Sins for which Offerings are Necessary. The first case is that of one who, when evidence in a trial is called for under a curse, deliberately conceals what he knows (there is no unwittingly here); the crime of silence is paralleled with ceremonial uncleanness. The second case is that arising from contact either with an unclean animal or from other defilement. Further details of these taboos are given in Leviticus 12-15, and a harsher law is found in Numbers 19:13; Numbers 19:20. The third case is that of one who finds that he has not carried out an oath uttered in rashness or thoughtlessness (cf. Psalms 15:4). Guilt is regarded as following on discovery; confession must then be made, and the animal to be offered is the same as in Leviticus 4:28; Leviticus 4:32. Confession is mentioned only here and in Numbers 5:7; it is made by the priest for the whole nation on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:21). These verses break the order of thought; they join moral to ritual cases of guilt, and they make no difference between guilt and sin offerings; the directions as to ritual are simpler than in what precedes and follows; and there is no distinction of classes; the offering stated is that for the common people in Leviticus 4. The fact that guilt and sin offerings are identical in Leviticus 14:12 ff., and the absence of the mention of guilt offering in Leviticus 9, suggests that the guilt offering was not known in the earlier sections of P, and that the differentiation in Leviticus 4 and Leviticus 5 is a later development. The two kinds of offerings, however, are mentioned together in 2 Kings 12:16.
Leviticus 5:1-6
1 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 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 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 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 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 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.