Leviticus 5:7
in Leviticus 5If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if his means suffice not for a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass-offering for that wherein he hath sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, unto Jehovah; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.
KJV
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
⋯
This verse in Leviticus 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseFor a sin-offering - Which was for that particular sin, and therefore offered first: before the burnt- offering, which was for sins in general; to teach us not to rest in general confessions and repentance, 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.
This site's exposition
if he be not able to bring a lamb
on Leviticus 5:7-8
Poverty changes the offering and leaves the atonement standing. The same clause runs again at Leviticus 12:8 for a woman after childbirth, and Luke 2:24 records Mary bringing the pair of birds, so the family of Jesus came to the temple under the provision written for those who could not reach a lamb. Both birds are still required, one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering, and verse 8 has the priest wring off the head without dividing the bird asunder.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Through Moses God orders that two young birds, a pair of pigeons or of turtledoves, be offered for any sin. This means that the sinlessness of such gentle birds and their guilelessness and forgetfulness of injury is very acceptable to God. So he is instructing us to offer a sacrifice bearing the character of that against which we have offended. The plight of the poor doves, moreover, will instill into us a beginning of abhorrence for sin.
Not without reason are "a pair of turtledoves and two young doves" accepted in the sacrifices. For they are worth the same, and you never find separate mention of just a pair of doves but "a pair of turtledoves and two young doves." The dove denotes the Holy Spirit. But when the great and more hidden mysteries are in question and the things that many people cannot grasp, then the Holy Spirit is represented under the appellation of a turtledove—of the bird, that is to say, that always dwells on mountain ridges and in the tops of trees.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And if he be not able to bring a lamb,....
Before he offered the burnt-offering, which was for the honour and praise of God, he must offer the sin-offering, to make atonement. We must first see to it that our peace be made with God, and then we may expect that our services for his glory will be accepted. The sin-offering must make way for the burnt-offering.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sins which he hath sinned--A trespass offering differed from a sin offering in the following respects: that it was appointed for persons who had either done evil unwittingly, or were in doubt as to their own criminality; or felt themselves in such a special situation as required sacrifices of that kind [BROWN].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If he be not able to bring a lamb - See the conclusion at Lev 1:16 (note).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹ֨א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַגִּ֣יע | tagi' | it will reach | H5060 → | 150 times |
| יָדוֹ֮ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| דֵּ֣י | dei | sufficiency of | H1767 → | 39 times |
| שֶׂה֒ | seh | a sheep | H7716 → | 47 times |
| וְהֵבִ֨יא | vehevi' | and he will bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשָׁמ֜וֹ | ʾashamo | guilt offering his | H817 → | 46 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| חָטָ֗א | chata' | he has sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| שְׁתֵּ֥י | shetei | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| תֹרִ֛ים | torim | turtle-doves | H8449 → | 14 times |
| אֽוֹ־ | ʾov- | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| שְׁנֵ֥י | shenei | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | young ones of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יוֹנָ֖ה | yonah | a dove | H3123 → | 31 times |
| לַֽיהוָ֑ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶחָ֥ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְחַטָּ֖את | lechatat | to a sin offering | H2403 → | 295 times |
| וְאֶחָ֥ד | veechad | and one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לְעֹלָֽה׃ | leolah | to a burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
לֹ֨אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תַגִּ֣יעit will reach
tagi'H5060 →150 times
יָדוֹ֮hand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
דֵּ֣יsufficiency of
deiH1767 →39 times
שֶׂה֒a sheep
sehH7716 →47 times
וְהֵבִ֨יאand he will bring
vehevi'H935 →2568 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲשָׁמ֜וֹguilt offering his
ʾashamoH817 →46 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
חָטָ֗אhe has sinned
chata'H2398 →238 times
שְׁתֵּ֥יtwo
sheteiH8147 →768 times
תֹרִ֛יםturtle-doves
torimH8449 →14 times
אֽוֹ־or
ʾov-H176 →321 times
שְׁנֵ֥יtwo
sheneiH8147 →768 times
בְנֵֽי־young ones of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יוֹנָ֖הa dove
yonahH3123 →31 times
לַֽיהוָ֑הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶחָ֥דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לְחַטָּ֖אתto a sin offering
lechatatH2403 →295 times
וְאֶחָ֥דand one
veechadH259 →971 times
לְעֹלָֽה׃to a burnt offering
leolahH5930 →287 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
Matthew 3:16As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
- Mark 1:10
As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
- Luke 3:21–22
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
- Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
- John 1:31–34
I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
- Isaiah 11:2
Through
Leviticus 12:8But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement…
it leads to
- Leviticus 4:26
He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the peace offerings; thus the priest will make atonement for that man’s sin, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 1:14
If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.
- Leviticus 14:22
and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
- Leviticus 4:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON THE SONG OF SONGS 2:12.