Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 5:15
If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
Chs. Lev 5:14 to Lev 6:7. The Guilt-Offering
Three cases where a Guilt-Offering should be brought are here specified:
( a) 15, 16; if part of what is due to the Lord has been withheld.
15. commit a trespass ] The Heb. word ( m‘al) here and in Lev 6:2 is different from that which is rendered ‘be guilty,’ ‘bring guilt,’ and ‘guilt offering’ ( trespass offering A.V.) in Lev 4:3 to Lev 5:7 ( ’shm). It means ‘to deal deceitfully.’
in the holy things of the Lord ] i.e. by keeping back what is His due (e.g. tithes or firstfruits). The offender shall make restitution of what he has kept back unwittingly, adding a fifth part, and shall also bring as a Guilt-Offering a ram of sufficient value estimated after the shekel of the sanctuary. According to tradition this shekel was double the value of the ordinary shekel, but see A. R. S. Kennedy’s Art. Money, in HDB. iii. 422, or Lev. (Cent. Bible) p. 58, where he makes it to be ‘the so-called Phnician silver shekel of 224 grains, and its value about 2 Samuel 9 d.’ It thus would weigh but little more than the Jewish shekels now extant.
according to thy estimation ] also in Lev 5:18 and Lev 6:6.
in silver by shekels ] i.e. the ram must be worth at the least two shekels. According to Tal. Bab. ( Zebm 90 b) it must be two years old.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Commit a trespass – Rather, here and in Lev 6:2, perpetrate a wrong. The word is different from that rendered trespass elsewhere in these chapters.
Through ignorance – Through inadvertence. See Lev 4:2 note.
In the holy things of the Lord – The reference is to a failure in the payment of firstfruits, tithes or fees of any kind connected with the public service of religion by which the sanctuary suffered loss; compare Num 5:6-8.
Shekel of the sanctuary – See Exo 38:24 note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. In the holy things of the Lord] This law seems to relate particularly to sacrilege, and defrauds in spiritual matters; such as the neglect to consecrate or redeem the firstborn, the withholding of the first-fruits, tithes, and such like; and, according to the rabbins, making any secular gain of Divine things, keeping back any part of the price of things dedicated to God, or withholding what man had vowed to pay. See a long list of these things in Ainsworth.
With thy estimation] The wrong done or the defraud committed should be estimated at the number of shekels it was worth, or for which it would sell. These the defrauder was to pay down, to which he was to add a fifth part more, and bring a ram without blemish for a sin-offering besides. There is an obscurity in the text, but this seems to be its meaning.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If a soul commit a trespass against the Lord and his priests.
And sin through ignorance; for if a man did it knowingly, he was to be cut off, Num 15:30.
In the holy things of the Lord; in things consecrated to God, and to holy uses; of which see Lev 22:2; such as tithes and first-fruits, or any things due, or devoted, or offered to God, which possibly a man might either withhold, or employ to some common use. See Exo 34:26; Deu 12:17,18; 15:19; Jer 2:3.
A ram was a more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacrilege was greater. With thy estimation; as thou shalt esteem or rate it, thou, O priest, as appears from Lev 5:16,18; 6:6; 22:14; 27:2,3; and at present, thou, O Moses, Lev 27:3, for he as yet performed the priests part. And this either,
1. May be referred to the ram, which was to be of such a price and worth as the priest should appoint. Or rather,
2. Is an additional charge and punishment to him, which, besides the ram, he was to pay for the holy thing which he had withheld or abused, so many shekels of silver ms the priest should esteem proportionable to it; which was, as it were, another part or branch of his trespass-offering.
The shekel of the sanctuary; of which see Poole “Gen 23:15“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15, 16. sin through ignorance, inthe holy things of the Lord, &c.This is a case ofsacrilege committed ignorantly, either in not paying the full due oftithes, first-fruits, and similar tribute in eating of meats, whichbelonged to the priests aloneor he was required, along with therestitution in money, the amount of which was to be determined by thepriest, to offer a ram for a trespass offering, as soon as he came tothe knowledge of his involuntary fraud.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 being a trespass in holy things, it might be properly called a trespass to or against the Lord; unless this is rather to be understood of the offering brought to the Lord for his trespass as follows:
a ram without blemish out of the flocks; out of the sheep and not the goats, as Ben Gersom observes; and this being for sacrifice, or for a trespass in holy things though ignorantly done, an offering of more value is required than for sins of ignorance in other cases, Le 5:6 a type of Christ, who for his strength may be compared to a ram, and to one without blemish, for his purity and holiness, and to a choice one, selected out of the flock, for his being chosen out from among the people:
with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering; that is, either an estimation was to be taken of the damage done in the holy things, an account of which was to be brought along with the ram, and the cost paid; or else the ram brought was to be of the value of, or worth shekels of silver; and the least of many being two, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom observe, the sense is, that the ram brought for the trespass offering should be at least worth two shekels of silver; so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) If a soul commit a trespass.The word used here for trespass is not the same which is so rendered in Lev. 5:19, and from which the noun rendered in this very chapter by trespass offering (Lev. 5:6-7; Lev. 5:15-16; Lev. 5:19), is derived. It literally denotes to cover, then to act covertly, to be faithless, especially in matters of a sacred covenant made either with God (Lev. 26:40; Num. 31:16; Deu. 32:51, &c.), or between husband and wife (Num. 5:12; Num. 5:27).
And sin through ignorance.If at the time of its committal he did not know that it was a transgression. (See Lev. 4:2.)
In the holy things of the Lord.That is, inadvertently keeping back the things which belong to the sanctuary, and to the service of the Lord, as, for instance, the tithes, the firstfruits, or not consecrating or redeeming his firstborn (Exo. 28:38; Num. 5:6-8).
A ram without blemish.For committing any of these transgressions presumptuously, the transgressor incurred the punishment of excision (Num. 15:30; Heb. 10:28); but when they were done unawares, he was to bring a ram as a sacrifice. According to the rules which obtained during the second Temple, it must be over thirty-one days in the second year of its age. It was of greater value than the female sheep. The sacrifice for a trespass in holy things, though ignorantly committed, was therefore more costly than for the sin of ignorance mentioned in Lev. 5:6.
With thy estimation by shekels of silver.That is, according to the valuation of Moses, to whom this was primarily addressed, the ram is to be so grown up as to be worth several, or at least two shekels. The act of valuing was transferred by Moses to the officiating priests. (See Lev. 27:8; Lev. 27:12; Num. 18:16.) For the shekels of the sanctuary see Exo. 30:13.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 5:15. With thy estimation Though the sin here mentioned may refer to the holy things in general, yet it is commonly thought to refer particularly to the eating that part of the sacrifice which belonged to the priest; at least, so we are led to think, from ch. Lev 22:14 as well as from the expression, with thy estimation by shekels of silver; whereby, it is supposed, the sacred writer means, that the priest should estimate the damage sustained by this trespass; in consequence whereof, the person trespassing should not only bring for his offering a ram, but the estimation or value of his trespass made by the priest, in shekels of silver: see the next verse. Though Moses is spoken of as the estimator, it is to be referred to the priests in general, who usually made these rates; see ch. Lev 27:8; Lev 27:12-13, &c. Houbigant renders this, at the estimation or value of two shekels of silver; in which he follows St. Jerome; with whom he thinks that this is a specification of the value of the ram; and he defends this interpretation very ably.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Lev 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
Ver. 15. In the holy things of the Lord. ] Things consecrate to him, by robbing and wronging of God and his priests; be it but through ignorance or error. For to do such a thing presumptuously was death, Num 15:30 and by the laws of the twelve tables in Rome, such were to be punished as parricides. a
a Sacrum qui clepserit, rapseritve, parricida esto.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
trespass. Hebrew. ma’al, to act covertly; to be faithless, especially in covenant matters, either with God (Lev 26:40. Num 31:16. Deu 32:51, &c.) or between husband and wife (Num 5:12, Num 5:27). Not the same word as in verses: Lev 5:6, Lev 5:7, Lev 5:15, Lev 6:16, and below in this verse.
holy things, &c., such as firstfruits, firstborn, &c. Exo 28:38. See note on Exo 3:5.
estimation = valuation. Made here by Moses, transferred by him to the priests. See Lev 27:8, Lev 27:12. Num 18:16.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a soul: Lev 5:1, Lev 5:2, Lev 4:2
in the: Lev 5:16, Lev 7:1, Lev 7:6, Lev 10:17, Lev 10:18, Lev 22:1-16, Lev 24:5-9, Lev 27:9-33, Num 18:9-32, Deu 12:5-12, Deu 12:26, Deu 15:19, Deu 15:20, Deu 26:1-15
ram: Lev 5:18, Lev 6:6, Ezr 10:19
thy estimation: Lev 26:2-8, Lev 26:12, Lev 26:13, Lev 26:17, Lev 26:18, Lev 26:23-27
the shekel: Lev 27:25, Exo 30:13
Reciprocal: Exo 29:1 – without Exo 38:24 – the shekel Lev 5:17 – though Lev 6:2 – commit Lev 6:7 – make Lev 22:14 – General Lev 27:3 – And thy estimation Num 5:7 – with the principal Num 15:22 – General Jos 7:11 – among 1Sa 6:3 – a trespass 2Ki 12:4 – dedicated things 2Ki 12:16 – trespass money Pro 20:25 – a snare Mal 3:8 – In
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 5:15. A trespass Against the Lord and his priests. Through ignorance For if a man did it knowingly, he was to be cut off, Num 15:30. In the holy things In things consecrated to God, and to holy uses; these were many, and by various ways a man might be guilty, even unwittingly, with respect to them; such as tithes and first-fruits, or any thing due or devoted to God, which possibly a man might either withhold, or employ to some common use. A ram A more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacrilege was greater. With thy estimation As thou, O priest, shalt esteem or rate it; and at present, thou, O Moses, for he as yet performed the priests part. And this was an additional charge and punishment to him; besides the ram, he was to pay for the holy thing which he had withheld or abused, so many shekels of silver as the priests should esteem proportionable to it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, {g} in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, {h} with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
(g) Concerning the first fruits or tithes, due to the priests and Levites.
(h) By the estimation of the priest, Lev 27:12.