This chapter treats of the trespass offering, points at the sins for which it was to be made, and the matter of it; it was for secret sins, and sins of ignorance, such as refusing to bear witness in a known case, Lev. 5:1 touching unclean things and false swearing, Lev.

And if a soul sin The soul is put for the person, and is particularly mentioned, as Ben Melech says, because possessed of will and desire: and hear the voice of swearing; or cursing, or adjuration; not of profane swearing, and taking the name of God in vain, but either of false swearing, or…

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing Meaning an Israelite, for only such were bound by this law, which pronounced a person unclean that touched anything that was so in a ceremonial sense; this is the general, including whatsoever by the law was unclean; the particulars follow: whether it be a…

Or if he touch the uncleanness of man The dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body, or a grave, or any profluvious or menstruous person: whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal: not morally, but ceremonially: and it be hid from him; he is not sensible that he has…

Or if a soul swear A rash or vain oath: pronouncing with his lips; not in his heart, as Jarchi notes; not saying within himself that he would do this, or that, or the other thing, but expressing his oath plainly and distinctly, with an audible voice: to do good, or to do evil; which was either…

And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things Before expressed in the preceding verses; the Targum of Jonathan is, “in one of the four things,” which Ben Gersom particularly mentions in the oath of witness, or the pollution of the sanctuary, or the pollution of its holy things, or…

And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, for the sin which he hath sinned To make atonement for it; this was typical of the sacrifice of Christ, whose soul was made an offering for sin, (אשם) , “Asham” a trespass offering, where the same word is used as here: a female from the flock,…

And if he be not able to bring a lamb He is not possessed of a lamb, nor able to purchase one: then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; either the one or the other; these were common, and in great plenty in the land of…

And he shall bring them unto the priest Either two turtledoves, or two young pigeons: who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first; that which is chosen for it, as the Targum of Jonathan; and this choice was made, not by the priest, but by the man that brought the offering, who…

And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar Or “wall” [[2]] it is asked [[3]], “what is the wall at which the rest of the blood is wrung out? this is the lower wall, namely, the half of the height of the altar below, under the thread (of scarlet that goes round…

And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner That is, the second turtledove or young pigeon, after the other was made a sin offering; and the manner according to which this was offered was not according to the rite or manner of the bird chosen first for a sin…

But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons Which is supposing a man to be in the poorest circumstances he can well be; and such is the grace and goodness of God, that he has provided for the atonement and forgiveness of the poorest, as well as of the rich: then he that…

Then shall he bring it to the priest The flour just as it was, not kneaded and made into a cake, as appears by what follows: and the priest shall take his handful of it; as much of the flour as he could hold in one hand: even a memorial thereof; to bring to mind his sin, and the goodness of God in…

And the priest shall make an atonement for him By burning the handful of flour brought by him, as an emblem of the painful sufferings of Christ, whereby he made atonement for the sins of his people: as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these; for whatsoever sin he had committed in any…

And the Lord spake unto Moses Out of the tabernacle of the congregation, he continued to speak to him: saying, as follows.

If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord In the payment of tithes, or offering first fruits as he ought, by withholding them, or any part of them, or through eating of sacred things he ought not: then shall he bring for his trespass unto the Lord; for it…

And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing This seems to favour the sense of the word “estimation”, in the preceding verse, as understood of the estimate of the damage done in the holy things, which belonged to the priests, for which recompense was to be made…

And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord Respecting holy things: though he wist it not; or did not know that he had transgressed a negative command: yet he is guilty, and shall bear the iniquity; be chargeable with guilt, and…

And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, &c.] (See Gill on Lev. 5:15) with thy estimation for a trespass offering to the priest; along with the offering was to be brought an estimate of whatsoever damage had been done through the breach of any of the commands of God, where damage…

It is a trespass offering An offering for a trespass committed: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord; though committed ignorantly, and therefore an offering must be brought; for no sin of any kind must be overlooked, passed by, or forgiven, without a sacrifice, or without atonement made by…