“If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly regarding the LORD’s holy things, then he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 15. The ceremonies: omitted in Hebrew and Sept.—Sanctified, neglecting to pay the first-fruits; or, by mistake, eating any of the victims reserved for God, or for the priests.—Two sicles. S. Jerom seems to have read in the dual number, whereas the Hebrew pointed copies have sicles indefinitely; and the Rabbins understand two, when the word is plural and undetermined. Theodoret reads fifty, which some maintain is the ancient translation of the Septuagint though it is not found in any of our copies. Hebrew may be rendered “a ram (or) according to thy estimation, sicles of silver.” The particle or is sometimes understood. It is probable that when the fault was considerable, a ram was to be sacrificed, and restitution made of what was due with the fifth part besides; but if the fault was small, the priest determined how many sicles were to be presented for sacred purposes.—Sanctuary. See Exodus 30:13.
A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.