Leviticus 5:3

5:3 or when he touches human uncleanness with regard to anything by which he can become unclean, ¹  even if he did not realize it, but he himself has later come to know it and is guilty;

Leviticus 5:6

5:6 and he must bring his penalty for guilt ²  to the Lord for his sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, whether a female sheep or a female goat, for a sin offering. So the priest will make atonement ³  on his behalf for ⁴  his sin.

Leviticus 5:17

Unknown trespass

5:17 “If a person sins and violates any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated ⁵  (although he did not know it at the time, ⁶  but later realizes he is guilty), then he will bear his punishment for iniquity ⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “or if he touches uncleanness of mankind to any of his uncleanness which he becomes unclean in it.”

² tn In this context the word for “guilt” (אָשָׁם, ’asham) refers to the “penalty” for incurring guilt, the so-called consequential אָשָׁם (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:303; cf. the note on Lev 5:1).

³ sn The focus of sin offering “atonement” was purging impurities from the tabernacle (see the note on Lev 1:4).

⁴ tn See the note on 4:26 regarding the use of מִן (min).

⁵ tn Heb “and does one from all of the commandments of the Lord which must not be done.”

⁶ tn The words “at the time” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

⁷ tn Heb “and he did not know, and he shall be guilty and he shall bear his iniquity” (for the rendering “bear his punishment [for iniquity]”) see the note on Lev 5:1.) This portion of v. 17 is especially difficult. The translation offered here suggests (as in many other English versions) that the offender did not originally know that he had violated the Lord’s commandments, but then came to know it and dealt with it accordingly (cf. the corresponding sin offering section in Lev 5:1-4). Another possibility is that it refers to a situation where a person suspects that he violated something although he does not recollect it. Thus, he brings a guilt offering for his suspected violation (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:331-34, 361-63). See also R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:561-62.