Leviticus 5:15

My Notes

What Does Leviticus 5:15 Mean?

Leviticus 5:15 addresses a problem most legal systems ignore: unintentional violation of sacred things. The trespass offering (Hebrew 'asham — guilt offering, reparation offering) covered sins committed in ignorance — particularly against "the holy things of the LORD."

"If a soul commit a trespass" — the Hebrew ki-tim'ol ma'al (if a soul acts unfaithfully, commits a breach of trust) uses ma'al — a word for treachery, unfaithfulness, breach of covenant. The English "trespass" is too weak. This is a violation of trust — acting faithlessly against someone to whom you owe loyalty.

"And sin through ignorance" — the Hebrew vĕchat'ah bishgagah (and sin inadvertently, through error, by mistake) specifies that the violation was unintentional. The Hebrew shĕgagah (error, inadvertence, accidental sin) means the person didn't know they were sinning at the time. The sin was real. The awareness wasn't.

"In the holy things of the LORD" — the Hebrew miqqodshey Yahweh (from/in the holy things of the LORD) identifies the specific domain: sacred things. These might include tithes, firstfruits, dedicated offerings, or anything set apart for God's service. A person might accidentally eat food dedicated to the priests, or unknowingly use something consecrated for common purposes.

"Then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish" — the Hebrew 'ayil tamim (a ram without defect) — a substantial offering, more costly than the lambs and goats used in other sacrifices. The value of the offering matches the seriousness of the offense.

"With thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary" — the Hebrew bĕ'erkĕkha kesef-shĕqalim bĕsheqel-haqqodesh (at your valuation in silver shekels, by the sanctuary shekel) adds a monetary component. The guilty party must not only sacrifice a ram but also make financial restitution — paying the value of what was violated plus an additional twenty percent (v. 16). The trespass offering combines sacrifice (for the sin) with restitution (for the damage).

The verse establishes a profound principle: you can sin without knowing it, and unknowing sin still requires atonement. Ignorance of the violation doesn't remove the violation. The holiness of God's things isn't diminished by your unawareness of having breached it.

Reflection Questions

• 1.You can sin without knowing it, and it still requires atonement. How do you respond to the idea that ignorance doesn't remove guilt — that the line exists whether you see it or not?
• 2.The trespass offering combines sacrifice (for the sin) and restitution (for the damage). Where might you need to not only confess but also make practical repair for harm you caused unknowingly?
• 3.The sin is specifically against 'holy things' — sacred boundaries. What sacred things in your life might you be treating as common without realizing it?
• 4.The offering requires the sin's value plus twenty percent. What does that 'extra' suggest about God's standard for making things right — that restoration should exceed the damage?

Devotional

You can sin without knowing it. And the sin still counts.

That's the uncomfortable truth Leviticus 5:15 addresses. Someone unknowingly violated something sacred — ate what was set apart for priests, used what was dedicated to God for common purposes, accidentally crossed a line they didn't see. No malice. No intention. No awareness. And the sin was still real. It still needed atonement. It still required a ram without blemish and financial restitution.

This offends our sense of fairness. We instinctively believe that intention determines guilt — that if you didn't mean to do it, it shouldn't count. Leviticus says otherwise. The holiness of God's things isn't contingent on your awareness of their holiness. The line exists whether you see it or not. And crossing it — even blindfolded — creates a breach that needs repair.

The trespass offering (asham) is unique because it combines two things: sacrifice and restitution. The ram addresses the sin — the spiritual breach, the violation of God's holiness. The silver addresses the damage — the practical harm done to the sacred thing that was misused. You can't just say sorry and move on. You have to repair what was broken. Pay back what was taken. Plus twenty percent.

This has implications far beyond the Levitical system. You can hurt people without knowing it. You can cross boundaries you didn't see. You can violate sacred things — relationships, trusts, callings — through ignorance rather than malice. And the damage is real regardless of your awareness.

The good news embedded in this verse is that there's a remedy. The sin of ignorance isn't unforgivable. It has an offering. It has a path of repair. But the repair requires both the sacrifice (acknowledging the sin before God) and the restitution (making right what was damaged). Awareness, when it comes, demands response.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture