Leviticus 5:13 · Bible study
Leviticus 5:13 Commentary: Atonement for the Poor Through a Grain Offering
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how Leviticus 5:13 allows a grain offering as a sin offering for the very poor, revealing God’s inclusive provision for atonement.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A grain offering is accepted as a sin offering for the very poor; the priest mediates atonement, the sinner is forgiven, and the priest keeps the leftover flour.
- Key words: Kipper (atonement), chata (sin), salach (forgive, Niphal: “will be forgiven”), minchah (grain offering).
- Main debate: No debate, the provision is clear. Discussion centers on how a grain offering can substitute for a blood sacrifice and what this reveals about God’s grace.
- Theological theme: God’s inclusive provision for atonement, no class barriers; the poorest person receives the same forgiveness as the wealthiest.
- Best use: Teach accessible grace; assure those with little that God values their worship; connect to Christ’s all-sufficient sacrifice for every social class.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as the meal-offering.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And the priest hath made atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned against one of these, and it hath been forgiven him, and the remnant hath been to the priest, like the present.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him; and it shall be the priest's, as the oblation.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Praying for him and making atonement. But the part that is left, he himself shall have for a gift.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y hará el sacerdote expiación por él de su pecado que cometió en alguna de estas cosas, y será perdonado; y el sobrante será del sacerdote, como el presente de vianda.
E fará o sacerdote expiação por ele de seu pecado que cometeu em alguma destas coisas, e será perdoado; e o excedente será do sacerdote, como o presente de comida.
C’ est ainsi que le sacrificateur fera pour cet homme l’ expiation du péché qu’ il a commis à l’égard de l’ une de ces choses, et il lui sera pardonné. Ce qui restera de l’ offrande sera pour le sacrificateur, comme dans l’ offrande en don.
Und der Priester soll also seine Sünde, die er getan hat, ihm versöhnen, so wird's ihm vergeben. Und es soll dem Priester gehören wie ein Speisopfer.
Zo zal de priester voor hem verzoening doen over zijn zonde, die hij gezondigd heeft in enige van die stukken, en het zal hem vergeven worden; en het zal des priesters zijn, gelijk het spijsoffer.
Così il sacerdote farà per quel tale l’espiazione del peccato che ha commesso in uno di quei casi e gli sarà perdonato. Il resto della farina sarà per il sacerdote come si fa nell’oblazione”.
I oczyści go kapłan od grzechu jego, którym zgrzeszył w którejkolwiek z tych rzeczy, a będzie mu odpuszczony; a ostatek będzie kapłanowi, jako przy ofierze śniednej.
и так очистит его священник от греха его, которым он согрешил в котором-нибудь из оных случаев, и прощено будет ему; [остаток] же принадлежит священнику, как приношение хлебное.
至於 他在這幾件 事中 所 犯 的罪，祭司 要為他 贖了，他 必蒙赦免。剩下的麵都歸 與祭司，和素祭一樣。」
And the priest will take away his sin and he will have forgiveness: and the rest of the offering will be the priest's, in the same way as the meal offering.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 5:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse concludes a remarkable concession for the poorest Israelites. Matthew Henry calls it “provision … for the poor of God’s people, and the pacifying of their consciences under the sense of guilt.” The Cambridge Bible notes that one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour is “allowed as a substitute for the animal sacrifice” in cases of extreme poverty. Gill observes that the handful burned on the altar is “an emblem of the painful sufferings of Christ,” and the remainder goes to the priest, just as in the regular grain offering of Leviticus 2. All see the central point: God accepts a grain offering as a sin offering when the worshiper simply cannot afford a lamb or even two birds. The priest’s atonement, carried out through this humble meal, results in the same declaration: “he will be forgiven.” There is no second-class forgiveness for second-class worshipers. The same cleansing reaches the penniless.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God graciously extends atonement to the very poor through a grain offering, and full forgiveness is granted through the priest’s mediation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The grain offering as a sin offering | Christians across traditions agree that Leviticus 5:11, 13 allows a grain offering to serve as a sin offering for the very poor, revealing God's mercy. | Some emphasize the literal substitution of flour for blood as a unique provision; others see it as a type or foreshadowing of Christ's atoning work. Both readings affirm the priority of grace. |
| The priest's portion | All agree the leftover flour belongs to the priest, echoing the normal grain offering (Leviticus 2:3,10) and providing for priestly sustenance. | The practical necessity of supporting the priesthood from the poorest offerings is widely accepted; there is no substantive disagreement among traditions on this point. |
| Forgiveness for unintentional sins | This passage applies to unwitting sins (Leviticus 5:1, 4). Forgiveness follows the priest's atonement, not the monetary value of the offering. | Traditions differ on whether the offering itself effects forgiveness or merely symbolizes a forgiving process; all hold that God alone forgives. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 5:13 sits at the bottom of a sliding scale of offerings for inadvertent sins (Leviticus 5:1, 13). A person who could afford a lamb brought a female from the flock (v.6). Those of modest means brought two turtledoves or two pigeons (v.7). For those “not able to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons” (v.11), the law permitted one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, roughly 2 litres, a small handful of grain.
This was radical in the ancient Near East. Most cultures required animal blood for serious sins. The Cambridge Bible cites a parallel from Frazer: in some traditions an offering of rice is called “eating the soul of the rice,” treating the grain as a living creature. Leviticus seems to stretch that logic, allowing flour to stand in for a life. Significantly, the flour offering was stripped of normal grain-offering elements: no oil, no frankincense (v.11). It was treated as a sin offering, not a gift of thanksgiving. The priest burned a handful as a “memorial portion” (v.12) and kept the rest for his own food, echoing the rule for an ordinary grain offering (Leviticus 2:3,10).
The context of chapters 4, 5 shows a system designed to be accessible to every social class. The priest received no portion from the animal sin offerings in chapter 4 (Lange notes this exception; Wesley agrees). Here the priest does receive the leftover flour, providing income even from the poorest person’s sacrifice. God made sure the poorest could be cleansed and the priests still supported.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 5:13. The verse is consistent across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. Minor variations in English translations (e.g., “meat offering” in KJV vs. “meal offering” or “grain offering”) reflect translation choices for the Hebrew term minchah, not text-critical issues.
Reception History
Later Jewish tradition (e.g., the Mishnah, tractate Keritot) continued to discuss the sliding scale, affirming that the poor person’s offering was equally valid. Christian interpreters from the patristic period onward read this verse as a demonstration of God’s care for the poor. Matthew Henry (1710) sees it as “provision … for the poor of God’s people, and the pacifying of their consciences.” Gill (1748) explicitly connects the handful of flour burned on the altar to the “painful sufferings of Christ,” a typological reading common in Reformed and evangelical traditions. The verse has been used to teach that God accepts the worship of the humble irrespective of their material means, and that the church’s ministers should be supported even by the smallest gifts of the poorest members.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God grades the offering, not the worshiper. The same Hebrew verb for “make atonement” (כִּפֶּר, kipper) and the same result, “he will be forgiven”, apply whether the offering is a bull, a lamb, two birds, or a handful of flour. God does not discount the poor person’s sin because their wallet is thin.
- Grain becomes a substitute for blood. This is the only place in Torah where a grain offering functions as a sin offering. It hints that the life is in the flour (cf. Cambridge’s note on “rice as a living creature”), or more directly that God can accept whatever the worshiper can bring in faith. The priest’s action, burning a handful, makes the grain a valid sacrifice.
- The priest is sustained by forgiveness. The remnant of the flour belongs to the priest, just as in the regular grain offering. Even the most destitute worshiper contributes to the priests’ livelihood. Ministry and mercy are intertwined.
Five-point outline
- The context of the slide scale: Leviticus 5 lays out offerings for specific sins (uncleanness, rash oaths). The scale ensures no one is excluded by poverty.
- The unique nature of this offering: No oil, no frankincense, no blood, yet it is called a sin offering. The priest’s ritual action makes it effective.
- Atonement and forgiveness as one movement: The Niphal verb “it will be forgiven” (נִסְלַח) is passive, forgiveness is something received, not earned. The priest mediates, but God is the source.
- The priest’s portion as provision: The leftover flour supports the priest’s household. This ties back to Leviticus 2:3 and forward to the principle that those who minister at the altar live from the altar (1 Corinthians 9:13).
- A window into Christ: Gill and older commentators read this as a type of Christ, whose one sacrifice covers every believer regardless of social standing.
Illustration hooks
- A church food pantry: a family comes with nothing but a few cans to give. The volunteer accepts them with thanks, knowing that even that small gift honors God and connects them to help.
- A child’s homemade gift, crudely shaped, crayon-scribbled, offered with joy. The parent doesn’t see the mess; they see the love. God receives the poor worshiper’s flour the same way.
- An online pay-what-you-can software model: the same product for everyone, but the price adjusts to the buyer’s ability. God’s forgiveness is the same product for all.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “I can’t give much money or time, does God really accept my worship?”
- “Is it okay to come to church feeling ashamed of my poverty?”
- “Does the pastor really need my small offering, or does it go to waste?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows that God’s system of atonement was designed for everyone, not just the wealthy. As you discuss, consider how this shapes your view of worship and giving.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read Leviticus 5:1, 13. What different kinds of offerings does the law allow? Who is each one meant for?
- Observation: Look at verse 13 closely. What two results are promised? Who receives the “remnant” of the flour, and why does that matter?
- Interpretation: Why do you think God permitted a grain offering to serve as a sin offering? What does that say about God’s character?
- Interpretation: The priest kept the leftover flour (compare Leviticus 2:3). How did this provision help sustain the priesthood? Why might that be important for the community?
- Application: Have you ever felt that your worship or contribution was too small to matter? How does this passage challenge that feeling?
- Application: How can your church make sure that poorer members feel equally valued in worship and service?
- Connection to Christ: How does the substitution of flour for blood point ahead to Jesus, who offered himself once for all? What does it mean for you that the same forgiveness is given to all?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 2:3 | That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. |
| Leviticus 2:10 | That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. |
| Leviticus 4:20 | He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. |
| Leviticus 4:26 | All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven. |
| Leviticus 4:31 | All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. |
| Leviticus 5:6 | and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin. |
| Leviticus 7:6 | Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy. |
| I Samuel 2:28 | Didn’t I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? Didn’t I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible School note draws attention to the unusual dual nature of the grain offering for the extremely poor: though it is a meal-offering in form, it is treated as a sin-offering. It also records an anthropological parallel where rice offered as a substitute was thought to carry the soul of a living creature, and adds that tradition required a priest who brought such an offering to burn it entirely on the altar.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that after the priest makes atonement and the sinner's guilt is forgiven, the remaining portion of the offering belongs to the priest just as in the grain offering. The priest is sustained by the very sacrifice he offers, receiving his portion from what was presented for sin.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the priest burning only a handful of the flour as a clear picture of Christ's painful sufferings making atonement. The small portion consumed represents the specific sacrifice that secures forgiveness, while the rest of the offering becomes the priest's portion just as in ordinary grain offerings.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the Hebrew word for the sins covered here means to go astray, not merely to know. It describes every unintentional wrong from carelessness to weakness, standing in sharp contrast to defiant sins for which no sacrifice could be offered. The offering was therefore not a death penalty but a confession of the sinner's inability to satisfy God's order without mercy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the merciful accommodation God makes for the poorest worshippers. Those unable to bring a lamb could offer birds, and if even that was too much, a small measure of flour was accepted. This provision shows that no one’s poverty blocks the way to atonement and peace of conscience.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that in this offering, all but a handful went to the priests, drawing attention to the contrast with earlier sacrifices where no portion was reserved for them. This detail underscores the priest's rightful share in the meal offering.