Leviticus 6 3

Leviticus 6:3 kjv

Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

Leviticus 6:3 nkjv

or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely?in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins:

Leviticus 6:3 niv

or if they find lost property and lie about it, or if they swear falsely about any such sin that people may commit?

Leviticus 6:3 esv

or has found something lost and lied about it, swearing falsely ? in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby ?

Leviticus 6:3 nlt

or you find lost property and lie about it, or you lie while swearing to tell the truth, or you commit any other such sin.

Leviticus 6 verses

Leviticus 6 3 Meaning

Leviticus 6:3 specifies a serious offense requiring a guilt offering: when a person finds lost property but then denies having it, compounding the deceit with a false oath. This act is categorized among those transgressions where someone defrauds another or profits dishonestly, yet also commits a direct sin against the Most High by invoking His name to legitimate a lie. The law dictates that such a trespass requires full restitution to the wronged party, an additional twenty percent penalty, and a guilt offering to atone for the sin against both man and God.

Leviticus 6 3 Context

Leviticus 6:3 is part of the extensive priestly instructions regarding the guilt offering (asham), building upon the general rules laid out in 5:14-19. Chapters 5 and 6 elaborate on various situations necessitating this particular offering, especially concerning unintentional sins or those discovered after the fact, involving trespasses against holy things or defrauding a fellow Israelite. This specific verse falls under the category of misusing trust and resorting to deceit—specifically concerning lost property—where the added element of a false oath elevates the transgression, requiring both restitution to the victim and an atonement for the sin against God. The historical context reveals that oaths, invoking the divine name, were considered extremely solemn and binding in ancient Near Eastern cultures, signifying their profound importance in legal and social agreements within the Israelite community, thereby making a false oath a direct offense against God's holiness and the covenant order.

Leviticus 6 3 Word analysis

• or has found (וּמָצָא - u·matza): "Found" (from matza) highlights the passive acquisition of the object. It's not theft (actively taking), but encountering something that imposes an ethical obligation. The discovery itself creates a responsibility that the individual then abuses.
• what was lost (אֲבֵדָה - avedah): Refers to a stray or lost article of property. According to other parts of the Law (Deut 22:1-3), an Israelite who finds such an item has a clear responsibility to return it to its owner, if known, or hold it carefully if unknown. The sin here isn't the finding, but the denial that follows.
• and lied about it (וְכִחֵשׁ בָּהּ - vekhichêsh bah): From the verb kachash, meaning to deny, disavow, or deceive. This indicates a deliberate act of concealment and misrepresentation. It is not merely remaining silent, but actively fabricating a falsehood or rejecting the truth of possession. This introduces the element of malicious intent after the initial finding.
• swearing falsely (וְנִשְׁבַּע לָשָׁקֶר - venishba la·shaqer):
  • venishba: "and he swore," from nishba (Niphal of shava), to bind oneself by an oath, invoking a higher power (God). This indicates the sacred nature of an oath.
  • lashaqer: "for a lie" or "falsely." This crucial phrase signifies perjury. Taking God's name in vain to substantiate a lie elevates the offense from a private wrong to a profound affront against divine holiness. It signifies a betrayal of the covenant relationship.
• in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby (מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם לַחֲטֹא בָהֵן - mikol asher ya'aseh ha'adam lachato vahen):
  • This phrase acts as a summarizing clause, linking this specific act (denying lost property under oath) to the broader categories of transgression requiring a guilt offering as outlined in Leviticus 6:2-5 (stolen goods, extortion, deposits). It signifies that this act is not an isolated moral failure but falls within the general class of sins that defraud a neighbor or disrespect God's commands regarding truth and justice.
  • lachato: "to sin" or "miss the mark." Emphasizes that these actions violate divine standards and incur guilt.

Leviticus 6 3 Bonus section

This verse underscores a key aspect of the guilt offering (asham), namely its focus on actual material damage or a trespass against the "holy things" of God or man, requiring a tangible form of restoration beyond mere sacrifice. Unlike some other offerings, the asham directly addressed offenses where one party was demonstrably wronged, often due to deception or neglect. The inclusion of the 20% additional restitution (the "fifth part") served both as a punitive measure against the wrongdoer, making such deceit costly, and as a strong deterrent, reinforcing the importance of honesty and justice in all dealings. This aspect made the law enforceable even in cases of hidden sin, where the confession was prompted by conscience or God's revealing light, as the subsequent financial and spiritual cost was significant. This system reflected the divine emphasis on righteousness that extended beyond religious rituals into every sphere of daily life and social interaction.

Leviticus 6 3 Commentary

Leviticus 6:3 meticulously illustrates the profound gravity of dishonesty, particularly when sanctified by a false oath. This verse reveals that the Israelite legal and moral code did not merely condemn outright theft, but also subtle acts of deceit concerning entrusted or found property. The act of finding something lost, denying its possession, and then compounding that lie with a false oath transforms what might have been a hidden personal gain into a direct offense against the divine order. This breach of truth, enacted under God's very name, necessitates both earthly restitution (returning the found item plus an additional 20% penalty to the owner) and divine atonement (through the guilt offering). This comprehensive requirement underscores that sin damages horizontal relationships (human to human) and vertical relationships (human to God), both of which demand repair. It teaches that the Most High is not only concerned with ritual purity but with truth, justice, and integrity within His covenant community, highlighting that hidden sins before men are transparent before God.