Leviticus 4:15

15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the calf before the Lord, and they shall slay the calf before the Lord.

Leviticus 4:15 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:15

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands
upon the head of the bullock before the Lord
These must be two at least, some say three, and some say five ^F8; the more generally received notion is, that they were three of the sanhedrim ^F9; though the Targum of Jonathan makes them to be the twelve rulers of the twelve tribes:

and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord;
in the court near the altar of burnt offering, either by a priest, or Levite, or by a butcher, as the above Targum expresses it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Misn. Sotah, c. 9. sect. 1.
F9 Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 7. Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 10.

Leviticus 4:15 In-Context

13 And if the whole congregation of Israel trespass ignorantly, and a thing should escape the notice of the congregation, and they should do one thing forbidden of any of the commands of the Lord, which ought not to be done, and should transgress:

14 and the sin wherein they have sinned should become known to them, then shall the congregation bring an unblemished calf of the herd for a sin-offering, and they shall bring it to the doors of the tabernacle of witness.

15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the calf before the Lord, and they shall slay the calf before the Lord.

16 And the anointed priest shall bring in of the blood of the calf into the tabernacle of witness.

17 And the priest shall dip his finger into some of the blood of the calf, and shall sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil of the sanctuary.