Leviticus 4:22

22 And if a ruler sin, and break one of all the commands of the Lord his God, which ought not to be done, unwillingly, and shall sin and trespass,

Leviticus 4:22 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:22

When a ruler hath sinned
Or "prince", the "nasi", one that is lifted up above others in honour, power, and authority, or that bears the weight of government: the word comes from one which signifies to lift up, or to bear; it may be understood of a governor of a family, or of a tribe, as Aben Ezra observes; and so in the Talmud

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 it is said, it means the prince of a tribe, such as Nachson the son of Amminadab, prince of the tribe of Judah. Maimonides ^F12 says a king is designed, over whom none has power; and so Gersom on the place, who observes, that David the king is called a prince, ( Ezekiel 34:24 ) ( 46:2 )

and done [somewhat] through ignorance [against] any of the
commandments of the Lord his God;
the phrase, "his God", is here added, and is not used neither of the anointed priest, nor of the congregation, nor of one of the common people; only of the prince, to show, that though he is above others, God is above him, and he is accountable to him; he is his God, of whom he is, and by whom he rules; wherefore if he breaks any of his commandments, though ignorantly, he must bring a sacrifice for it:

[concerning things] which should not be done, and is guilty;
of transgressing negative precepts, which are as binding on him as others.

F11 T. Bab. Horayot, fol. 11. 1.
F12 Hilchot Shegagot, c. 15. sect. 6.

Leviticus 4:22 In-Context

20 And he shall do to the calf as he did to the calf of the sin-offering, so shall it be done; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and the trespass shall be forgiven them.

21 And they shall carry forth the calf whole without the camp, and they shall burn the calf as they burnt the former calf: it is the sin-offering of the congregation.

22 And if a ruler sin, and break one of all the commands of the Lord his God, which ought not to be done, unwillingly, and shall sin and trespass,

23 and his trespass wherein he has sinned, be known to him, then shall he offer for his gift a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.

24 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the kid, and they shall kill it in the place where they kill the whole-burnt-offerings before the Lord; it is a sin-offering.