The Meaning of Leviticus 5:5 Explained

Leviticus 5:5

KJV: And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:

YLT: 'And it hath been when he is guilty of one of these, that he hath confessed concerning that which he hath sinned,

Darby: And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these, that he shall confess wherein he hath sinned;

ASV: And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things , that he shall confess that wherein he hath sinned:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall be, when he shall be guilty  in one  of these [things], that he shall confess  that he hath sinned  in that [thing]: 

What does Leviticus 5:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 5:1-13 - Trespass-Offerings For Various Sins
The sin-offering was closely resembled by the trespass-offering; but they differed in this: that the former was meant to fix the thought of the sinner rather on the evil of his character, and that there was within him a root of bitterness and a poisonous fountain. But the latter deals with the acts of transgression to which this evil character gives rise, and more especially with the harm which it inflicts on others. We need to confess our trespasses as often as we eat our daily bread; and it is very reassuring that, through the blood of Jesus, God forgives all our trespasses. See Colossians 2:13.
It is very touching to notice the provision made for the very poor. Mary, the mother of our Lord, had to content herself with the two pigeons or turtle doves of Leviticus 5:11. But none of us are exempted. We cannot come to the close of any day without kneeling to confess our sins and asking that we may be sprinkled from an evil conscience. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 5

1  He who sins in concealing his knowledge
2  in touching an unclean thing
4  or in making an oath
6  His trespass offering, of the flock
7  of fowls
11  or of flour
14  The trespass offering in sacrilege
17  and in sins of ignorance

What do the individual words in Leviticus 5:5 mean?

And it shall be when he is guilty in one of these [matters] that he shall confess that he has sinned in that [thing]
וְהָיָ֥ה כִֽי־ יֶאְשַׁ֖ם לְאַחַ֣ת מֵאֵ֑לֶּה וְהִ֨תְוַדָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖א עָלֶֽיהָ

וְהָיָ֥ה  And  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יֶאְשַׁ֖ם  he  is  guilty 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָשַׁם  
Sense: to offend, be guilty, trespass.
לְאַחַ֣ת  in  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵאֵ֑לֶּה  of  these  [matters] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וְהִ֨תְוַדָּ֔ה  that  he  shall  confess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָטָ֖א  he  has  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
עָלֶֽיהָ  in  that  [thing] 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.