Leviticus 4:21-31

21 He is to bring the bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly.
22 "'When a leader sins and inadvertently does something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, he is guilty.
23 If the sin which he committed becomes known to him, he is to bring as his offering a male goat without defect,
24 lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering in the presence of ADONAI ; it is a sin offering.
25 The cohen is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. Its remaining blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar for burnt offerings.
26 All its fat he is to make go up in smoke on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice for peace offerings; thus the cohen will make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven.
27 "'If an individual among the people commits a sin inadvertently, doing something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, he is guilty.
28 If the sin he committed becomes known to him, he is to bring as his offering a female goat without defect for the sin he committed,
29 lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter the sin offering in the place of burnt offerings.
30 The cohen is to take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. All its remaining blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar.
31 All its fat he is to remove, as the fat is removed from the sacrifice for peace offerings; and the cohen is to make it go up in smoke on the altar as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. Thus the cohen will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 4:21-31 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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.