Leviticus 5:15
in Leviticus 5“If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt offering.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If any one commit a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of Jehovah; then he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering:
KJV
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
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This verse in Leviticus 5
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Commit a trespass - Rather, here and in Lev 6:2, perpetrate a wrong. The word is different from that rendered trespass elsewhere in these chapters. Through ignorance - Through inadvertence. See Lev 4:2 note. In the holy things of the Lord - The reference is to a failure in the payment of firstfruits, tithes or fees of any kind connected with the public service of religion by which the sanctuary suffered loss; compare Num 5:6-8. Shekel of the sanctuary - See Exo 38:24 note.
This site's exposition
Then the LORD said to Moses
on Leviticus 5:14-16
A new speech turns from things done in ignorance to property. A man who acts unfaithfully against any of the LORD’s holy things brings a ram valued in silver shekels. Verse 16 adds a fifth of its value, given to the priest.
This site's exposition
acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally
The new case is a wrong done against the LORD’s holy things, committed without intent. Albert Barnes reads the holy things as the firstfruits, tithes and fees owed to the sanctuary.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
In the holy things - In things consecrated to God, and to holy uses; such as tithes and first-fruits, or any things due, or devoted to God, which possibly a man might either with-hold, or employ to some common use. A ram - A more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacrilege was greater.
5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the L ORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female 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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v5-6
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
In the holy things of the Lord - This law seems to relate particularly to sacrilege, and defrauds in spiritual matters; such as the neglect to consecrate or redeem the firstborn, the withholding of the first-fruits, tithes, and such like; and, according to the rabbins, making any secular gain of Divine things, keeping back any part of the price of things dedicated to God, or withholding what man had vowed to pay. See a long list of these things in Ainsworth. With thy estimation - The wrong done or the defraud committed should be estimated at the number of shekels it was worth, or for which it would sell. These the defrauder was to pay down, to which he was to add a fifth part more, and bring a ram without blemish for a sin-offering besides. There is an obscurity in the text, but this seems to be its meaning.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
AND HE SHALL BRING ‘ASHAMO’ (HIS GUILT-OFFERING) UNTO THE ETERNAL. This offering is called asham (“guilt-offering” — as distinguished from the sin-offering), just as He has said [here in the verse] after the shekel of the Sanctuary, for a guilt-offering. But he shall bring ‘ashamo’ unto the Eternal.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נֶ֚פֶשׁ | nefesh | anyone | H5315 → | 754 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תִמְעֹ֣ל | timol | it will act unfaithfully | H4603 → | 36 times |
| מַ֔עַל | maal | unfaithfulness | H4604 → | 28 times |
| וְחָֽטְאָה֙ | vechateah | and it will sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| בִּשְׁגָגָ֔ה | bishgagah | by inadvertence | H7684 → | 19 times |
| מִקָּדְשֵׁ֖י | mikadeshei | from [the] holy things of | H6944 → | 469 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְהֵבִיא֩ | vehevi' | and he will bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשָׁמ֨וֹ | ʾashamo | guilt offering his | H817 → | 46 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֜ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אַ֧יִל | ʾayil | a ram | H352 → | 187 times |
| תָּמִ֣ים | tamim | unblemished | H8549 → | 91 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַצֹּ֗אן | hatzon | the flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֛ | beerkekha | by valuation your | H6187 → | 33 times |
| כֶּֽסֶף־ | kesef- | silver of | H3701 → | 403 times |
| שְׁקָלִ֥ים | shekalim | shekels | H8255 → | 88 times |
| בְּשֶֽׁקֶל־ | beshekel- | by [the] shekel of | H8255 → | 88 times |
| הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ | hakodesh | the holy place | H6944 → | 469 times |
| לְאָשָֽׁם׃ | leasham | to a guilt offering | H817 → | 46 times |
נֶ֚פֶשׁanyone
nefeshH5315 →754 times
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
תִמְעֹ֣לit will act unfaithfully
timolH4603 →36 times
מַ֔עַלunfaithfulness
maalH4604 →28 times
וְחָֽטְאָה֙and it will sin
vechateahH2398 →238 times
בִּשְׁגָגָ֔הby inadvertence
bishgagahH7684 →19 times
מִקָּדְשֵׁ֖יfrom [the] holy things of
mikadesheiH6944 →469 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְהֵבִיא֩and he will bring
vehevi'H935 →2568 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲשָׁמ֨וֹguilt offering his
ʾashamoH817 →46 times
לַֽיהוָ֜הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אַ֧יִלa ram
ʾayilH352 →187 times
תָּמִ֣יםunblemished
tamimH8549 →91 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַצֹּ֗אןthe flock
hatzonH6629 →274 times
בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֛by valuation your
beerkekhaH6187 →33 times
כֶּֽסֶף־silver of
kesef-H3701 →403 times
שְׁקָלִ֥יםshekels
shekalimH8255 →88 times
בְּשֶֽׁקֶל־by [the] shekel of
beshekel-H8255 →88 times
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁthe holy place
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
לְאָשָֽׁם׃to a guilt offering
leashamH817 →46 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 4:2“Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
it leads to
- Psalms 19:12
Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.
- Leviticus 4:27
And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt.
- Numbers 15:22–29
Now if you stray unintentionally and do not obey all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses—
- Psalms 19:12
Through
Exodus 30:13Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
it leads to
- Leviticus 27:25
Every valuation will be according to the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.
- Numbers 3:47
you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.
- Leviticus 27:25
Through
Ezra 10:19Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
it leads to
- Leviticus 6:6
Then he must bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock.
- 2 Kings 10:15
When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?”…
- Leviticus 6:6
Through
Leviticus 7:1“Now this is the law of the guilt offering, which is most holy:
it leads to
- Leviticus 6:17
It must not be baked with leaven; I have assigned it as their portion of My offerings made by fire. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
- Leviticus 6:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this chapter
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.