Leviticus 5:2,3

The second case when anyone unwittingly touches an unclean thing. By -beast" is meant a wild animal, by -cattle" one of the herd or of the flock (Leviticus 1:2).

unclean creeping things swarming things; cp. Leviticus 11:29; Leviticus 11:31. On the distinction between -creeping" and -swarming" things, and the confusion in the renderings of EVV, see Intr. to Pent. App. II, pp. 209 f., and HDB. i. 518.

the uncleanness of man Particular cases are specified in chs. 12 15. For all contact with uncleanness, washing the clothes and bathing the body in water are prescribed in the Chapter s referred to and also in Leviticus 11:24-40. The same purification is ordered for eating unclean food in Leviticus 17:15, and in the following verse is added if he does not wash and bathe, he shall bear his iniquity, i.e. if the proper purification is omitted he is liable to punishment. The cases supposed in Leviticus 5:2 are those where, through ignorance, the purification has been omitted, and a sacrifice is necessary to avert punishment. The traditional explanation is that a Sin-Offering is necessary if, while unclean, a person has done something which may be done only by those who are clean, such as eating of the holy things etc., but there is nothing in the text to support this view. The Sin-Offering seems to be required from anyone in the condition described in Leviticus 17:16, of whom it may be said -he shall bear his iniquity."