Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 5

1 AND if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing , and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity .

And, for that is, as that particle is oft used, as Gen. 13. 15. 1 Chron. [illegible: 1 word]. 12. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 13. For this declares in particular what the sin was.

Either 1. of adjuration upon oath, when the Judge adjures a witness to speak the whole truth; of which see Mat. 26. 63. But this seems too much to narrow the sence, and this and the other laws both before and after it speak of private sins committed through ignorance. Or 2. of false swearing before a Judge. But that is expressely forbidden Lev. 6. 3. Or rather 3. of cursing or blasphemy or execration, as the word commonly signifies, and that either 1. against ones neighbour, as 2 Sam. 16. 7. or 2. against God, as Levit. 24. 10, 11. which may seem to be principally intended here, because the crime here spoken of is of so high a nature, that he who heard it was obliged to reveal it and prosecute the guilty. And though God be not here mentioned, yet the general word is here to be understood of the most famous particular, as it is frequently in all authors, of which there are many instances.

Being present, when it it was said.

By sufficient information from others.

(i. e.) The punishment of it, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 19. 15. Numb. 18. 1. See of this phrase Levit. 17. 16. and 20. 20. Isa. 53. 11.

Marginal references: O[illegible: 1+ letters], adjuration.

2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing , whether it be a carkass of an unclean beast, or a carkass of unclean cattel, or the carkass of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him ; he also shall be unclean, and guilty :

To wit, ceremonially. Of which see more fully, chap. 11. &c. and Deut. 14.

If he do it unwittingly, yet that would not excuse him, because he should have been more diligent and circumspect to avoid all unclean things. Hereby God designed to awaken men to watchfulness against and repentance for their unknown or unobserved sins. See Psal. 19. 12. 1 Ioh. 3. 20.

Not morally, for the conscience was not directly polluted by these things, Mat. 15. 11, 18. but ceremonially.

Marginal references: chap. 11. 2[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 28, 31, 39.

3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal: and it be hid from him, when he knoweth of it , then he shall be guilty .

As soon as he knowethit, he must not delay to make his peace with God. And though it was sin before, though not known, yet the knowledge of it made it worse, and therefore required the more speedy repentance.

Not onely ceremonially by that touch, but morally for his violation and contempt of Gods authority and command.

Marginal references: chap. 12. and 13. and 15.

4 Or if a soul swear , pronouncing with his lips to do evil , or to do good , whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him ; when he knoweth of it then he shall be guilty in one of these .

To wit, rashly, without consideration either of Gods law or his own power or right, as David did, 1 Sam. 25. 22.

Either 1. to himself, to wit, to punish himself, either in his body, or estate or something else which is dear to him. Or rather 2. to his neighbour, as 1 Sam. 25. 22. Act. 23. 12.

To wit, to his neighbour, as Mark 6. 23. when a man either may not or cannot do it, which may frequently happen.

(i. e.) He did not know or not consider that what he swore to do was or would be impossible or unlawful.

When he discovers it to be so either by his own consideration or by information from others.

Either in the good or evil which he swore to do.

Marginal references: Psal. 49. 18.

5 And it shall be when he shall be guilty in one of these things that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing.

In one of the three forementioned cases, either by sinful silence and compliance with others in their sin, ver. 1. or by an unclean touch, as ver. 2, 3. or by rash swearing, ver. 4.

Before the Lord in the place of publick worship. And this confession is not to be restrained to the present case, but by a parity of reason and comparing of other Scriptures to be extended to other sacrifices for sin, to which this was a constant companion, and as it was signified by the guilty persons laying his hand upon his offering, so it is probable it was expressed in words. See Numb. 5. 6, 7.

6 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering: and the Priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

Quest. How comes confession and a sacrifice to be necessary for him that touched an unclean thing, when such persons were cleansed with simple washing, as appears from Levit. 11. and Numb. 19? Ans. This place speaks of him that being so unclean did come into the Tabernacle, as may be gathered by comparing this place with Numb. 19. 13. which if any man did knowing himself to be unclean, which was the case there, he was to be cut off for it; and if he did it ignorantly, which is the case here ver. 2. he was upon discovery of it to offer this sacrifice. Interpreters dispute much what the difference is between sins and trespasses, and between si[illegible: 1+ letters]-offerings and trespass-offerings. Some make the one for omissions the other for commissions the one for greater, the other for lesser sins, the one for known sins, the other for sins of ignorance. In all which there seems to be more curiosity than solidity. Either they seem to be the same▪ as may be gathered from [illegible: 1 word]. 6. where those two words, asham, and chata, which they so carefully and critically distinguish, are both used concerning the trespass-offerings, and from [illegible: 1 word]. 9. or the difference may be this, that sin-offerings were more indefinite or general, being for any particular sin, and trespass-offerings more restrained and particular for such sins as were more scandalous and injurious either to God by blasphemy, as ver. 1. or to his Sanctuary, by approaching to it in ones uncieanness, ver. 2, 3. as hath been now said; or to ones neighbour by swearing to do to them either the good which we afterwards cannot or do not, or the evil which we should not; or to the Priests and holy things of God, ver. 15.

Because those sins were less than others, as being committed ignorantly or unwittingly▪ and therefore God would accept a meaner sacrifice for them.

7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons unto the LORD; one for a sinoffering , and the other for a burnt offering.

Through poverty, as ver. 11. and 25. 26. And this exception was allowed also in other sin-offerings.

Of which see Levit. 1. 14.

Which was for that particular sin, and therefore is offered first before the burnt-offering, which was for sins in general, to teach us not to rest in general confessions and repentances for sin, as Hypocrites commonly do, 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. Note that the burntoffering was for the expiation of sin, as well as the sin-offering, Lev. 1. 4. onely that was for sin in general, and this for particular sins.

Marginal references: chap. 14. 21.; Heb. his hand cannot reach to the sufficiency of [illegible: 1+ letters]lamb.

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin-offering .

This is added as the reason why its blood was so sprinkled and spilt. See Lev. 4. 7, 18, 30, 34.

10 And he shall offer the second for a burntoffering, according to the manner : and the Priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he had sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

Or order appointed by God.

Either declaratively, he shall pronounce him to be pardoned: or typically, with respect to Christ.

Marginal references: Or, ordinance.; chap. 1. 14.

11 But if he be not able to bring two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an Ephan of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oyl upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon : for it is a sin-offering.

About a pottle of our measure. See Exod. 16. 36.

Either to distinguish [illegible: 1+ letters]hese from the meat-offerings, Lev. 2. 1. or as a fit expression of their true sorrow for their sins, in the sence whereof they were to abstain from things pleasant and delightful: See Numb. 5. 15. or to signifie that by his sins he deserved to be utterly deprived both of the oyl of gladness, the gifts, graces and comforts of the holy ghost, and of Gods gracious acceptance of his prayers and sacrifices, which is signified by incense, Psal. 141. 2. or to teach▪ them how evil a thing sin was, how hateful to God, and how uncomfortable to themselves.

13 And the Priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin, that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priests, as a meat-offering .

As it was in the meat-offering, where all except one handful fell to the share of the Priests. See Lev. 2. 3. and 7. 9. And is this the rather mentioned here, because in the foregoing sacrifices, Levit. 4. 3, &c. 13, &c. the Priest had no part reserved for him.

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.

Against the Lord and his Priests.

For if a man did it knowingly, he was to be cut off, Numb. 15. 30.

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 with-hold or employ to some common use. See Exod. 34. 26. Deut. 12. 17, 18. and 15. 19. Ier. 2. 3.

A more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacriledge was greater.

As thou shalt esteem or rate it, thou O Priest, as appears from ver. 16, 18. and Levit. 6. 6. See also Lev. 22. 14. and 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 with-held or abused, so many shekels of silver as the Priest should esteem proportionable to it: which was as it were another part or branch of his trespass-offering.

Of which see on Gen. 23. 15.

Marginal references: Exod. 30. 13.; Heb. a tr[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪

16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing: and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the Priest: and the Priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

So much they were to adde to holy things redeemed, Lev. 27, 13, 15, 19.

Marginal references: chap. 22. [illegible: 1+ letters] & 27. 13, 1[illegible: 1+ letters], 27. Num. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters].

17 And if a soul sin and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he wist it not , yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

To wit, concerning holy things, of which he is yet speaking, though with some difference and addition as it may seem. The former law concerns the alienation of holy things from the sacred to a common use, and this may concern other miscarriages about holy things and holy duties, as may be gathered from ver. 19. where this is said to be a trespass against the lord, not in a general sence, for so every sin was, but in a proper and peculiar sence.

For if he did it knowingly he must die, Num. 15. 30.

Marginal references: chap. 4. 2▪ Numb. 5. 6.