Leviticus 5:19 — Word Study
WLCאָשָׁ֖ם ה֑וּא אָשֹׁ֥ם אָשַׁ֖ם לַיהוָֽה׃ פ
BSAIthûwʼ ◂is a guilt offeringʼâshâm [trespass, offense, to atone for sin] ◂he was certainly guiltyʼâsham [undeniably, without a doubt, responsible, at fault] before the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the supreme God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אָשָׁ֖ם | [is] a guilt offering | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| ה֑וּא | it | Pronoun |
| אָשֹׁ֥ם | certainly | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| אָשַׁ֖ם | he was guilty | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| לַיהוָֽה׃ פ | to Yahweh | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.” |
| KJV | It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD. |
| ASV | It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Jehovah. |
| YLT | it [is] a guilt-offering; he hath been certainly guilty before Jehovah.' |
| WEB | It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before Yahweh.” |
| BBE | It is an offering for his error: he is certainly responsible before the Lord. |
Where they part company is אָשָׁם — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with supporting phrases that clarify the subject's state of guilt.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהוּא
verbאָשַׁם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 5:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for Guilt Offeringsgenerated
Leviticus 5:19 is part of the legal framework given to the Israelites concerning guilt offerings. This section outlines the requirements for making restitution when someone has sinned, emphasizing the importance of atonement and the acknowledgment of guilt before the LORD. The surrounding verses provide context for the types of offenses that necessitate such offerings, illustrating the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation with God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 10:2 | Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel. |
| 2 | Psalm 51:4 | Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. |
| 3 | Malachi 3:8 | Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. |
| 4 | 2 Corinthians 5:19–21 | that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אָשָׁם, 'a.Shamgenerated
The Hebrew word אָשָׁם (asham) refers to guilt or a fault, often requiring a sin offering. It encompasses the idea of a trespass or offense against God, indicating a need for atonement. The parsing as a noun in the masculine singular highlights its role as a specific offering.
This word is used in legal contexts to signify responsibility for wrongdoing. The association with atonement is crucial, as it reflects the need for a means to compensate for the offense committed against God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb אָשַׁם (he was guilty) governs the structure of the verse, indicating the state of guilt. The subject is introduced with the pronoun הוּא (it), and the adverbial phrase אָשֹׁם (certainly) reinforces the certainty of the guilt before the LORD.
The sentence structure emphasizes the declaration of guilt, with the offering as a response to that state. The arrangement of the words highlights the importance of acknowledging one's guilt in relation to God.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term אָשָׁם is rendered as πλημμέλησιν (trespass), which suggests a focus on the offense committed. This choice narrows the interpretation to emphasize the act of wrongdoing rather than the broader concept of guilt.
This translation indicates that the Greek translators understood the offering as a means to address specific transgressions, aligning with the sacrificial system outlined in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 5:19 states that a guilt offering is required when someone is guilty before the LORD. This means that the person has done something wrong and needs to make amends through an offering to God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
A guilt offering is a specific type of sacrifice made to atone for sin or wrongdoing, acknowledging the offense against God.
Acknowledging guilt is crucial in the biblical context as it reflects a person's recognition of their wrongdoing and their need for atonement.
This verse highlights the seriousness of sin and the necessity of making restitution to God through an offering.
Being guilty before the LORD signifies that one has committed an offense against God and is in need of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What steps can I take to acknowledge my own faults before God?
- How does understanding guilt offerings enhance my view of God's justice and mercy?
- In what ways can I seek atonement for my wrongdoings in my daily life?
- How can I help others understand the importance of making amends for their actions?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 5:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIt [is] a trespass [offering],.... An offering for a trespass committed: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord; though committed ignorantly, and therefore an offering must be brought; for no
Read John Gill on Leviticus 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. If a soul sin ... though he wist it not.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 5:19 It [is] a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.Ver. 19. It is a trespass offering.] "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin."
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) It is a trespass offering.—That is, though the prescribed fifth part is here dispensed with, it is still a trespass offering, for his conscience tells him that he has trespassed against the Lord.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 19. He hath certainly trespassed] And because he hath sinned, therefore he must bring a sacrifice. On no other ground shall he be accepted by the Lord. Reader, how dost thou stand in the sight of thy Maker? ON the subject of this chapter it may be proper to make the following reflections. When the infinite purity and strict justice of God are considered, the exceeding breadth of his commandment, our slowness of heart to believe, and our comparatively cold performance of sacred duties, no wonder that there is sinfulness found in our holy things; and at what a low ebb must the Christian life be found when this is the case! This is a sore and degrading evil in the Church of God; but…
Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges(b) 17–19. if any one sin, and do any of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done] The description of the sin in this case is the same as that in Leviticus 4:2; Leviticus 4:13; Leviticus 4:22; Leviticus 4:27. In what respect do these sins (which here require a Guilt-Offering) differ from those in ch. 4 for which a Sin-Offering is prescribed? The difference is indicated in the words ‘though he knew (‘wist’ A.V.) it not.’ They are not the same as the Heb. expression rendered unwittingly (concerning his ignorance A.V.), for in Leviticus 5:18 they occur as a further qualification of a thing done ‘unwittingly.’ The sins of ch. 4. are those of which a person becomes conscious…
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.”
It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before Yahweh.”
It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.”
It is a guilt offering; he was surely guilty before the Lord.”
Tyndale line
It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.
It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Jehovah.
It is a guilt offering: he is certainly guilty before the LORD.
It is a trespass-offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.
This is the trespasse offring for the trespasse committed against the Lord.
Strictly literal
It is a trespass-offering: he hath certainly trespassed against Jehovah.
it [is] a guilt-offering; he hath been certainly guilty before Jehovah.'
it [is] a guilt-offering; he has certainly been guilty before YHWH.”
It is a trespass-offering: he hath in trespassing trespassed against the Lord.
It is a guilt offering, and he is certainly guilty before Yahweh.”
From the Latin
Because by mistake he trespassed against the Lord.
Simplified
It is a guilt offering because you were guilty as far as the Lord was concerned.”
It is an offering for his error: he is certainly responsible before the Lord.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint in part, with two words matched, while the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the word אשׁם (do wrong) instead of the standard form. This shows a variation in the understanding of the term but retains the essential meaning of guilt.
אָשָׁ֖ם ה֑וּא אָשֹׁ֥ם אָשַׁ֖ם לַיהוָֽה׃ פ
2 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
אשׁם הוא אשׁם אשׁם ליהוה
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: אשׁם (do wrong)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 5:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word אָשָׁם (asham) primarily denotes guilt or offense, encompassing concepts of fault and guiltiness. It also refers to a sin-offering or trespass-offering, indicating a means of compensation for an offense. The entries consistently highlight its association with guilt and the notion of atonement.
אָשָׁם n.m. offence, guilt
offence, trespass, fault
guilt
compensation (or satisfaction for injury)
trespass-offering
base
H817 אָשָׁם offence, guilt
817 'asham aw-shawm'
from 816; guilt; by implication, a fault; also a
sin-offering:--guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass
(offering).
see HEBREW for 0816
אָשָׁם (a.sham) — guilt (offering).
1) guilt, offense, guiltiness
1a) offense, trespass, fault
1b) guilt, guiltiness
1c) compensation (for offense)
1d) trespass offering, guilt offering
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
See SACRIFICE.
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Pron — PronounHPp3ms
אָשַׁם (asham) means to offend or be guilty, covering actions like committing an offense or trespass. It can also imply suffering punishment or being declared guilty. The entries indicate that it can denote both personal guilt and the consequences of wrongdoing, with some nuances in how it is used in different grammatical forms.
אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם vb. offend, be guilty
commit an offence, a trespass, do a wrong, or an injury
be or become guilty
be held guilty, bear punishment
Niph. suffer punishment
Hiph. declare them guilty
base
H816 אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם offend, be guilty
816 'asham aw-sham'
or mashem {aw-shame'}; a primitive root; to be guilty; by
implication to be punished or perish:--X certainly, be(-come,
made) desolate, destroy, X greatly, be(-come, found, hold)
guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.
אָשַׁם (a.sham) — be guilty.
1) to offend, be guilty, trespass
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do wrong, offend, trespass, commit an offense, do injury
1a2) to be or become guilty
1a3) to be held guilty
1a4) to be incriminated
1b) (Niphal) to suffer punishment
1c) (Hiphil) to declare guilty
2) (TWOT) to be desolate, acknowledge offense
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
אָשַׁם (asham) means to offend or be guilty, covering actions like committing an offense or trespass. It can also imply suffering punishment or being declared guilty. The entries indicate that it can denote both personal guilt and the consequences of wrongdoing, with some nuances in how it is used in different grammatical forms.
אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם vb. offend, be guilty
commit an offence, a trespass, do a wrong, or an injury
be or become guilty
be held guilty, bear punishment
Niph. suffer punishment
Hiph. declare them guilty
base
H816 אָשַׁם, אָשֵׁם offend, be guilty
816 'asham aw-sham'
or mashem {aw-shame'}; a primitive root; to be guilty; by
implication to be punished or perish:--X certainly, be(-come,
made) desolate, destroy, X greatly, be(-come, found, hold)
guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.
אָשַׁם (a.sham) — be guilty.
1) to offend, be guilty, trespass
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do wrong, offend, trespass, commit an offense, do injury
1a2) to be or become guilty
1a3) to be held guilty
1a4) to be incriminated
1b) (Niphal) to suffer punishment
1c) (Hiphil) to declare guilty
2) (TWOT) to be desolate, acknowledge offense
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
gil'-ti: In addition to the general discussion under GUILT (which see), several New Testament passages demand special notice because the word "guilty" is not used in the principal sense of blameworthy, but with one of the two lesser meanings noted above which go to make up the complete idea. In 3 of these passages the King James Version renders "guilty" and the Revised Version (British and American) gives another rendering. In Mt 26:66 the King James Version, Jesus' foes declare he is "guilty of death" (enochos, "liable to"). Here "guilty" simply means the one who is legally held, and the reference is not to the blame but to the consequence. This is a true use of the word in the lower and legal sense. It does not correspond with our higher usage, and so we have it in the Revised Version (British and American) "worthy of death." So…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npt