Leviticus 5:7 kjv
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.
Leviticus 5:7 nkjv
'If he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD, for his trespass which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons: one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
Leviticus 5:7 niv
"?'Anyone who cannot afford a lamb is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the LORD as a penalty for their sin?one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
Leviticus 5:7 esv
"But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
Leviticus 5:7 nlt
"But if you cannot afford to bring a sheep, you may bring to the LORD two turtledoves or two young pigeons as the penalty for your sin. One of the birds will be for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
Leviticus 5 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 4:2-3 | "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance..." | Standard individual sin offering. |
| Lev 1:14 | "And if the offering of the LORD be a burnt sacrifice of fowls..." | Acceptance of bird offerings for burnt sacrifices. |
| Lev 12:8 | "And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons..." | Similar provision for post-childbirth purification, emphasizing affordability. |
| Lev 14:21-22 | "And if he be poor... then he shall take one he-lamb... and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons..." | Similar provision for the poor in cleansing rites for skin disease. |
| Lev 6:7 | "...the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD..." | General principle of priestly atonement for sin. |
| Num 15:27-29 | "And if any soul sin through ignorance... one year old she goat for a sin offering." | Provisions for unintentional sin. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "...the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." | God values internal disposition over material wealth. |
| Prov 22:2 | "The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all." | God's impartial creation of all people. |
| Matt 10:29 | "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground..." | Highlights the low value of birds, contrasting with God's care. |
| Luke 2:24 | "And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." | Mary and Joseph offered these, indicating their humble means. |
| Rom 3:23-24 | "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God... through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" | Universal need for atonement and God's provision in Christ. |
| Heb 9:22 | "...almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." | Principle of blood atonement. |
| Heb 10:4 | "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." | Animal sacrifices were imperfect and temporary. |
| 2 Cor 8:12 | "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." | God accepts what one can give willingly. |
| Jas 2:5 | "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom...?" | God's regard for the poor and faithful. |
| Gal 3:13 | "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us..." | Christ's comprehensive atonement. |
| Eph 5:2 | "...Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God..." | Christ as the ultimate, all-sufficient sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "...redeemed... with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish..." | Christ as the perfect Lamb of God. |
| Isa 53:10 | "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin..." | Prophecy of Christ's sacrificial atonement. |
| John 1:29 | "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." | Jesus identified as the ultimate Lamb sacrifice. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." | Christ became sin to make us righteous, the ultimate sin offering. |
| Rom 8:3 | "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son..." | God's provision for sin where the law was limited. |
Leviticus 5 verses
Leviticus 5 7 Meaning
Leviticus 5:7 presents an alternative for individuals unable to afford the standard lamb for an unintentional sin offering. It demonstrates God's gracious provision and mercy by allowing a cheaper sacrifice, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, for atonement. One bird is designated for a sin offering (cleansing from impurity caused by sin), and the other for a burnt offering (signifying total dedication and propitiation before God). This provision ensures that atonement and reconciliation are accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic status.
Leviticus 5 7 Context
Leviticus chapter 5 focuses on the various types of unintentional sins and the corresponding offerings required for their atonement. This particular verse addresses the specific category of a person who has incurred guilt by either failing to testify, touching an unclean thing, or uttering a rash oath (vv. 1-4). Following the declaration that a sin offering (chaṭṭaʾt) must be brought, verse 7 outlines a provision for those who are "not able" to afford the usual offering of a lamb. The overarching context of Leviticus emphasizes the holiness of God, the defiling nature of sin, and the divinely ordained means of atonement and reconciliation for a covenant people seeking to live in close relationship with a holy God. Historically, during the Mosaic Law period, Israel was largely an agricultural and nomadic society, where wealth disparities existed, and access to sacrificial animals could vary. This specific law serves as a vital safeguard, preventing poverty from becoming an insurmountable barrier to seeking forgiveness and maintaining fellowship with God, a significant counter-narrative to pagan cults that often demanded extravagant offerings, especially from the poor, for their deities.
Leviticus 5 7 Word analysis
- And if he be not able: Hebrew: וְאִם־לֹא תַגִּיעַ (ve'im-lo taggiyaʿ) - literally, "and if it does not reach." This phrasing clearly implies financial incapacity or extreme poverty. It does not speak to willingness but to objective inability to procure a lamb. This demonstrates God's compassionate consideration for the economically disadvantaged, ensuring that economic status does not prevent one from receiving atonement.
- to bring a lamb: Hebrew: כֶּבֶשׂ (keves) - the standard, expected offering for individual sin in many contexts (e.g., Lev 4:32). This sets the baseline and highlights the concession made in the following provisions. The lamb represented a significant but not impossible expense for many Israelites.
- then he shall bring: Hebrew: וְהֵבִיא (veheva') - "and he shall cause to come," indicating an obligation to present the alternative.
- for his trespass: Hebrew: עַל־אֲשֶׁר חָטָא (ʿal-ʾasher khaṭaʾ) - "concerning that which he sinned." This refers to the specific unintentional sins mentioned earlier in Leviticus 5:1-4. The focus is on making atonement for the guilt incurred. While Leviticus distinguishes between sin (chaṭṭaʾt) and trespass (ʾasham) offerings, the language here refers to the nature of the sin rather than the technical name of the offering.
- which he hath committed: Implies the completion of the sin, though unintentional.
- two turtledoves, or two young pigeons: Hebrew: שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי יוֹנָה (shtei torim o shney v'nei yonah) - Turtledoves and pigeons were common, inexpensive, and readily available birds in ancient Israel. They served as a sacrificial option for the poor, ensuring accessibility to the atoning rites. This type of offering is also specified for the purification rites of women after childbirth (Lev 12:8) and for the poor being cleansed from leprosy (Lev 14:21-22), always providing a pathway for the less affluent to participate in cultic rituals.
- unto the LORD: Hebrew: לַיהוָה (laYHVH) - All offerings were ultimately directed to God, emphasizing His sovereignty and the sacred nature of the act of atonement, not for human observation or profit.
- one for a sin offering: Hebrew: אַחַת חַטָּאת (ʾachaṭ chaṭṭa't) - The chaṭṭaʾt (sin offering) specifically addressed impurities and sins that defiled a person or the sanctuary. It brought about expiation and purged the guilt, purifying the individual.
- and the other for a burnt offering: Hebrew: וְהָאֶחָת לְעֹלָה (vehaʾeḥāṯ leʿōlāh) - The ʿōlāh (burnt offering), distinct from the sin offering, represented total dedication and yielded propitiation. Its inclusion alongside the sin offering, especially in these "poverty" provisions, implies a holistic atonement—not only clearing the individual of guilt but also re-establishing or reinforcing their devoted standing before God.
Leviticus 5 7 Bonus section
This graded system of offerings, starting with a lamb and descending to birds and even flour in the subsequent verses (Lev 5:11-13), highlights the core principle that God desires faithful obedience and sincere repentance over lavish gifts. This concept serves as an inherent polemic against any notion, prevalent in surrounding cultures, that favor or atonement could be bought or were reserved only for the wealthy elite. The Mosaic Law ensured that the tabernacle, and later the Temple, was genuinely accessible to all, providing a level playing field for approaching the Divine. Furthermore, the explicit inclusion of such details underscores God's meticulous care in setting forth the means of drawing near to Him, demonstrating His desire for all to find reconciliation and not for some to be perpetually alienated due to circumstances beyond their control. This reflects a divine economy where grace precedes human ability, pointing towards the ultimate provision in Christ.
Leviticus 5 7 Commentary
Leviticus 5:7 is a profound testament to God's character, revealing His boundless grace, impartiality, and deep concern for all, regardless of their financial standing. It illustrates divine justice coupled with divine mercy, ensuring that economic disadvantage would not exclude anyone from the pathway to atonement and reconciliation with Him. The law, far from being rigid and exclusive, demonstrates remarkable flexibility and compassion.
The specification of two common, humble birds—turtledoves or pigeons—is particularly significant. It shows that the efficacy of the sacrifice did not depend on the intrinsic value of the offering but on the offerer's obedience, repentance, and God's sovereign institution of the atonement process. This provision for the poor prefigures a fundamental biblical truth: God values the willing heart and genuine contrition over material abundance.
The dual nature of the offering—one bird for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering—is also crucial. The sin offering addressed the defilement caused by the specific unintentional sin. The burnt offering, being wholly consumed, symbolized the worshiper's complete dedication and provided a general propitiation or acceptance before God. Together, these two offerings ensured that even with humble means, a full and comprehensive process of cleansing and re-dedication was enacted, bringing complete atonement for the offense and re-establishing fellowship. This anticipates the ultimate, comprehensive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the need for both a sin offering (making atonement for all humanity's sins) and a burnt offering (perfectly dedicating Himself in obedience to the Father's will), providing access to forgiveness and a restored relationship with God for all who believe, regardless of their background or 'worth'.