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Leviticus 5:7

in Leviticus 5

If, 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.

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This verse in Leviticus 5

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

For 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, however, he cannot afford a lamb

on Leviticus 5:7-8

Poverty changes the offering and leaves the atonement standing. The same clause returns at Leviticus 12:8 for a woman after childbirth. At Luke 2:24 Mary and Joseph offer a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons under it.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Clement of Alexandria

The Instructor Book 1 · Written before 215.

proposed

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.

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

HOMILIES ON THE SONG OF SONGS 2:12 · Written before 253.

proposed

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,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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 & Brown

1802–1910

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

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

If he be not able to bring a lamb - See the conclusion at Lev 1:16 (note).

The words behind it

22 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • 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.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 21:12Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.8 worksLeviticus 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 for her, and she will be clean.’”7 worksLeviticus 1:14If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.5 worksLeviticus 14:21If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,5 worksHebrews 10:6–10In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.3 worksMatthew 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.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Leviticus 14:31one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD for the one to be cleansed.3 worksLeviticus 5:8–9He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it;3 works2 Corinthians 8:12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.3 worksMatthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.3 worksLeviticus 15:30The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.2 worksLeviticus 16:5And he shall take from the congregation of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.2 worksLeviticus 15:14–15On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.2 worksJames 2:5–6Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?2 worksLeviticus 5:11But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.2 worksLuke 2:24and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”2 worksLeviticus 9:3Then speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without blemish—for a burnt offering,2 worksLeviticus 25:26Or if a man has no one to redeem it for him, but he prospers and acquires enough to redeem his land,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 3:16

    As 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.”

  • Through

    Leviticus 12:8

    But 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.

Where this verse is studied

About Leviticus

The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
Leviticus: the study guide →Read Leviticus 5 →

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.

Read on in Leviticus 5 →