Leviticus 5:16
Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.
Regarding any holy thing he has harmed
This phrase refers to the sacred items or offerings dedicated to God, which could include tithes, sacrifices, or other consecrated objects. In the context of ancient Israel, these holy things were set apart for worship and service to God, and any misuse or desecration was considered a serious offense. The holiness of these items underscores the importance of maintaining purity and reverence in worship practices, as seen in other passages like Exodus 30:37-38 and Numbers 18:32.

he must make restitution
Restitution involves compensating for the loss or damage caused. This principle is rooted in the broader biblical theme of justice and restoration, as seen in Exodus 22:1-14. It reflects God's desire for His people to live in harmony and fairness, ensuring that wrongs are righted and relationships are restored.

by adding a fifth of its value to it
The addition of a fifth (20%) to the restitution amount emphasizes the seriousness of the offense and the need for genuine repentance. This extra payment serves as a deterrent against future transgressions and highlights the cost of sin. The concept of adding a fifth is also found in Leviticus 27:13, 15, 19, 27, 31, indicating a consistent approach to restitution in the Mosaic Law.

and giving it to the priest
The priest acts as an intermediary between the offender and God, a role that foreshadows the mediatory work of Jesus Christ as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). The involvement of the priest ensures that the restitution is properly handled and that the offender is reconciled with God and the community.

who will make atonement on his behalf
Atonement involves covering or removing sin, allowing the individual to be reconciled with God. This process is central to the sacrificial system and points to the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 3:25). The priest's role in making atonement underscores the need for a mediator in the process of forgiveness and reconciliation.

with the ram as a guilt offering
The guilt offering, or trespass offering, is specifically for unintentional sins or sins requiring restitution. The use of a ram signifies the seriousness of the offense and the need for a valuable sacrifice. This offering prefigures Christ's sacrifice, as He is described as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

and he will be forgiven
Forgiveness is the ultimate goal of the atonement process, restoring the sinner to a right relationship with God. This assurance of forgiveness reflects God's mercy and grace, themes that are prevalent throughout Scripture (Psalm 103:12, Micah 7:18-19). It also points to the complete and final forgiveness available through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Offender
An individual who has sinned unintentionally concerning the holy things of the LORD.

2. The Priest
The mediator who performs the atonement ritual on behalf of the offender.

3. Holy Things
Items or practices dedicated to God, which the offender has mishandled or neglected.

4. Guilt Offering (Asham)
A specific type of offering required for atonement, involving a ram.

5. Restitution
The act of making amends, including adding a fifth of the value to the restitution.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Restitution
Restitution is a tangible expression of repentance and responsibility. It demonstrates a commitment to making things right with God and others.

Understanding Holy Things
Recognize the sacredness of what is dedicated to God. This includes our time, resources, and actions, which should be handled with reverence.

Role of the Priest
In the Old Testament, the priest acted as a mediator. Today, Jesus is our High Priest, who intercedes for us and provides ultimate atonement.

The Principle of Atonement
Atonement involves both confession and action. It is not enough to acknowledge wrongdoing; one must also take steps to correct it.

Forgiveness and Restoration
God's forgiveness is available through the prescribed means of atonement. This points to the ultimate forgiveness found in Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the requirement of adding a fifth to the restitution teach us about the nature of repentance and making amends?

2. How can we apply the principle of treating "holy things" with reverence in our daily lives?

3. In what ways does the role of the priest in Leviticus 5:16 foreshadow the work of Jesus as our High Priest?

4. How does the concept of restitution in Leviticus 5:16 relate to Jesus' teaching on reconciliation in the New Testament?

5. What steps can we take to ensure that we are living in a way that honors the sacred aspects of our relationship with God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 22:1-14
Discusses laws of restitution, emphasizing the importance of making amends for wrongs done to others, which parallels the restitution required in Leviticus 5:16.

Numbers 5:5-8
Provides further instructions on restitution, including the addition of a fifth, similar to the requirement in Leviticus 5:16.

Matthew 5:23-24
Jesus teaches about reconciliation and making things right with others before offering gifts at the altar, echoing the principle of restitution.

Hebrews 9:13-14
Discusses the superiority of Christ's sacrifice, which fulfills and surpasses the Old Testament sacrificial system, including guilt offerings.
Trespass AmendedS.R. Aldridge Leviticus 5:14-16
Error, Though Inadvertent, is GuiltyW. H. Jellie.Leviticus 5:14-19
Gain by RedemptionC. H. Mackintosh.Leviticus 5:14-19
ReparationF. W. BrownLeviticus 5:14-19
SacrilegeF. W. BrownLeviticus 5:14-19
The Trespass-OfferingA. Jukes.Leviticus 5:14-19
The Trespass-Offering; Or, Substitution and RestitutionLady Beaujolois Dent.Leviticus 5:14-19
Trespass in SacrilegeJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 5:14-19
Restitution to GodW. Clarkson Leviticus 5:15, 16
People
Ephah, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Add, Adding, Addition, Amends, Amiss, Atonement, Failed, Fifth, Forgiven, Forgiveness, Guilt, Guilt-offering, Harm, Holy, Maketh, Offering, Payment, Priest, Ram, Regard, Relation, Repayeth, Restitution, Sheep, Sin, Sinned, Thereto, Trespass, Trespass-offering, Value, Wrong
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 5:14-16

     1657   numbers, fractions
     8269   holiness, separation from worldly

Leviticus 5:14-19

     7316   blood, OT sacrifices

Leviticus 5:15-18

     7370   guilt offering

Leviticus 5:15-19

     4681   ram

Library
An Unalterable Law
EVERYWHERE under the old figurative dispensation, blood was sure to greet your eyes. It was the one most prominent thing under the Jewish economy, scarcely a ceremony was observed without it. You could not enter into any part of the tabernacle, but you saw traces of the blood-sprinkling. Sometimes there were bowls of blood cast at the foot of the altar. The place looked so like a shambles, that to visit it must have been far from attractive to the natural taste, and to delight in it, a man had need
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 60: 1914

List of Abbreviations Used in Reference to Rabbinic Writings Quoted in this Work.
THE Mishnah is always quoted according to Tractate, Chapter (Pereq) and Paragraph (Mishnah), the Chapter being marked in Roman, the paragraph in ordinary Numerals. Thus Ber. ii. 4 means the Mishnic Tractate Berakhoth, second Chapter, fourth Paragraph. The Jerusalem Talmud is distinguished by the abbreviation Jer. before the name of the Tractate. Thus, Jer. Ber. is the Jer. Gemara, or Talmud, of the Tractate Berakhoth. The edition, from which quotations are made, is that commonly used, Krotoschin,
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Sanctification.
VI. Objections answered. I will consider those passages of scripture which are by some supposed to contradict the doctrine we have been considering. 1 Kings viii. 46: "If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near," etc. On this passage, I remark:-- 1. That this sentiment in nearly the same language, is repeated in 2 Chron. vi. 26, and in Eccl.
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Entire Sanctification
By Dr. Adam Clarke The word "sanctify" has two meanings. 1. It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service. 2. It signifies to make holy or pure. Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do in us! and yet all that he has done for us is in reference to what he is to do in us. He was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; ascended to heaven, and there
Adam Clarke—Entire Sanctification

Christ a Complete Saviour:
OR, THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST, AND WHO ARE PRIVILEGED IN IT. BY JOHN BUNYAN Advertisement by the Editor. However strange it may appear, it is a solemn fact, that the heart of man, unless prepared by a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, rejects Christ as a complete Saviour. The pride of human nature will not suffer it to fall, as helpless and utterly undone, into the arms of Divine mercy. Man prefers a partial Saviour; one who had done so much, that, with the sinner's aid, the work might be
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Earliest Christian Preaching
1. THUS far we have confined ourselves to the words of Jesus. The divine necessity of His death, indicated in the Old Testament and forming the basis of all His teaching regarding it, is the primary truth; the nature of that necessity begins to be revealed as the death is set in relation to the ransoming of many, and to the institution of a new covenant -- that is, a new religion, having as its fundamental blessing the forgiveness of sins. I do not think this view of our Lord's mind as to His own
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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