Leviticus 4:13

13 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt

Leviticus 4:13 in Other Translations

13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;

13 “If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt,

13 “If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the LORD ’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty.

13 "If the whole congregation sins unintentionally by straying from one of the commandments of God that must not be broken, they become guilty even though no one is aware of it.

13 And if the whole congregation of Israel err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty;

13 "If the whole congregation of Israel unintentionally does something wrong, without the assembly being aware of it, if they do even one thing that is forbidden by any of the LORD's commands, they will be guilty.

13 "Now if the whole community of Israel errs, and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, so that they violate any of the Lord's commands and incur guilt by doing what is prohibited,

13 " 'Or suppose the whole community of Israel sins without meaning to. They do something the LORD commands us not to do. Even if they are not aware of what they have 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 hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines—

12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.

13 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt

14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.

15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD.

Cross References

• 1. S ver 2; Lev 5:2-4,17; Numbers 15:24-26