Leviticus 22 14

Leviticus 22:14 kjv

And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.

Leviticus 22:14 nkjv

'And if a man eats the holy offering unintentionally, then he shall restore a holy offering to the priest, and add one-fifth to it.

Leviticus 22:14 niv

"?'Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value to it.

Leviticus 22:14 esv

And if anyone eats of a holy thing unintentionally, he shall add the fifth of its value to it and give the holy thing to the priest.

Leviticus 22:14 nlt

"Any such person who eats the sacred offerings without realizing it must pay the priest for the amount eaten, plus an additional 20 percent.

Leviticus 22 verses

Leviticus 22 14 Meaning

Leviticus 22:14 states that if any common person unintentionally consumes food that has been consecrated to the Lord and designated for the priests, they must repay the value of that food to the priest. Crucially, they must add a punitive fifth (20%) to its original value, emphasizing the sanctity of what belongs to the LORD and requiring more than simple restitution even for an accidental transgression. This ensures strict respect for God's holy provisions and the careful administration of the Tabernacle system.

Leviticus 22 14 Context

Leviticus Chapter 22 delineates the stringent laws governing the conduct and eligibility of priests and their households concerning the holy gifts offered to the LORD. The entire chapter emphasizes the sacredness of the offerings and the imperative to distinguish between the holy and the common. Priests, while entrusted with these sacred portions for their sustenance, were required to be ceremonially clean to handle and consume them (vv. 1-9). This specific verse (v. 14) addresses a particular instance where someone outside the authorized priestly household—a "layman"—inadvertently partakes of "holy food." It ensures that even unintentional breaches of this sacred boundary incur a penalty, not merely simple repayment, thereby maintaining the integrity and reverence for the things set apart for God and His service.

Leviticus 22 14 Word analysis

• If a man eats (וְאִישׁ כִּי יֹאכַל, v'ish ki yokhal):

  • man (אִישׁ, ish): Refers to any Israelite not belonging to the priestly household, specifically one who is not authorized to eat the holy things. This contrasts with priests and their permitted household members mentioned earlier in the chapter (Lev 22:10-13).
  • eats (יֹאכַל, yokhal): The act of consuming. Implies actual physical intake, not just touching or possessing.

• holy food (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh):

  • קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh): Means "holiness," "sacred thing," "something set apart" for God. Here, it refers to portions of sacrifices and offerings that are designated for the priests to eat (e.g., portions of peace offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, showbread, etc., as described elsewhere in Leviticus and Numbers). These items are holy because they were offered to the LORD and symbolically partake in His holiness, making them distinct from common, secular food. They cannot be treated lightly or by just anyone.

• by mistake (בִּשְׁגָגָה, bishgāgāh):

  • בִּשְׁגָגָה (bishgāgāh): A crucial legal term meaning "unintentionally," "by error," "ignorantly," or "inadvertently." It denotes an act not done with presumptuous defiance or deliberate sin, but due to oversight, lack of knowledge, or a genuine accident. This distinguishes it from willful sin (often implying no atonement), yet it still requires a penalty to address the trespass against God's holy things. This term is key throughout the Torah's discussion of offerings for sin.

• he must add a fifth (וְיָסַף חֲמִשִׁיתוֹ עָלָיו, vayasaf chamishito alav):

  • add (וְיָסַף, vayasaf): "And he shall add" or "increase."
  • a fifth (חֲמִשִׁיתוֹ, chamishito): Refers to one-fifth of the original value, meaning the restitution payment must be 120% of the value of what was eaten. This is not just a refund but a penalty or fine, indicating the seriousness of even an unintentional trespass against something consecrated to God. It functions as both restitution and deterrent, covering not just the material loss but also the defilement of the sacred. This principle is consistent for unintentional trespass against God's holy things (Lev 5:16) or even certain wrongs against a neighbor (Num 5:7).

• its value (עֶרְכּוֹ, erko):

  • עֶרְכּוֹ (erko): Refers to the assessed worth or estimated monetary value of the holy food consumed. The priest would determine this value.

• and give it back to the priest (וְנָתַן לַכֹּהֵן, venatan lacohen):

  • give it back (וְנָתַן, venatan): The act of rendering payment or restitution.
  • to the priest (לַכֹּהֵן, lacohen): The payment is made to the priest, who acts as God's representative and steward of the holy things. This ensures that the sacred treasury and the livelihood of the priestly family, which derived from these holy gifts, are not diminished by such an error.

Words-group analysis:

• "If a man eats holy food by mistake": This phrase precisely defines the transgression: who committed it (any layman), what was consumed (holy food), and the crucial mental state (unintentional). This specific combination means the transgression is not willful disobedience but still constitutes an infringement on sacred property and requires atonement.
• "he must add a fifth to its value": This phrase establishes the specific penalty. The 20% surcharge transforms simple restitution into a punitive measure, reinforcing the extraordinary sanctity of the consumed item and serving as a deterrent against carelessness with God's possessions. It highlights that errors regarding the divine are not lightly dismissed.

Leviticus 22 14 Bonus section

The "one-fifth" penalty appears consistently in Levitical law for trespasses related to holy things or situations requiring restitution where a penalty beyond simple repayment is warranted. This fixed rate serves several purposes: it provides an undeniable financial cost for negligence or error, prevents the trivialization of "mistakes," and ensures the sacredness is not compromised without proper restoration. This principle can be seen as an expression of God's perfect justice, which demands more than mere correction for errors concerning His Person or His things; it requires a super-addition to truly honor Him and cover the breach. It also provided for a just system of support for the priests who relied on these holy offerings. The very specificity and consistency of this particular percentage (chamishito) throughout the Law point to a divinely ordained system, where justice is meticulous and every detail carries theological weight.

Leviticus 22 14 Commentary

Leviticus 22:14 underscores the extreme reverence demanded for anything set apart as "holy" to the LORD. It reveals that the distinction between holy and common was absolute, not merely symbolic. Even an unwitting infraction against God's designated holy portions incurred a financial penalty beyond simple replacement. The requirement to add a fifth of the value was designed not just to cover the material loss to the priesthood but primarily to impress upon the people the seriousness of the holy domain. It served as a spiritual safeguard, compelling an awareness of the LORD's absolute ownership and His standard of holiness. This system was designed to cultivate a mindset of precision, care, and fear of the LORD concerning all sacred matters, emphasizing that ignorance did not absolve one entirely from accountability for defiling God's provisions. While unintentional sin was distinguishable from willful transgression (which often carried the death penalty or "cutting off"), it still required a definite act of restitution and recognition of the error. In Christ, the perfect and ultimate sacrifice, the need for these particular forms of physical restitution is fulfilled. However, the underlying principles of respect for God's holiness, acknowledging one's shortcomings (even unintentional), and seeking to make amends for wrongdoings remain vital for believers. This could practically mean being scrupulous in our vows to God, not taking sacred commitments lightly, and recognizing that even careless spiritual living has consequences.