Leviticus 5:7

If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses an Israelite worshipper who has committed a sin requiring atonement but lacks the financial means to provide the standard lamb or goat. The instruction follows the initial command to bring a female lamb or goat for restitution.

The words — תַּגִּיע יָדוֹ דֵּי שֶׂה (ta.Gi' ya.D/o dei seh) literally means "his hand will not reach the sufficiency of a sheep." וְהֵבִיא (ve./he.Vi') translates as "and he will bring."

The thread — The two-bird alternative for a sin and burnt offering appears in Leviticus 12:8 for postpartum purification and is referenced structurally in Leviticus 14:21, where the poor provision lists a male lamb and grain offering before introducing the birds in the following verse. Leviticus 5:8 immediately follows with the priest's handling of these birds.

Why it lands — The text establishes that financial limitation does not exclude a person from atonement, as the prescribed substitute remains functionally identical to the standard offering. It requires the reader to recognize that the mechanism of restitution depends on obedience to the ritual, not the economic status of the worshipper.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.

Cross-references

Leviticus 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Leviticus 14:21 If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,
Leviticus 5:8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it;
Leviticus 14:31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD for the one to be cleansed.
Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
Hebrews 10:6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.
Leviticus 1:14 If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.
Leviticus 5:11 But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.