Leviticus

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Leviticus 5 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Leviticus 5 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

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.

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

(5:2) "If a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty."
If you touch any unclean thing (like a dead cow or a bug), then you'll be both unclean and guilty.

It is always very advisable not to touch dead things. The bacteria or viruses that killed them might transmit. Note that the uncleanness was ceremonial in nature (a person wasn't “filthy” or so in the sense that the author of the SAB seems to read it), but also served to avoid and stop transmitting diseases.
And although it is very hard to distinguish between the ceremonial aspects of the laws in Leviticus and the health advice, no one would have been worse of for obeying it.

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.

(5:3) "Or if he touch the uncleanness of man ... he shall be guilty."
If you touch "the uncleanness of man" (?!) you'll be guilty.

See verse 2.

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.

(5:4) "Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good ... he shall be guilty"
If you swear to do something evil or good, you'll be guilty.

Swearing an oath is a solemn thing. A man may not remember his past oath anymore, or it may not be in his power, but despite this, because he swore in the presence of the most holy, he is bound by it. Does the author of the SAB really think that someone can swear in court and afterwards claim he forgot it, can't remember it, and therefore cannot be guilty of perjury?

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:

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.

(5:6) "He shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD ... a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats."
If you touch an insect, dead animal, or "the uncleanness of man" or if you swear to do something good or bad (5:2-4), kill a female lamb or goat for God. (A female will do since it's a minor offense.)

Females were offered by citizens, males by rulers.

7 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.

(5:7-8) "If he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring ... two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD ... and wring off his head."
If you don't have a lamb to kill for God, then you can wring off the head of a pigeon or dove.

Everyone, rich or poor, was able to bring a sacrifice that would be acceptable to God.

8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:

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.

(5:9) "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."

How can sprinkling the blood of a dead animal be cruel?

10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

(5:10, 16, 18) "The priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him." Does God desire animal sacrifices?

Clearly God commanded them here, but see Heb. 10:4.

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

12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering.

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 priest’s, as a meat offering.

14 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

(5:14-15) "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul ... sin through ignorance ... then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish."
If you sin without knowing that you've done anything wrong, kill an unblemished ram for God.

Since when has ignorance of the law been a valid excuse? The author of the SAB should try that in court.

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:

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.

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.

(5:17) "If a soul sin ... though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity."
If you sin against your own will, you are still guilty.

John Gill explains “though he wist it not” as:

did not know that he had transgressed a negative command: