constant companion, and as it was signified by the guilty persons laying his hand upon his offering, so it is probable it was expressed in words. See Numb. 5. 6, 7. that he has sinned in that thing.

And he shall bring his trespass-offering Quest. How comes confession and a sacrifice to be necessary for him that touched an unclean thing, when such persons were cleansed with simple washing, as appears from Levit. 11. and Numb. 19? Ans. This place speaks of him that being so unclean did come into the Tabernacle, as may be gathered by comparing this place with Numb. 19. 13. which if any man did knowing himself to be unclean, which was the case there, he was to be cut off for it; and if he did it ignorantly, which is the case here ver. 2. he was upon discovery of it to offer this sacrifice. Interpreters dispute much what the difference is between sins and trespasses, and between si... -offerings and trespass-offerings. Some make the one for omissions the other for commissions the one for greater, the other for lesser sins, the one for known sins, the other for sins of ignorance. In all which there seems to be more curiosity than solidity. Either they seem to be the same as may be gathered from. 6. where those two words, asham, and chata, which they so carefully and critically distinguish, are both used concerning the trespass-offerings, and from. 9. or the difference may be this, that sin-offerings were more indefinite or general, being for any particular sin, and trespass-offerings more restrained and particular for such sins as were more scandalous and injurious either to God by blasphemy, as ver. 1. or to his Sanctuary, by approaching to it in ones uncieanness, ver. 2, 3. as has been now said; or to ones neighbour by swearing to do to them either the good which we afterwards cannot or do not, or the evil which we should not; or to the Priests and holy things of God, ver. 15. unto the LORD for his sin which he has sinned, a female Because those sins were less than others, as being committed ignorantly or unwittingly and therefore God would accept a meaner sacrifice for them. 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 Through poverty, as ver. 11. and 25. 26. And this exception was allowed also in other sin-offerings. to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass which he has committed, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons Of which see Levit. 1. 14. unto the LORD; one for a sinoffering Which was for that particular sin, and therefore is offered first before the burnt-offering, which was for sins in general, to teach us not to rest in general confessions and repentances for sin, as Hypocrites commonly do, but distinctly and particularly, as far as we can, to search out and confess and loath and leave our particular sins, without which God will not accept our other religious services. Note that the burntoffering was for the expiation of sin, as well as the sin-offering, Lev. 1. 4. only that was for sin in general, and this for particular sins., 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 fom 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 This is added as the reason why its blood was so sprinkled and spilt. See Lev. 4. 7, 18, 30, 34..

And he shall offer the second for a burntoffering, according to the manner Or order appointed by God.: and the Priest shall make an atonement for him Either declaratively, he shall pronounce him to be pardoned: or typically, with respect to Christ. for his sin which he had sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

But if he be not able to bring two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an Ephan About a pottle of our measure. See Exod. 16. 36. of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oyl upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon Either to distinguish... hese from the meat-offerings, Lev. 2. 1. or as a fit expression of their true sorrow for their sins, in the sense whereof they were to abstain from things pleasant and delightful: See Numb. 5. 15. or to signifie that by his sins he deserved to be utterly deprived both of the oyl of gladness, the gifts, graces and comforts of the holy ghost, and of Gods gracious acceptance of his prayers and sacrifices, which is signified by incense, Psal. 141. 2. or to teach them how evil a thing sin was, how hateful to God, and how uncomfortable to themselves.: for it is a sin-offering.

Then shall he bring it to the Priest, and the Priest shall take his handfull 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 has sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priests, as a meat-offering As it was in the meat-offering, where all except one handful fell to the share of the Priests. See Lev. 2. 3. and 7. 9. And is this the rather mentioned here, because in the foregoing sacrifices, Levit. 4. 3, &c. 13, &c. the Priest had no part reserved for him..

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

If a soul commit a trespass Against the Lord and his Priests., and sin through ignorance For if a man did it knowingly, he was to be cut off, Numb. 15. 30. in the holy things of the LORD In things consecrated to God and to holy uses, of which see Lev. 22. 2. such as tithes and first-fruits, or any things due or devoted or offered to God, which possibly a man might either with-hold or employ to some common use. See Exod. 34. 26. Deut. 12. 17, 18. and 15. 19. Ier. 2. 3.: then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD, a ram A more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacriledge was greater. without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation As thou shalt esteem or rate it, thou O Priest, as appears from ver. 16, 18. and Levit. 6. 6. See also Lev. 22. 14. and 27. 2, 3. and at present, thou O Moses, Lev. 27. 3. for he as yet performed the Priests part. And this either 1. may be referred to the ram, which was to be of such a price and worth as the Priest should appoint. Or rather 2. is an additional charge and punishment to him, which besides the ram he was to pay for the holy thing which he had with-held or abused, so many shekels of silver as the Priest should esteem proportionable to it: which was as it were another part or branch of his trespass-offering. by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary Of which see on Gen. 23. 15. for a trespass-offering.

And he shall make amends for the harm that he has done in the holy thing: and shall add the fifth part So much they were to adde to holy things redeemed, Lev. 27, 13, 15, 19. 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 To wit, concerning holy things, of which he is yet speaking, though with some difference and addition as it may seem. The former law concerns the alienation of holy things from the sacred to a common use, and this may concern other miscarriages about holy things and holy duties, as may be gathered from ver. 19. where this is said to be a trespass against the lord, not in a general sense, for so every sin was, but in a proper and peculiar sense. which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he wist it not For if he did it knowingly he must die, Num. 15. 30., 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 has certainly trespassed against the LORD.