The Meaning of Leviticus 5:1 Explained

Leviticus 5:1

KJV: 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.

YLT: And when a person doth sin, and hath heard the voice of an oath, and he is witness, or hath seen, or hath known -- if he declare not, then he hath borne his iniquity:

Darby: And if any one sin, and hear the voice of adjuration, and he is a witness whether he hath seen or known it, if he do not give information, then he shall bear his iniquity.

ASV: And if any one sin, in that he heareth the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he hath seen or known, if he do not utter it , then he shall bear his iniquity.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Leviticus 5:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 5:1-13 - Trespass-Offerings For Various Sins
The sin-offering was closely resembled by the trespass-offering; but they differed in this: that the former was meant to fix the thought of the sinner rather on the evil of his character, and that there was within him a root of bitterness and a poisonous fountain. But the latter deals with the acts of transgression to which this evil character gives rise, and more especially with the harm which it inflicts on others. We need to confess our trespasses as often as we eat our daily bread; and it is very reassuring that, through the blood of Jesus, God forgives all our trespasses. See Colossians 2:13.
It is very touching to notice the provision made for the very poor. Mary, the mother of our Lord, had to content herself with the two pigeons or turtle doves of Leviticus 5:11. But none of us are exempted. We cannot come to the close of any day without kneeling to confess our sins and asking that we may be sprinkled from an evil conscience. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 5

1  He who sins in concealing his knowledge
2  in touching an unclean thing
4  or in making an oath
6  His trespass offering, of the flock
7  of fowls
11  or of flour
14  The trespass offering in sacrilege
17  and in sins of ignorance

What do the individual words in Leviticus 5:1 mean?

And a person if sins and in hearing the utterance of an oath and is a witness whether he has seen or known [of the matter] if] not he does tell [it] and he bears guilt
וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ כִּֽי־ תֶחֱטָ֗א וְשָֽׁמְעָה֙ ק֣וֹל אָלָ֔ה וְה֣וּא עֵ֔ד א֥וֹ רָאָ֖ה א֣וֹ יָדָ֑ע אִם־ ל֥וֹא יַגִּ֖יד וְנָשָׂ֥א עֲוֺנֽוֹ

וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ  And  a  person 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
תֶחֱטָ֗א  sins 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
וְשָֽׁמְעָה֙  and  in  hearing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
ק֣וֹל  the  utterance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
אָלָ֔ה  of  an  oath 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָלָה  
Sense: oath.
וְה֣וּא  and  is 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
עֵ֔ד  a  witness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
א֥וֹ  whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אֹו 
Sense: or, rather.
רָאָ֖ה  he  has  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יָדָ֑ע  known  [of  the  matter] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יַגִּ֖יד  he  does  tell  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
וְנָשָׂ֥א  and  he  bears 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֲוֺנֽוֹ  guilt 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.