The Meaning of Leviticus 5:16 Explained

Leviticus 5:16

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

YLT: 'And that which he hath sinned against the holy thing he repayeth, and its fifth is adding to it, and hath given it to the priest, and the priest maketh atonement for him with the ram of the guilt-offering, and it hath been forgiven him.

Darby: And he shall make restitution for the wrong that he hath done in the holy things, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and shall give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

ASV: and he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Leviticus 5:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 5:14-19 - Trespass-Offerings And Restitution
The root idea of the Hebrew word for trespass is "failure of duty through negligence." In addition to the sin itself, which is against God, as the august Custodian of the law and order of the universe, the injury, which such negligence inflicts upon one's neighbor, must be met by a compensation and fine. Any sum which another has lost through us should, of course, be repaid, and a fifth part added, if required. But probably, the main lesson of the trespass-offering is that we cannot injure any fellow-creature without offending against God. Our offence penetrates beyond the thin veil of humanity and the visible universe into the unseen Holy.
In dealing with all failures in regard to our fellows, there are three points, therefore, always to bear in mind: First, we must confess the sin to God; second, we must seek out our brother and confess to him, and ask his forgiveness, that we may win him, as our Lord said, Matthew 18:15; and, third, we must make restitution, with an addition. This was the teaching under the Law. Should it be less under the Gospel of love? [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 5:16 mean?

and that for the harm he has done in regard to the holy thing he shall make restitution and a fifth shall add to it and give it to the priest So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering and it shall be forgiven him -
וְאֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר֩ חָטָ֨א מִן־ הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ יְשַׁלֵּ֗ם וְאֶת־ חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֔יו וְנָתַ֥ן אֹת֖וֹ לַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו בְּאֵ֥יל הָאָשָׁ֖ם וְנִסְלַ֥ח לֽוֹ פ

אֲשֶׁר֩  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָטָ֨א  for  the  harm  he  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
מִן־  in  regard  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ  the  holy  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
יְשַׁלֵּ֗ם  he  shall  make  restitution 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙  a  fifth 
Parse: Number, ordinal feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲמִישִׁי  
Sense: ordinal number, 5th.
יוֹסֵ֣ף  shall  add 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
עָלָ֔יו  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְנָתַ֥ן  and  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַכֹּהֵ֑ן  to  the  priest 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן  So  the  priest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
יְכַפֵּ֥ר  shall  make  atonement 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּפַר 
Sense: to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch.
עָלָ֛יו  for  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בְּאֵ֥יל  with  the  ram 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
הָאָשָׁ֖ם  of  the  trespass  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָשָׁם  
Sense: guilt, offense, guiltiness.
וְנִסְלַ֥ח  and  it  shall  be  forgiven 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַח  
Sense: to forgive, pardon.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation