Leviticus 4:6

6 The cohen is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in the presence of ADONAI in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.

Leviticus 4:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:6

And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood
The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so Maimonides ^F18; for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canons ^F19 and though it is only said the priest, and not that is anointed, as before, yet it seems to mean him and not another; though if a private priest did this, Gersom says, it would be right, and so Maimonides ^F20:

and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord;
a figure of the blood of Christ, called, in allusion to this rite, the blood of sprinkling; which being presented before the Lord, calls for pardon from him, and sprinkled on the conscience, speaks peace there, and perfectly cleanses from all sin, which the seven times sprinkling is a symbol of:

before the vail of the sanctuary:
the words may be literally rendered, "the face of the vail of the sanctuary": as if the blood was sprinkled on the outside of the vail. Jarchi's note is,

``over against the place of its holiness, he directed (it) over against between the staves; the blood shall not touch the vail, but if it touches, it touches it;''

that is, it is no matter. And according to Maimonides ^F21 the blood of bullocks and goats burnt was sprinkled seven times upon the vail, which divided between the and the holy of holies. This typified the vail of flesh, whose blood gives boldness to enter into the holiest of all, ( Hebrews 10:19 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 7. Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 3. sect. 4.
F19 Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib.
F20 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 15.
F21 Ib. sect. 13.

Leviticus 4:6 In-Context

4 He must bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before ADONAI, lay his hand on the bull's head and slaughter the bull in the presence of ADONAI.

5 The anointed cohen is to take some of the bull's blood and bring it to the tent of meeting.

6 The cohen is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in the presence of ADONAI in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.

7 The cohen is to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense before ADONAI there in the tent of meeting. All the remaining blood of the bull he is to pour out at the base of the altar for burnt offerings, which is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

8 He is to remove from the bull for the sin offering all of its fat -the fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs,