Leviticus 4:13-21

13 '1Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, and they commit any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty;
14 2when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer 3a bull of the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting.
15 'Then 4the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slain 5before the LORD.
16 'Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting;
17 and 6the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil.
18 'He shall put some of the blood on the horns of 7the altar which is before the LORD in the tent of meeting; and all the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
19 '8He shall remove all its fat from it and offer it up in smoke on the altar.
20 'He shall also do with the bull just as he did with 9the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So 10the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.
21 'Then he is to bring out the bull to a place outside * the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is 11the sin offering for the assembly.

Leviticus 4:13-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 4

This chapter contains the law of the sin offering, which was offered for sins committed through ignorance, error, and mistake, Le 4:1,2 and gives an account of the matter of them, and the rites belonging thereunto, which were different according to the persons for whom it was made, as for the anointed priest, Le 4:3-12 for the whole congregation, Le 4:13-21 and for the ruler, Le 4:22-26 and for any of the common people, Le 4:27-35.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Numbers 15:24-26
  • 2. Leviticus 4:3
  • 3. Lev 4:3, 23, 28
  • 4. Lev 8:14, 18, 22; Numbers 8:10, 12
  • 5. Leviticus 1:3
  • 6. Leviticus 4:6
  • 7. Lev 4:7, 25, 30, 34
  • 8. Leviticus 4:8
  • 9. Leviticus 4:8, 21
  • 10. Numbers 15:25, 28
  • 11. Leviticus 4:13; Leviticus 16:15-17; Numbers 15:24-26

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Lit "is hidden from the eyes of"
  • [b]. Lit "commands of the LORD which are not to be done"
  • [c]. Lit "concerning which"
  • [d]. Lit "sinned"
  • [e]. Lit "son of the herd"
  • [f]. Lit "which is in"
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