The Meaning of Numbers 5:7 Explained

Numbers 5:7

KJV: Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

YLT: and they have confessed their sin which they have done, then he hath restored his guilt in its principal, and its fifth is adding to it, and hath given it to him in reference to whom he hath been guilty.

Darby: then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall recompense his trespass according to the principal thereof, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then they shall confess  their sin  which they have done:  and he shall recompense  his trespass  with the principal  thereof, and add  unto it the fifth  [part] thereof, and give  [it] unto [him] against whom he hath trespassed. 

What does Numbers 5:7 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 5

1  The unclean are removed out of camp
5  Restitution is to be made in trespass
11  The trial of jealously

What do the individual words in Numbers 5:7 mean?

then he shall confess - the sin which he has committed and He shall make restitution for - his trespass in full and a fifth of [it] plus to it and give [it] to the one he has wronged to him
וְהִתְוַדּ֗וּ אֶֽת־ חַטָּאתָם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂוּ֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־ אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַחֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ יֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַ֕ן לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָשַׁ֥ם לֽוֹ

וְהִתְוַדּ֗וּ  then  he  shall  confess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חַטָּאתָם֮  the  sin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
עָשׂוּ֒  he  has  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְהֵשִׁ֤יב  and  He  shall  make  restitution  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשָׁמוֹ֙  his  trespass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָשָׁם  
Sense: guilt, offense, guiltiness.
בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ  in  full 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וַחֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ  and  a  fifth  of  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, ordinal feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲמִישִׁי  
Sense: ordinal number, 5th.
יֹסֵ֣ף  plus 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
עָלָ֑יו  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine 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.
וְנָתַ֕ן  and  give  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר  to  the  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אָשַׁ֥ם  he  has  wronged 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָשַׁם  
Sense: to offend, be guilty, trespass.
לֽוֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular