Numbers 5:6

6 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Every man or woman who shall commit any sin that is common to man, or if that soul shall in anywise have neglected the commandment and transgressed;

Numbers 5:6 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 5:6

Speak unto the children of Israel
Put them in mind of the following law, that they observe it; and which is here repeated, because of two new things in it, as Jarchi observes, the one relates to confession, teaching that there is no fifth part nor trespass offering by witnesses, till a man confesses the thing; and the other is, concerning taking anything away by violence from a proselyte, which is to be given to the priests; see the original law in ( Leviticus 6:1-7 ) ;

when a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit;
or, "any of the sins of men" ^F5, which are commonly done by men, and men are subject to through the infirmity of the flesh, and the temptations of Satan; or "any sin against man" ^F6, so some, as this referred to is expressly said to be, ( Numbers 5:7 ) ;

to do a trespass against the Lord;
for every sin against man is also against the Lord, being a breach of his command; as David's sin against Uriah was a sin against the Lord, ( Psalms 51:4 ) ; though the Jews understand it particularly of lying and swearing falsely, appealing to God, and calling him to be a witness to a falsehood; and so the Targum of Onkelos seems to interpret it:

and the person be guilty;
and knows he is so, and even knew it when he took an oath to the contrary; see ( Leviticus 6:3 Leviticus 6:4 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Mdah tajx lkm) "ex omnibus peccatis hominis", Montanus.
F6 "Ex omnibus peccatis contra hominem", Tigurine version; so Patrick.

Numbers 5:6 In-Context

4 And the children of Israel did so, and sent them out of the camp: as the Lord said to Moses, so did the children of Israel.

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

6 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Every man or woman who shall commit any sin that is common to man, or if that soul shall in anywise have neglected the commandment and transgressed;

7 shall confess the sin which he has committed, and shall make satisfaction for his trespass: he the principal, and shall add to it the fifth part, and shall make restoration to him against whom he has trespassed.

8 But if a man have no near kinsman, so as to make satisfaction for his trespass to him, the trespass-offering paid to the Lord shall be for the priest, besides the ram of atonement, by which he shall make atonement with it for him.