Leviticus 4:13

13 "'If the whole nation of Israel sins accidentally without knowing it and does something the Lord has commanded not to be done, they are guilty.

Leviticus 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:13

And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through
ignorance
That is, all Israel, or the greatest part of them, as Gersom interprets it, through the ignorant teaching of the judges, who by their instruction cause the people to err, and commit sins of ignorance, as Baal Hatturim on the place observes, and Maimonides elsewhere ^F7; wherefore Jarchi, and some others, by the congregation of Israel understand the sanhedrim, or the bench of judges, consisting of seventy one. Ainsworth remarks on the words, that the church may err:

and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly;
congregation or church, so that they do not know that it is a sin which they have committed:

and they have done [somewhat against] any of the commandments of
the Lord, [concerning things] which should not be done;
transgressed negative precepts:

and are guilty;
of sin, though as yet they know it not.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Hilchot Shegagot, c. 12. sect. 1.

Leviticus 4:13 In-Context

11 But the priest must carry off the skin of the bull and all its meat, along with the rest of the bull -- its head, legs, intestines, and other inner organs.

12 He must take it outside the camp to the special clean place where the ashes are poured out. He must burn it on a wood fire on the pile of ashes.

13 "'If the whole nation of Israel sins accidentally without knowing it and does something the Lord has commanded not to be done, they are guilty.

14 When they learn about the sin they have done, they must offer a young bull as a sin offering and bring it before the Meeting Tent.

15 The older leaders of the group of people must put their hands on the bull's head before the Lord, and it must be killed before the Lord.