Situations Requiring a Sin Offering
Study note
God listed specific sins that required a sin offering: refusing to testify when called as a witness, touching anything ceremonially unclean, or making a reckless promise. In each case, the person had to confess what they had done wrong and bring an offering. The confession was a key part of the process. God wanted people to take responsibility for their actions, not just go through the motions of offering a sacrifice.
1 "If someone is called to speak as a witness and has either seen or learned about something important but stays silent and refuses to speak up, that person is guilty. They must face the results of their silence." 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 someone might touch something unclean by mistake. It could be a dead wild animal, farm animal, or crawling thing. Even if the person did not notice, they are now unclean. They are guilty." 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.
3 "Or suppose someone comes into contact with a person's uncleanness -- whatever kind it may be -- and does not notice it at first. When they finally realize what happened, they are guilty." 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.
4 "Or suppose someone blurts out a careless oath, promising to do something either good or bad, without thinking it through. Once the person later realizes what was promised, they are guilty." 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 "When a person becomes guilty in any of these cases, the first step is simple. Openly admit the exact sin." 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 "Then the person must bring a penalty to the Lord for the sin: a female lamb or female goat from the flock as a sin offering. The priest will then restore that person's relationship with God." 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.
Offerings for Those Who Cannot Afford a Lamb
Study note
God provided alternatives for people who were too poor to bring a lamb. They could bring two doves or two young pigeons instead. If even that was too expensive, they could bring a small amount of fine flour. This showed God's desire that forgiveness be available to everyone, regardless of wealth. The flour offering had no oil or frankincense added to it because it was a sin offering, not a joyful grain offering.
7 "The person might not afford a lamb or goat. Then bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. Bring them to the Lord. One is for a sin gift. The other is for a burnt gift." 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.
8 "The person must bring them to the priest, who will handle the sin offering bird first. He will wring its neck but not tear the head off completely." 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 "He must spatter some of the bird's blood against the side of the altar. Whatever blood remains must be drained out at the altar's base. This counts as a sin offering." 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.
10 "He must then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering, following the usual steps. Through this, the priest will make things right between the person and God. The person will be forgiven." 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.
11 "If the person can't even afford two birds, then about two quarts of fine flour can be brought as the sin offering instead. Don't add oil or frankincense to it. This is a sin offering, not a regular grain offering." 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 "The person must bring it to the priest. The priest will scoop out a handful as the memorial portion and burn it on the altar along with the other fire offerings to the Lord. This counts as a sin offering." 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 "The priest will make things right between the person and God for whichever of these sins was done. Then the person will be forgiven. Whatever flour is left over belongs to the priest, just like a regular grain offering." 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.
The Guilt Offering for Holy Things
Study note
The guilt offering, also called the trespass offering, was required when someone accidentally misused something that was set apart for God, such as tithes, firstfruits, or items dedicated to the Tabernacle. The person had to make full payment for what they had taken, add an extra twenty percent penalty, and also bring a ram as a guilt offering. This combination of restitution and sacrifice showed that making things right with God also meant making things right with the people you wronged.
14 Then the Lord gave Moses another message. He said, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
15 "Someone might mishandle something set apart as sacred by mistake. That person must bring a ram from the flock as a guilt gift. The ram must have no flaws. Its value must be set in silver by the official standard weight." 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 "The person must also pay back whatever was taken from the sacred things, plus an additional twenty percent on top of that. This payment goes to the priest. The priest will then use the guilt offering ram to restore the person's relationship with God, and the person will be forgiven." 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 "If someone breaks one of the Lord's commands without knowing it, that person is still guilty and must face the results." 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.
18 "A ram from the flock with no flaws must be brought to the priest. It must be worth the proper amount as a guilt offering. The priest will use it to make things right between the person and God for their mistake. Then the person will be forgiven." And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
19 "This is a guilt offering. It is needed because the person truly sinned against the Lord." It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.