Leviticus 4:22

22 'When 1a leader 2sins and unintentionally does any one of all the things which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty,

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


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 'He shall also do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the 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 the sin offering for the assembly.
22 'When a leader sins and unintentionally does any one of all the things which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty,
23 if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat , a male without defect.
24 'He shall lay his hand on the head of the male goat and slay it in the place where they slay the burnt offering before the LORD ; it is a sin offering.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Numbers 31:13; Numbers 32:2
  • 2. Leviticus 4:2, 27

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "commands of the LORD which are not to be done"
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