Leviticus 5 explained: Making Things Right for Unnoticed Wrongs

Wrongs that come to light (vv. 1-6)

The cases include staying silent when publicly called to testify, unknowingly touching something that made a person ritually unfit for worship, and making a careless oath. Once they realized it, they had to confess the specific wrong and bring a female lamb or goat, and the priest made atonement, meaning he set things right between them and God.

Two birds for the poor (vv. 7-10)

Someone who could not afford a lamb could bring two doves or pigeons, one as a sin offering with its blood put on the altar and the other burned whole. The text has the sin offering go first, which some interpreters take to mean that dealing with the wrong came before offering a gift.

Flour for the poorest (vv. 11-13)

If even birds cost too much, a small measure of fine flour was accepted instead, so the poorest could still be forgiven. Unlike the usual grain offering, it had no oil or incense, probably because it was for wrongdoing; the priest burned a handful and kept the rest.

Misusing holy things (vv. 14-16)

This covers accidentally keeping or using something set apart for God, such as the tenth of produce owed to the sanctuary or food reserved for priests. The person brought a ram, paid back what was owed, and added a fifth on top, so the loss was more than repaid.

Wrong done without knowing (vv. 17-19)

Breaking one of God's commands without realizing it still counted as guilt and called for a ram. Later Jewish tradition read this as covering cases where someone suspected, but could not be sure, that they had done wrong.

Key verse: Leviticus 5:5

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether the forgiveness promised through these offerings was real in itself at the time, or was only a picture that pointed ahead to Jesus, as some read the New Testament letter to the Hebrews.

Something to think about

Can a person be truly responsible for a wrong they did not know they were doing, and what would it take to set that right?