shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he know eth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.

5 And it shall be, when he shall

4.-In taking a rash Oath.

4. If a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips, &c. That is, when a man swears rashly that he will or will not do such and such a thing, as David, that he would kill Nabal; Jepthah, that he would sacrifice to the Lord whatsoever should meet him coming out of his doors, &c. The original word

sidered so far obligatory, that it was necessary to expiate its non-fulfilment by an offering; and it was at the same time, the best possible means of weaning the people from rash oaths, because the man who had become addicted to that unbecoming practice, would find himself too frequently obliged either to keep his oaths, how great soever the inconvenience, or else to make offerings bûtâ, rendered pronounce, has the im- for their atonement.'-Comment. on port of rashly, inconsiderately, or fool- Laws of Moses, v. 4, p. 111.————¶ And | ishly uttering any thing, as may be it be hid from him. It supposes that he seen, Ps. 106. 33, where it is said of did not rightly understand or duly conMoses that he spake unadvisedly (Heb. sider the circumstances of his swearing, * yebatta) with his lips.' So Prov. as whether the object were lawful, or 12. 18, There is that speaketh (Heb. the performance of it in his power. If N botë, speaketh rashly) like the these matters were hidden from him,' piercings of a sword.' Thus also Num. or he was not properly aware of them, 30. 6, 8, the phrase ' uttered ought with he was bound to atone for the hastiness her lips, is in Heb. mibta, the and rashness of his oath by a sacrifice. rash or incautious utterance of the lips. From the Heb. root is probably formed the Gr. Barros battos, and Barroλoyia baltologia, rash, vain, heedless speaking, which occurs Mat. 6. 7, 'But when ye pray use not vain repetitions (Gr. BaTTokoyia battologia) as the heathens do ;' i. e. do not indulge in rash or inconsiderate professions; speak not unadvisedly to your Maker in prayer, either in making vows or promises, whatever may be the warmth of your devotions. The import of the precept is doubtless the same as that contained Eccl. 5.2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God.' The present rendering, vain repetitions,' does not ' seem to be warranted by sufficient authority. As to the law itself, it served very effectually,' says Michaelis, 'to maintain the honor of oaths, inasmuch as every oath, however inconsiderate, or unlawful, or impossible, was con

¶ Then he shall be guilty in one of these. Rather, and he shall be guilty in one of these,' i. e. one of the three cases above propounded.

5. When he shall be guilty in one of these things. That is, in one of the four sins just mentioned. The words seem to be merely a repetition of the final clause of the preceding verse.T Shall confess. At the same time laying his hands on the head of the victim, in token of his faith in the great atoning sacrifice. The offering was not acceptable unless accompanied with a penitential confession, and an humble prayer for pardon. The form of the confession was substantially this: ‘I have sinned; I have done iniquity; I have trespassed, and have done thus and thus; and do return my repentance before thee; and with this I make atonement.' The animal was then considered to bear vicariously the sins of the person who brought it.

6 And he shall bring his trespassoffering 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.

7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two kturtle-dovés, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a

i ch. 12. 8. and 14. 21, k ch. 1. 14.

he has violated, when he has served out the time of his sentence in prison, or paid the prescribed pecuniary penalty.

6. He shall bring his trespass-offering. Heb. 1 ashâmo, which may be rendered guilt-offering, as the original Dux asham properly signifies guilti-To a man who had offended without ness or trespass, just as the word ren- detection, except by his own conscience, dered sin-offering,' ch. 4, literally sig- the system would have an admirable nifies sin or transgression. The one as application. It would never suffer his well as the other pointed to Christ, of conscience to sleep, till he had informed whom it is said, Is. 53. 10, 'Thou shalt against himself. It would be perpetu make his soul an offering for sin (DLNally addressing him with the offer to asham, a guilt or trespass-offering).' | restore him to a fair standing, and to -¶ The priest shall make an atone- self-respect, as soon as he would come ment for him. As the atonement was forward, avow his offence, present his not accepted without his repentance, so offering, or (to phrase it differently) his repentance would not justify him pay his fine, and make restitution to without the atonement. In regard to those whom he had injured, if the case the excellent uses of this feature of the was such, as to admit of this being general system of Levitical laws, we done. And, once more, the system was cite the remarks of Prof. Palfrey: If of excellent influence in putting the lean offence were committed in ignorance, gal penalty of fine in the form of a rethe offender, it is true, would not be ligious offering. The wrong-doer, while culpable, except for having neglected he gave satisfaction to the state, and to inform himself concerning the char-paid the fine of his delinquency, was acter of his act. But his sin done una-thus reminded, that it was not only wares might injure his neighbor as much against the state that he had offended, as if it had been committed against and was at the same time made to exlight; and society is interested in pre- press the penitence of his heart to God.' venting that ignorance of the law among-Lect. on Jew. Antiq. vol. 1, p. 250. its members which allows them to do 7. And if he be not able to bring a

? אם לו תגרע ידו די שה .it harr. He who had unintentionally lamb. Heb

transgressed a law, then, being called to taggia yâdo dë sëh, if his hand reach on, as soon as he came to know the ille- not to the sufficiency (or value) of a gality of what had been done, to put lamb. This was ordained that the himself to expense because of it, found means of atonement might be within himself addressed by a motive to avoid the ability of all classes. In reference such a mistake in future; in other to these offerings, Maimonides says, words, to acquaint himself with the law. If a poor man brought the oblation of. The presumptuous offender was pun- the rich, he was accepted; but if the ished, in the form of a Sin or Trespass-rich brought the oblation of the poor, offering, by a fine, by which he made he was not accepted.' Pigeons were so atonement,' just as in our day, a man plenteous in Palestine and the neigh. has made his atonement, or his recon-boring countries, that he must have been ciliation, with the society whose laws | poor indeed, who could not afford a pair.

sin-offering, and the other for ournt-offering.

a

for a burnt-offering, according to the manner and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asun-two turtle-doves, or two young pi

der:

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sinoffering.

10 And he shall offer the second

1 ch. 1. 15. m ch. 4. 7, 18, 30, 34, Adrichomius, the traveler, tells us that there was a single tower to the south of Jerusalem, in which 5000 doves nestled. Maundrell also remarks of Kefteen, in Syria, that the adjacent fields abounding with corn give the inhabitants great advantage for breeding pigeons, insomuch that you here find more dove-cotes than other houses.'

11 ¶ But if he be not able to bring

geons; then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sinoffering; she shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin-offering.

12 Then shall he bring it to the

n ch. 1. 14. • ch. 4. 26. P Numb. 5. 15.

- One for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering; it being necessary for the sinner first to have his peace made with God by the sinoffering, in order to have his burnt-of-' fering or gift accepted.

statutes, appears very conspicuous here. If any one were so impoverished that even an offering of two or three birds were not easily within his reach, then a slight oblation of flour was acceptable in its stead. But while we admire the graciousness of heaven in this respect, let us not fail to observe that the offence was invariably to be followed by some kind of atonement, in order to generate habits of the utmost vigilance and circumspection in all their deportment. 'God may be represented,' says R. Levi, as declaring in this precept, It is not my will that such things should be done ; 8. Wring off his head. Rather 'pinch but if any man commit them through or nip the head with the nail,' as ex-frailty, let him repent heartily, and plained in the Note on Lev. 1. 15. It does not appear that the head was to be quite separated from the body.

keep a stricter guard over himself in future. Let him offer sacrifices which may serve to imprint the remembrance 10. According to the manner. Heb. of his guilt on his mind, and likewise Down kammishpât, according to the to prevent him from offending again.' judgment, i. e. according to the ordi- | The prescribed offering in this case was nance or statute; the original term the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour, mishpût being used to signify or about three quarts, as the ephah conthe prescribed mode of doing any thing,tained a little more than seven gallons particular in the matter of religious services.- -¶ For his sin. Heb. TODD mëʼhattatho, from his sin; 1. e. cleansing him from it.

11. But if he be not able to bring two turtle-doves. The kind consideration of the ability and circumstances of the offender, which distinguishes all these

and a half.

This was to be offered without oil, not only because that would make it too costly for the poor, but be cause it was a sin-offering, and there. fore to show the loathsomeness of the sin for which it was offered, it must not be grateful either to the taste by oil, or to the smell by frankincense,

priest, and the priest shall take his | shall bring for his trespass unto the handful of it, even a memorial LORD a ram without blemish out thereof, and burn it on the altar, of the flocks, with thy estimation raccording to the offerings made by shekels of silver, after ythe sheby fire unto the LORD: it is a sin-kel of the sanctuary, for a trespassoffering. offering:

13 sAnd the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and it the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat-offering. 14 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

15 ulf a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he

12. Shall take his handful of it. Heb. 13 Da prap kûmetz mimmenu melo kamtzo, shall grasp of it the fulness of his grasping. This was peculiar to all the meat-offerings, that a handful as a memorial should be burnt on the altar, while the remainder was eaten by the priests, except in the case of the priests' own offerings of this kind, which were all burnt, as appears from Lev. 6. 16, 22, 23.¶ According to the offerings. See Note on Lev. 4. 35.

16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and zshall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; aand the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

17 And if a bsoul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the com

y Exod. 30. 13. ch. 27. 25. z ch. 6, 5, and 22. 14. and 27. 13, 15, 27, 31. Numb. 5. 7. a ch. 4. 26. b ch. 4. 2.

port of prevaricating or dealing fraudulently, especially in matters of religion. — In the holy things of the Lord. -¶ As for instance by not paying his full tithes; by neglecting to consecrate or redeem the first born; by appropriating to his own use the first-fruits; or by eating any of those parts of the sacrifice which pertained to the priests. This was a trespass; an offence which it is here supposed might be done through mistake, forgetfulness, or want of care 13. In one of these. That is, by one or zeal; for if it were done presumptuof these three before mentioned sacri- ously, in contempt of the law, the fices, either that of a lamb, or of two offender died without mercy, Heb. 10. turtle-doves or young pigeons, or of 28.¶ With thine estimation. Or, fine flour. Rashi observes that as there 'with thy valulation.' That is, with were threc classes of men, the rich, the so much money as should be an adepoor, and the very poor; so there are quate satisfaction for the wrong done to three kinds of offerings prescribed in the priest. This estimation was to be this chapter, adapted to the circum-made by the priest, as appears from stances of these several classes.

Ignorance.

Lev. 27. 8, 12. Or it may mean, as the ancient versions generally understood

5.—For a Trespass committed through it, that the ram should be at least of the value of two shekels, the plural for the dual.- · After the shekel of the ṣanc

14. If a soul commit a trespass. Heb. 33timal maal, trespass a tres-tuary. See Note on Ex. 30. 13.

pass. The original word is different from that which has hitherto been rendered trespass, and has mainly the im

6.—The Doubtful Trespass.

17. If a soul sin, &c. In order søll

C

mandments of the LORD; though | priest shall make an atonement he wist not, yet is he "guilty, for him concerning his ignorance and shall bear his iniquity. wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. 19 It is a trespass-offering: she

18 e And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock,

with thy estimation, for a trespass-hath certainly trespassed against offering unto the priest; fand the the LORD.

© ver. 15. ch. 4. 2, 13, 22, 27. Ps. 19. 12. Luke 12. 48. ver. 1. 2. ver. 15. ver. 16.

s Ezra 10. 2.

(7.) 'If he be not able to bring a lamb.' It is not the greatness of the gift but the heart of the giver, which God regards.

more effectually to deter the chosen does this apply to such sins as brought race from all irreverence towards any dishonor upon the holy name of God. thing peculiarly dedicated to God and A man may be patient in regard to his service, it is here enacted, that if wrongs done to himself, but not in regard any one sinned in regard to the use of to those that are done to the Most High. things which he only suspected to be (5.) 'Shall confess that he hath sin sacred-about which he was left in sus- ned in that thing.' Confession of sin, pense whether he had offended or not-in order to be acceptable, must be pareven in this case, that he might be sure ticular. Such was David's confession; of being on the safe side, he was to'I have done this evil;' and such bring his ram as a tresspasser, and pay Achan's. It is not enough to rest in the value of the thing according to the generals. priest's estimation, as ordered v. 15, only with this difference, that the additional prescribed fifth part was here to be dispensed with, inasmuch as there was some uncertainty whether he had actually transgressed or no. It would perhaps seem, from the letter of the two passages, that the case here mentioned was the same with that in the preceding ch., v. 27, yet the different offerings prescribed seem to preclude this idea. In the former case the sacrifice appointed was a kid of the goats or a female lamb; but in the present, anfession, restitution, all the feelings unblemished ram was prescribed. The previous passage, moreover, is to be understood of moral prohibitions, of things concerning others; this on the other hand, has respect to ceremonial | precepts touching sacrifices or other things pertaining to divine worship.

REMARKS.-(1.) We are not to account our duty discharged merely by avoiding sin ourselves; we are bound to use our utmost endeavors to prevent it in others, and not to shrink from the responsibility or odium of bearing public testimony against it. Especially

(16.) Shall make amends.' Repentance for wrong done to our neighbor is incomplete unless accompanied by restitution.

(18.) The priest shall make atonement for him.' The great Christian doctrine that to the atonement alone we owe all our pardon and peace, is here prominently set forth. Contrition, con

which accompany, and all the works which are meet for repentance, are indispensable; but it is faith in the atonement of Christ which justifies. Upon that alone must the penitent's hope be placed. While he weeps tears of grief and shame, while he renounces all his evil ways, while he strives to undo all the evil which he has previously done, the sacrifice of Christ must be looked to as the only meritorious cause, as the only appointed method of mercy. For this his earnest application must bẹ made; without this his professed re pentance will avail him nothing.