translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LEV

label: NET study note

text: Lev 5:2-3 are parallel laws of uncleanness (contracted from animals and people, respectively), and both seem to assume that the contraction of uncleanness was originally unknown to the person (vv. 2 and 3 ) but became known to him or her at a later time (v. 3 ; i.e., “has come to know” in v. 3 is to be assumed for v. 2 as well). Uncleanness itself did not make a person “guilty” unless he or she failed to handle it according to the normal purification regulations (see, e.g., “wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening,” Lev 15:5 NIV; cf. Lev 11:39-40; 15:5-12, 16-24 ; , etc.). The problem here in Lev 5:2-3 is that, because the person had not been aware of his or her uncleanness, he or she had incurred guilt for not carrying out these regular procedures, and it would now be too late for that. Thus, the unclean person needs to bring a sin offering to atone for the contamination caused by his or her neglect of the purity regulations.


text: The focus of sin offering “atonement” was purging impurities from the tabernacle (see the note on Lev 1:4 ).


text: The action seems to involve both a twisting action, breaking the neck of the bird and severing its vertebrae, as well as pinching or nipping the skin, but in this case not severing the head from the main body (note the rest of this verse).


text: The term “[standard] regulation” ( מִשְׁפָּט , mishppat ) here refers to the set of regulations for burnt offering birds in Lev 1:14-17 .


text: A tenth of an ephah would be about 2.3 liters, one day’s ration for a single person (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:306). English versions handle the amount somewhat differently, cf. NCV “about two quarts”; TEV “one kilogramme”; CEV “two pounds.”


text: The “memorial portion” ( אַזְכָּרָה , ’ azkkarah ) was the part of the grain offering that was burnt on the altar ( Lev 2:2 ), as opposed to the remainder, which was normally consumed by the priests ( Lev 2:3 ; see the full regulations in Lev 6:14-23 [ 6:7-16 HT]). It was probably intended to call to mind (i.e., memorialize) before the Lord the reason for the presentation of the particular offering (see the remarks in R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:335-39).


text: The quotation introduced here extends from Lev 5:14 through 5:19 , encompassing the first main section of guilt offering regulations. Compare the notes on Lev 1:1; 4:1; and 6:1 [5:20 HT].


text: Heb “from the holy things of the Lord .” The Hebrew expression here has the same structure as Lev 4:2 , “from any of the commandments of the Lord .” The latter introduces the sin offering regulations and the former the guilt offering regulations. The sin offering deals with violations of “any of the commandments,” whereas the guilt offering focuses specifically on violations of regulations regarding “holy things” (i.e., things that have been consecrated to the Lord ; see the full discussion in J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:320-27).


text: Regarding “make atonement” see the note on Lev 1:4 .