Leviticus 6:3
in Leviticus 6or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man doeth, sinning therein;
KJV
Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
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This verse in Leviticus 6
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHave found that which was lost - The Roman lawyers laid it down as a sound maxim of jurisprudence, “that he who found any property and applied it to his own use, should be considered as a thief whether he knew the owner or not; for in their view the crime was not lessened, supposing the finder was totally ignorant of the right owner.” Qui alienum quid jacens lucri faciendi causa sustulit, furti obstringitur, sive scit, cujus sit, sive ignoravit; nihil enim ad furtum minuendum, facit, quod, cujus sit, ignoret - Digestor, lib. xlvii., Tit. ii., de furtis, Leg. xliii., sec.
This site's exposition
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying
on Leviticus 6:1-8
A wrong done to a neighbour is called a trespass against the LORD, and the wrongs listed under it are ordinary business: a deposit denied, a partnership cheated, goods taken by violence, a lost thing found and kept. Verse 5 fixes the timing at the day of his trespass offering, so what was taken goes back to the man before the ram goes to the altar. Exodus 22:9 sets double payment on a thief the judges condemn, while the principal and a fifth part more here belong to a man who came forward on his own. The Hebrew text ends chapter five at verse 7 and begins chapter six at verse 8, a division Adam Clarke and John Gill both record, so the priest's half of the book opens where a new speech opens.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Augustine of HippoAGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 3.10 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
For if Christ took away from us that very heavy yoke of many observances, so that we are not circumcised according to the flesh, we do not immolate victims of the cattle, we do not rest even from necessary works on the Sabbath, retaining the seventh in the revolution of the days, and other things of this kind; but keep them as spiritually understood, and, the symbolizing shadows being removed, are watchful in the light of those things which are signified by them; shall we therefore say, that when it is written that whoever finds another man's property of any kind that has been lost, should return it to him who has lost it, it does not pertain to us? and many other like things whereby people learn to live piously and uprightly? and especially the Decalogue itself, which is contained in those two tables of stone, apart from the carnal observance of the Sabbath, which signifies spiritual sanctification and rest? For who can say that Christians ought not to be observant to serve the one God with religious obedience, not to worship an idol, not to take the name of the Lord in vain, to honour one's parents, not to commit adulteries, murders, thefts, false witness, not to covet another man's wife, or anything at all that belongs to another man? Who is so impious as to say that he does not keep those precepts of the law because he is a Christian, and is established not under the law, but under grace?
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Though all the instances relate to our neighbour, yet it is called a trespass against the Lord, because, though the injury be done immediately to our neighbour, yet an affront is thereby given to his Maker and our Master. He that speaks evil of his brother is said to speak evil of the law, and consequently of the Law-maker, Jam. iv.
Concerning the meal- offerings, ver. 14-18. Particularly that at the consecration of the priests, ver. 19-23. Concerning the sin-offering, ver. 24-30.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-14/19/24-anchored-1-7
The trespass-offering appointed. In the day of his trespass-offering he must make satisfaction to his brother. This must be first done if thy brother hath aught against thee: Because he hath sinned and is guilty, (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord--This law, the record of which should have been joined with the previous chapter, was given concerning things stolen, fraudulently gotten, or wrongfully kept. The offender was enjoined to make restitution of the articles to the rightful owner, along with a fifth part out of his own possessions.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֽוֹ־ | ʾov- | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| מָצָ֧א | matza' | he has found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| אֲבֵדָ֛ה | ʾavedah | a thing lost | H9 → | |
| וְכִ֥חֶשׁ | vekhichesh | and he will deny | H3584 → | 22 times |
| בָּ֖הּ | bah | <in> <the> it | ||
| וְנִשְׁבַּ֣ע | venishba' | and he will swear an oath | H7650 → | 186 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שָׁ֑קֶר | shaker | falsehood | H8267 → | 113 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַחַ֗ת | ʾachat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| מִכֹּ֛ל | mikol | of all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה | yaaseh | he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָאָדָ֖ם | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| לַחֲטֹ֥א | lachato' | to sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| בָהֵֽנָּה׃ | vahenah | by them |
אֽוֹ־or
ʾov-H176 →321 times
מָצָ֧אhe has found
matza'H4672 →455 times
אֲבֵדָ֛הa thing lost
ʾavedahH9 →
וְכִ֥חֶשׁand he will deny
vekhicheshH3584 →22 times
בָּ֖הּ<in> <the> it
bah
וְנִשְׁבַּ֣עand he will swear an oath
venishba'H7650 →186 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שָׁ֑קֶרfalsehood
shakerH8267 →113 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אַחַ֗תone
ʾachatH259 →971 times
מִכֹּ֛לof all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יַעֲשֶׂ֥הhe will do
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
הָאָדָ֖ם<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 times
לַחֲטֹ֥אto sin
lachato'H2398 →238 times
בָהֵֽנָּה׃by them
vahenah
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 19:12You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
it leads to
- Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- Leviticus 18:21
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under…
- Exodus 20:7
Through
Exodus 23:4If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 22:1–4
If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, you must not ignore it; be sure to return it to your brother.
- Deuteronomy 22:1–4
Through
Jeremiah 7:9Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known,
it leads to
- Jeremiah 7:6
if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm,
- Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before Me.
- Jeremiah 7:6
Through
Jeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
it leads to
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Titus 1:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 3.10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.