Lev 5:4-13 | TNotes | STEP | 5:4 Oaths could be taken in the name of the Lord. However, a foolish vow, one thoughtlessly made, was a blasphemous misuse of the Lord’s name (Exod 20:7 ). Accordingly, vows must be fulfilled (see Num 30:2 ; Deut 23:21-23 ; Eccl 5:4-6 ).

5:4 ^a Oaths could be taken in the name of the Lord. However, a foolish vow, one thoughtlessly made, was a blasphemous misuse of the Lord’s name (Exod 20:7 ^b). Accordingly, vows must be fulfilled (see Num 30:2 ^c; Deut 23:21-23 ^d; Eccl 5:4-6 ^e).
5:5 ^f When you become aware of your guilt: All the situations that required a sin offering assumed guilt by accident or ignorance. As soon as a person became aware of having done something improper, he or she became guilty and was required to attend to it. Known sins were to be dealt with; it was a sin in itself to know what was right and not do it (see 5:17 ^g; Jas 4:17 ^h).

• confess: Sacrifice for sin without admission of guilt would be a meaningless ritual. When the sacrificial animal was presented to the priest, the worshiper likely told the priest why it was being offered.
5:6 ⁱ The penalty was apparently fulfilled by the required sacrifice (see study note on 4:1–5:13).

• The actions described in 5:1-5 ^j best fit those of a layperson, so a female offering was permitted, in keeping with the principle demonstrated in 4:28 ^k, 32 ^l.
Summary for Lev 5:7-13: 5:7-13 ^m The poor also needed to secure atonement and reconciliation. Birds (5:7 ⁿ) were permitted for those too poor to afford a lamb (cp. 1:14-17 ^o). Although an animal offering was typically required for atonement (17:11 ^p), God in his grace allowed the bloodless offering of flour if the worshiper could not even afford two birds (5:11 ^q). 5:7 ^r The sin offerings included both a portion as a burnt offering and a portion that was first offered, then given to the priests (cp. 4:22-35 ^s; 6:24-30 ^t). Because of their small size, two birds were required—one for each type of offering.
5:11 ^u The sin offering was not to be adorned with olive oil or ... frankincense. These were required for the grain offering, which was the individual’s gift to the Lord (see 2:1 ^v), given to express worship. The sin offering made atonement; its purpose was to obtain forgiveness, requiring that the offering be completely unadorned.
5:13 ^w making them right: See study notes on 1:4; 4:20.

• rest of the flour: See study note on 2:3.