Leviticus 4:12

12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.

Leviticus 4:12 in Other Translations

KJV
12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
ESV
12 all the rest of the bull--he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up.
NLT
12 and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire.
MSG
12 he is to take outside the camp to a clean place where the ashes are dumped and is to burn it on a wood fire.
CSB
12 all [the rest] of the bull-he must bring to a ceremonially clean place outside the camp to the ash heap, and must burn it on a wood fire. It is to be burned at the ash heap.

Leviticus 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:12

Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the
camp
The Jewish writers interpret it without the three camps {b}, the camp of the tabernacle, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of the Israelites; when the temple was built, such sacrifices were carried and burnt without the city of Jerusalem; there were three places for burning; one was in the midst of the court, where they burnt such sacrifices as were unfit and rejected; the other was in the mountain of the house called Birah, where they burnt such as any accident befell them, after the carrying of them out of the court; and the third place was without Jerusalem, called the place of ashes F3: this was typical of Christ being had out of the city of Jerusalem, and suffering without the gates of it, ( Hebrews 13:11 Hebrews 13:12 ) :

unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out;
the ashes of the burnt offerings. This, according to Ainsworth, answered to the place where Christ was crucified, being a place of skulls, or dead men's ashes, ( John 19:17 ) :

and burn him on the wood with fire;
any wood might be used for the burning of it, even straw or stubble, which in the Hebrew language are called wood, as Gersom on the place observes, and so Maimonides F4; and it is added, "with fire", as the last writer says F5, to exclude lime and cinder coals:

where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt;
openly without; and seeing it is not said, that the priest shall carry forth the bullock, and shall burn it, it is concluded by Gersom on the place, that both may be done lawfully by a stranger, and so Maimonides F6.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 68. 1. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 42. 2. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect. 5. Jarchi in loc.
F3 Maimon. Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 3, 4.
F4 Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 5.
F5 Ib. Vid. T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 75. 1.
F6 Maimon. ib.

Leviticus 4:12 In-Context

10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.
11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines—
12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.
13 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt
14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.

Cross References 5

  • 1. S Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 8:17; Leviticus 9:11; Hebrews 13:11
  • 2. Leviticus 6:11; Leviticus 10:14; Numbers 19:9
  • 3. S Leviticus 1:16
  • 4. Leviticus 6:30
  • 5. Leviticus 16:3
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