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Numbers 5:7

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 5:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “then he shall confess his sin which he hath done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

then he shall confess his sin which he hath done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.
Numbers 5:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp; as Jehovah spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
6Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Jehovah, and that soul shall be guilty;
7then he shall confess his sin which he hath done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.
8But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made unto Jehovah shall be the priest`s; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him.
9And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present unto the priest, shall be his.
10And every man`s hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
← Numbers 5:6Numbers 5:8 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Then they shall confess their sin which they have done, etc.] The form of which confession, according to Fagius, was, O Lord, I am guilty of death, I have deserved to be stoned for this sin, or to be strangled for this trespass, or to be burnt for this crime, etc. and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth [part] thereof; paying the whole of whatsoever he had in any manner defrauded his neighbour of, to which he was to add a fifth part of that; that is, as Aben Ezra interprets it, it he confesses of himself, but if there are witnesses of it he must add two fifths, and some say a fifth of a fifth: and give [it] unto [him] against whom he hath…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The law of restitution: a passage supplementary to Leviticus 5:5, etc., Leviticus 6:5, etc. Numbers 5:7 Recompense his trespass - i. e. make restitution to the person whom he has injured. Numbers 5:8 Whereby an atonement shall be made for him - literally, “which shall clear him of guilt as to it,” i. e. as to the trespass. Numbers 5:10 And every man’s hallowed things shall be his - i. e. the priest’s. The heave offerings Numbers 5:9 and dedicatory offerings (e. g. first-fruits) were to be the perquisite of the officiating priests. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“They shall confess their sin - They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, but give glory to God, and take shame to themselves by acknowledging it. The principal - That is, the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it. And add - Both as a compensation to the injured person for the want of his goods so long, and as a penalty upon the injurious dealer, to discourage others from such attempts. Numbers 5:8”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“5:7 This restitution and the guilt offering (see Lev 6–7) associated with the sin was intended to inculcate a heightened sense of individual responsibility to God’s holiness.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“confess: Lev 5:5, Lev 26:40; Jos 7:19; Job 33:27, Job 33:28; Psa 32:5; Pro 28:13; Jo1 1:8-10 and he shall: Not only confession, but restitution, in every possible case, is necessary in order to obtain forgiveness. with the principal: Lev 5:15, Lev 6:4-7, Lev 7:7; Luk 19:8 Numbers 5:8”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification