Leviticus 4:14-24

14 When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle.

15 The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the LORD .

16 The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle,

17 dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain.

18 He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD ’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

19 Then the priest must remove all the animal’s fat and burn it on the altar,

20 just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven.

21 Then the priest must take what is left of the bull and carry it outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest. This offering is for the sin of the entire congregation of Israel.

22 “If one of Israel’s leaders sins by violating one of the commands of the LORD his God but doesn’t realize it, he is still guilty.

23 When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.

24 He must lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered before the LORD . This is an offering for his sin.

Leviticus 4:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 4

This chapter contains the law of the sin offering, which was offered for sins committed through ignorance, error, and mistake, Le 4:1,2 and gives an account of the matter of them, and the rites belonging thereunto, which were different according to the persons for whom it was made, as for the anointed priest, Le 4:3-12 for the whole congregation, Le 4:13-21 and for the ruler, Le 4:22-26 and for any of the common people, Le 4:27-35.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or will make atonement for the people; similarly in 4:26, 31, 35 .