Leviticus 5:16-17

5:16 And whatever holy thing he violated 1  he must restore and must add one fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest will make atonement 2  on his behalf with the guilt offering ram and he will be forgiven.” 3 

Unknown trespass

5:17 “If a person sins and violates any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated 4  (although he did not know it at the time, 5  but later realizes he is guilty), then he will bear his punishment for iniquity 6 

1 tn Heb “and which he sinned from the holy thing.”

2 sn Regarding “make atonement” see the note on Lev 1:4.

3 tn Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” (KJV similar).

4 tn Heb “and does one from all of the commandments of the Lord which must not be done.”

5 tn The words “at the time” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

6 tn Heb “and he did not know, and he shall be guilty and he shall bear his iniquity” (for the rendering “bear his punishment [for iniquity]”) see the note on Lev 5:1.) This portion of v. 17 is especially difficult. The translation offered here suggests (as in many other English versions) that the offender did not originally know that he had violated the Lord’s commandments, but then came to know it and dealt with it accordingly (cf. the corresponding sin offering section in Lev 5:1-4). Another possibility is that it refers to a situation where a person suspects that he violated something although he does not recollect it. Thus, he brings a guilt offering for his suspected violation (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:331-34, 361-63). See also R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:561-62.