What is the meaning of Leviticus 5:13?

In this way the priest will make atonement for him

• The phrase points to the divinely prescribed method of sacrifice detailed in Leviticus 5:5–12.

• Atonement is achieved not by human invention but by God-given ritual; the priest acts as God’s authorized mediator (Hebrews 5:1; Leviticus 16:30).

• This anticipates the ultimate priestly work of Christ, “our great High Priest” who offers Himself once for all (Hebrews 9:11-12).

---

For any of these sins he has committed

• “Any” underscores the completeness of God’s provision—no inadvertent sin listed in 5:1–4 is excluded (James 2:10).

• God’s law exposes specific failures, yet simultaneously supplies a path to cleansing (Psalm 32:5).

• The sacrifice covers sins of ignorance or omission, showing that even unintended wrongdoing needs atonement (Numbers 15:22-29).

---

And he will be forgiven

• Forgiveness is declared, not hoped for; the offerer can leave assured (1 John 1:9).

• Divine pardon restores fellowship with God and the covenant community (Psalm 51:7-12).

• The certainty of forgiveness foreshadows the believer’s confidence in Christ’s finished work (Romans 5:1).

---

The remainder will belong to the priest

• After the blood ritual, leftover portions of the offering sustain the priesthood (Leviticus 6:16-18).

• God provides for His servants through the worship of His people (1 Corinthians 9:13-14).

• The arrangement reinforces that holiness and practical needs coexist within God’s order.

---

Like the grain offering

• Similar distribution rules apply to both sin and grain offerings (Leviticus 2:3).

• The comparison ties the sacrifices together as complementary aspects of covenant worship—one addressing sin, the other expressing gratitude (Hebrews 10:1).

• Both offerings are “most holy,” emphasizing that all elements of worship are set apart for God (Leviticus 2:10).

---

summary

Leviticus 5:13 assures worshipers that when they obey God’s ordained sacrifice, the priest mediates effective atonement for every listed sin, resulting in full forgiveness. The leftover portion supplies the priest, aligning this sin offering with the grain offering’s pattern. The verse highlights God’s comprehensive provision: sin exposed, atonement made, forgiveness granted, and servants sustained—prefiguring the perfect, all-sufficient ministry of Jesus Christ.