레위기 Chapter 5

Translation: ESV

1

"If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity;

Key Message

Remaining silent when one knows the truth is a sin of omission; God holds us responsible even for our silence.

▸Leviticus 5 addresses specific cases of sin requiring a sin offering.

Leviticus 5 addresses specific cases of sin requiring a sin offering. The first case is failure in one's duty to testify. Not bearing witness when one knows the truth is a sin of omission, yet it is regarded as sin before God. This teaches that remaining silent when one should speak truth is also sin, not only false action.

Related Verses

Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
2

or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt;

Key Message

Even unintentional impurity needs resolution before God; ignorance is not an excuse, but God provides a path of atonement for it.

▸Inadvertently touching something unclean is also classified as a sin requiring a sin offering.

3

or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt;

Key Message

Whatever the kind of impurity, atonement must be sought immediately upon becoming aware of it; even late recognition must promptly return to God.

▸Touching human uncleanness also requires a sin offering.

4

or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these;

Key Message

Words carry responsibility; a rash oath or promise also becomes sin before God, so one must speak carefully.

▸A rashly spoken oath also becomes sin.

5

he shall confess the sin he has committed.

Key Message

The core of atonement is sincere confession rather than the offering itself; acknowledging and confessing sin is an essential element of repentance.

▸The word 'confess' appears explicitly in the sin offering regulations for the first time here.

6

He shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

Key Message

Full atonement comes when confession and the sin offering are together. Forgiveness is accomplished when verbal confession and the blood of Christ are combined.

▸After confession, offering the sin offering completes the process of atonement.

7

"But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

Key Message

God's forgiveness does not depend on economic capacity; before genuine repentance, God considers the circumstances of all people.

▸For the poor who cannot afford a lamb, a provision allows two doves to substitute.

8

And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin offering. He shall wring its head from its neck but shall not sever it completely,

Key Message

Forgiveness of sin must precede dedication and worship before God; genuine worship is impossible without atonement.

▸The specific procedure for the dove sin offering is explained.

9

and he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.

Key Message

Blood-shedding is the unchanging core of atonement; the blood of Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of this principle.

▸In the dove sin offering too, blood plays the central role.

10

And the second he shall offer for a burnt offering according to the rule. And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.

Key Message

The natural response of the forgiven sinner is to present himself to God with gratitude and dedication.

▸The sequence of offering a burnt offering after the sin offering is confirmed once more.

11

"But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for the sin that he has committed a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it and shall put no frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.

Key Message

God's forgiveness is open even to those too poor to bring anything; this shows that God's grace does not depend on human capacity.

▸For the extremely poor who cannot even afford doves, a sin offering of fine flour is allowed.

12

He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take a handful of it as its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, on top of the LORD's food offerings; it is a sin offering.

Key Message

To God, the heart matters more than the quantity. Even a handful of flour, given sincerely, is received by God.

▸The flour sin offering also follows the procedure of burning the memorial portion before the LORD.

13

And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven. And the remainder shall be for the priest, as in the grain offering."

Key Message

God's forgiveness is independent of economic capacity; even the smallest offering of the most destitute brings the same complete forgiveness.

▸Even the smallest sin offering of flour ends with the same certain declaration of forgiveness: 'he shall be forgiven.

14

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Key Message

Sin leaves not only defilement but damage and debt; God has provided the guilt offering to resolve even this guilt.

▸The second half of Leviticus 5 begins the guilt offering ('asham) regulations.

15

"If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued in silver shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.

Key Message

Withholding what should be given to God is unfaithfulness to God; this must be restored through restitution.

▸The first case of the guilt offering is encroachment on the 'holy things' of God.

16

He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.

Key Message

Genuine repentance must include not only words but actual compensation and restoration; the consequences of sin must be responsibly resolved.

▸The guilt offering requires not only bringing an offering but also adding a fifth (20%) to the value of the damage and paying restitution.

17

"If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.

Key Message

Acting carefully before God and approaching God immediately if there is any possibility of having sinned is the posture of a devout life.

▸The final section of Leviticus 5 addresses cases where a guilt offering may be brought even without specifying the exact nature of the sin.

18

He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the error that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven.

Key Message

God's forgiveness is certain for those who approach him sincerely; reverence and trust toward God matter even amidst doubt.

▸Even for an uncertain sin, offering the guilt offering brings the certain forgiveness: 'he shall be forgiven.

19

It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the LORD."

Key Message

Humbly acknowledging our sinfulness before God is the starting point of atonement and forgiveness; this humble acknowledgment leads us to God's grace.

▸Leviticus 5 concludes with the declaration 'he has indeed incurred guilt before the LORD.