Leviticus 5:9

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering on the side of the altar, but the rest of the blood he shall drop at the foot of the altar, for it is a sin-offering.

Leviticus 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:9

And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin [offering]
upon the side of the altar
Or "wall" ^F3 it is asked ^F4,

``what is the wall at which the rest of the blood is wrung out? this is the lower wall, namely, the half of the height of the altar below, under the thread (of scarlet that goes round the middle of the altar) that the rest of the blood may be squeezed at the bottom of the altar, and because of this the sin offering of the fowl is below,''

that is, the sprinkling of its blood. And so Ben Gersom observes; from hence we learn, says he, that the sprinkling of the sin offering of the fowl was in the lower part of the altar; and I think this sprinkling, adds he, was not in the length, but in the breadth:

and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the
altar;
the blood sprinkled was that which dropped from it when nipped by the priest; this here was squeezed out by him, and was shed at the foot of the altar; so that the altar had all the blood, and nothing but the blood of the fowl, all the rest belonged to the priest {e}: this might be an emblem both of the drops of blood which fell from Christ in the garden, and of the shedding of his blood upon the cross, whereby remission of sin was obtained, and atonement made:

it [is] a sin [offering];
an offering whereby sin was typically expiated and stoned.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (ryq le) (epi ton toicon) , Sept. "super parietem", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; "ad parietem", Tigurine version.
F4 Maimon. in Misn. Zebachim, c. 6. sect. 4.
F5 Misn. ib.

Leviticus 5:9 In-Context

7 And if he cannot afford a sheep, he shall bring for his sin which he has sinned, two turtle-doves or two young pigeons to the Lord; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.

8 And he shall bring them to the priest, and the priest shall bring the sin-offering first; and the priest shall pinch off the head from the neck, and shall not divide the body.

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering on the side of the altar, but the rest of the blood he shall drop at the foot of the altar, for it is a sin-offering.

10 And he shall make the second a whole-burnt-offering, as it is fit; and the priest shall make atonement for his sin which he has sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

11 And if he cannot afford a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, then shall he bring as his gift for his sin, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering; he shall not pour oil upon it, nor shall he put frankincense upon it, because it is a sin-offering.