Leviticus 4:22

22 " 'When a leader sins and commits an unintentional wrong [against] {any of} the commands of Yahweh his God that should not be {violated}, so that he incurs guilt,

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 He shall do to the bull {just as} he did to the sin offering's bull, so he must do to it. The priest shall make atonement for them, and {they will be forgiven}.

21 He shall bring [the rest of] the bull {outside the camp}, and he shall burn it {just as} he burned the first bull; it [is] the sin offering for the assembly.

22 " 'When a leader sins and commits an unintentional wrong [against] {any of} the commands of Yahweh his God that should not be {violated}, so that he incurs guilt,

23 or his sin he has {committed} is made known to him, he shall bring {a male goat} without defect [as] his offering.

24 He shall place his hand on the he-goat's head and slaughter it in the place where he slaughtered the burnt offering before Yahweh; it [is] a sin offering.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "does"
• [b] Literally "one from all of"
• [c] Literally "done"
• [d] Or "and"