If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
If a soul ... commit a trespass against the Lord. This law, the record of which should have been joined with the previous chapter, was given concerning things stolen, fraudulently gotten, or wrongfully kept. The offender was enjoined to make restitution of the articles to the rightful owner, along with a fifth part out of his own possessions. But it was not enough thus to repair the injury done to a neighbour and to society. He was required to bring a trespass offering, as a token of sorrow and penitence for having hurt the cause of religion and of God.
That trespass offering was a ram without blemish [Septuagint, krion apo toon probatoon amoomon timees eis ho epleemmeleese-a faultless ram from the flock, as a compensation for that in which he had erred], which was to be made on the altar of burnt offerings, and the flesh belonged to the priests. This penalty was equivalent to a mitigated fine; but being associated with a sacred duty, the form in which the fine was inflicted served the important purpose of rousing attention to the claims of God, and reviving a sense of responsibility to Him.