Leviticus 5:4

Leviticus 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
• English Standard Version (ESV)or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these;
• New King James Version (NKJV)‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt.

Context of Leviticus 5:4

2“ ‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realize their guilt; 3or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— 5when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned. 6As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.

Leviticus 5:4 word by word

א֣וֹ נֶ֡פֶשׁ כִּ֣י תִשָּׁבַע֩ לְבַטֵּ֨א בִשְׂפָתַ֜יִם לְהָרַ֣ע׀ א֣וֹ לְהֵיטִ֗יב לְ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְבַטֵּ֧א הָאָדָ֛ם בִּשְׁבֻעָ֖ה וְנֶעְלַ֣ם מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְהוּא־יָדַ֥ע וְאָשֵׁ֖ם לְאַחַ֥ת מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Or if a soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: personH5315
• swearשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• pronouncingבָּטָהbâţâ' bâţâh · to speak rashlyH981
• lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
• to do evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• or to do goodיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• that a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• with an oathשְׁבוּעָהshebû‛âh · oathH7621
• and it be hidעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
• from him; when he knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• then he shall be guiltyאָשַׁם'âsham 'âshêm · be guiltyH816
• in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259

Cross-references for Leviticus 5:4

• Leviticus 27:2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value,
• Joshua 2:14“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
• Joshua 9:15Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
• Judges 9:19So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too!
• Judges 11:31whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
• Judges 21:7“How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?”
• 1 Samuel 1:11And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
• 1 Samuel 24:21Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
• 1 Samuel 25:22May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”
• 2 Samuel 21:7The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
• 2 Kings 6:31He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”
• Psalms 132:2He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
• Ecclesiastes 5:2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
• Ezekiel 17:18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
• Matthew 14:7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

Commentaries on Leviticus 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4To do evil, or to do good - It is very likely that rash promises are here intended; for if a man vow to do an act that is evil, though it would be criminal to keep such an oath or vow, yet he is guilty because he made it, and therefore must offer the trespass-offering. If he neglect to do the good he has vowed, he is guilty, and must in both cases confess his iniquity, and bring his trespass-offering.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-13Verses 1-13 Special occasions are mentioned on which sin-offerings are to be made with a particular confession of the offence for which atonement is sought Leviticus 5:5. Leviticus 5:1 Swearing - Adjuration. The case appears to be that of one who has been put upon his oath as a witness by a magistrate, and fails to utter all he has seen and heard (compare the marginal references. and Proverbs 29:24; Numbers 5:21). Leviticus 5:2-3 Hid from him - Either…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4People were allowed to take oaths in the name of the Lord. But making a foolish or careless vow misused the Lord’s name and showed disrespect (Exodus 20:7). For this reason, the law required people to keep the vows they made (see Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21–23; Ecclesiastes 5:4–6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-194. if a soul swear--a rash oath, without duly considering the nature and consequences of the oath, perhaps inconsiderately binding himself to do anything wrong, or neglecting to perform a vow to do something good. In all such cases a person might have transgressed one of the divine commandments unwittingly, and have been afterwards brought to a sense of his delinquency.Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 5:4

• Defilement
• Ignorance
• Sin
• Vows

In the dictionaries

• Harm
• Sinoffering
• Thereunto
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Good
• Guilt
• Heifer, Red
• Law in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Leviticus 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings