The Law of Guilt Offerings

‘Now if a person sins after he hears a [a]public (A)order to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his punishment. Or if a person touches (B)any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean cattle, or a carcass of unclean swarming things, though it is hidden from him and he is unclean, then he will be guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. Or if a person (C)swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter people speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty of one of these things. So it shall be when he becomes guilty of one of these things, that he shall (D)confess that in which he has sinned. He shall also bring his guilt offering to the Lord for his sin which he has [b]committed, (E)a female from the flock, a lamb or a [c]goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin.

‘But if [d]he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young doves, (F)one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer that which is for the sin offering, and shall pinch off its head at the front of its neck, but he (G)shall not sever it. He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering (H)on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out (I)at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. 10 The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering (J)according to the ordinance. (K)So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has [e]committed, and it will be forgiven him.

11 ‘But (L)if his [f]means are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young doves, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an [g]ephah of fine flour as a sin offering; (M)he shall not put oil on it or place incense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12 He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, [h]with the offerings of the Lord by fire: it is a sin offering. 13 So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has [i]committed from (N)one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then (O)the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 5:1 Lit voice of a curse
  2. Leviticus 5:6 Lit sinned
  3. Leviticus 5:6 Lit female goat
  4. Leviticus 5:7 Lit his hand does not reach enough for
  5. Leviticus 5:10 Lit sinned
  6. Leviticus 5:11 Lit hand does not reach
  7. Leviticus 5:11 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  8. Leviticus 5:12 Lit upon
  9. Leviticus 5:13 Lit sinned

“‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify(A) regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.(B)

“‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground)(C) and they are unaware that they have become unclean,(D) but then they come to realize their guilt; or if they touch human uncleanness(E) (anything that would make them unclean)(F) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath(G) to do anything, whether good or evil(H) (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess(I) in what way they have sinned. As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat(J) from the flock as a sin offering[a];(K) and the priest shall make atonement(L) for them for their sin.

“‘Anyone who cannot afford(M) a lamb(N) is to bring two doves or two young pigeons(O) to the Lord as a penalty for their sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. They are to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck,(P) not dividing it completely,(Q) and is to splash(R) some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar;(S) the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar.(T) It is a sin offering. 10 The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way(U) and make atonement(V) for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.(W)

11 “‘If, however, they cannot afford(X) two doves or two young pigeons,(Y) they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah[b](Z) of the finest flour(AA) for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. 12 They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial[c] portion(AB) and burn it on the altar(AC) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is a sin offering. 13 In this way the priest will make atonement(AD) for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest,(AE) as in the case of the grain offering.(AF)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 5:6 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
  2. Leviticus 5:11 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  3. Leviticus 5:12 Or representative