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.
He must pay back for any damage he caused to something holy, plus add one-fifth more to it, and give it all to the priest. Then the priest will make things right between him and God by offering the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.
This verse shows that when someone accidentally damages something sacred, they must pay full restitution plus 20% extra, and then receive God's forgiveness through a priest's sacrifice.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, which included detailed instructions for offerings and sacrifices to maintain purity and holiness among the people. Leviticus 5:16 specifically deals with unintentional sins against sacred things, requiring the offender to make restitution by adding a fifth to the value of what was wronged and offering a ram as a guilt offering for atonement. This practice underscored the importance of accountability and reconciliation in a community that relied on the priesthood to mediate between God and the people.
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