Leviticus 5:16
in Leviticus 5Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven.
KJV
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part 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.
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This verse in Leviticus 5
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis 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
he must make restitution by adding a fifth
The man repays the holy thing he harmed, adds a fifth of its value and gives the sum to the priest. The priest then makes atonement on his behalf with the ram.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
14-16 , is principally meant here) had eaten any of those parts of the sacrifices which were appropriated to the priests; this was a trespass. It is supposed to be done through mistake, or forgetfulness, for want either of care or zeal; for if it was done presumptuously, and in contempt of the law, the offender died without mercy, Heb. x.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Shall make amends - Make restitution for the wrong he had done according to what is laid down in the preceding verse.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֵ֣ת | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| חָטָ֨א | chata' | he sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ | hakodesh | the holy thing | H6944 → | 469 times |
| יְשַׁלֵּ֗ם | yeshalem | he will repay | H7999 → | 116 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙ | chamishito | fifth its | H2549 → | 45 times |
| יוֹסֵ֣ף | yosef | let him add | H3254 → | 212 times |
| עָלָ֔יו | ʾalav | to it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְנָתַ֥ן | venatan | and he will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֹת֖וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לַכֹּהֵ֑ן | lakohen | to the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן | vehakohen | and the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| יְכַפֵּ֥ר | yekhaper | he will make atonement | H3722 → | 102 times |
| עָלָ֛יו | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּאֵ֥יל | beeil | by [the] ram of | H352 → | 187 times |
| הָאָשָׁ֖ם | haasham | the guilt offering | H817 → | 46 times |
| וְנִסְלַ֥ח | venislach | and it will be forgiven | H5545 → | 46 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ פ | lo | to <the> him |
וְאֵ֣תand <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר֩[that] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
חָטָ֨אhe sinned
chata'H2398 →238 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁthe holy thing
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
יְשַׁלֵּ֗םhe will repay
yeshalemH7999 →116 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙fifth its
chamishitoH2549 →45 times
יוֹסֵ֣ףlet him add
yosefH3254 →212 times
עָלָ֔יוto it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
וְנָתַ֥ןand he will give
venatanH5414 →2011 times
אֹת֖וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
לַכֹּהֵ֑ןto the priest
lakohenH3548 →750 times
וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ןand the priest
vehakohenH3548 →750 times
יְכַפֵּ֥רhe will make atonement
yekhaperH3722 →102 times
עָלָ֛יוon him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
בְּאֵ֥ילby [the] ram of
beeilH352 →187 times
הָאָשָׁ֖םthe guilt offering
haashamH817 →46 times
וְנִסְלַ֥חand it will be forgiven
venislachH5545 →46 times
לֽוֹ׃ פto <the> him
lo
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
Numbers 5:7and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.
it leads to
- Leviticus 5:5
If someone incurs guilt in one of these ways, he must confess the sin he has committed,
- Joshua 7:19
So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not…
- Leviticus 26:40
But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
- Leviticus 6:4–7
once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,
- Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
- Leviticus 5:5
Through
Leviticus 22:14If anyone eats a sacred offering in error, he must add a fifth to its value and give the sacred offering to the priest.
it leads to
- Leviticus 27:13
If, however, the owner decides to redeem the animal, he must add a fifth to its value.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 27:15
But if he who consecrated his house redeems it, he must add a fifth to the assessed value, and it will belong to him.
- Leviticus 5:15–19
“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…
- Leviticus 27:13
Where this verse is studied
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.