Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Leviticus » Chapter 4 » Verse 13-21

Leviticus 4:13-21 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

13 And if the whole congregation H5712 of Israel H3478 sin through ignorance, H7686 and the thing H1697 be hid H5956 from the eyes H5869 of the assembly, H6951 and they have done H6213 somewhat against any H259 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 concerning things which should not be done, H6213 and are guilty; H816

14 When the sin, H2403 which they have sinned H2398 against it, is known, H3045 then the congregation H6951 shall offer H7126 a young H1241 H1121 bullock H6499 for the sin, H2403 and bring H935 him before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150

15 And the elders H2205 of the congregation H5712 shall lay H5564 their hands H3027 upon the head H7218 of the bullock H6499 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and the bullock H6499 shall be killed H7819 before H6440 the LORD. H3068

16 And the priest H3548 that is anointed H4899 shall bring H935 of the bullock's H6499 blood H1818 to the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150

17 And the priest H3548 shall dip H2881 his finger H676 in some of the blood, H1818 and sprinkle H5137 it seven H7651 times H6471 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 even before H6440 the vail. H6532

18 And he shall put H5414 some of the blood H1818 upon the horns H7161 of the altar H4196 which is before H6440 the LORD, H3068 that is in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and shall pour out H8210 all the blood H1818 at the bottom H3247 of the altar H4196 of the burnt offering, H5930 which is at the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150

19 And he shall take H7311 all his fat H2459 from him, and burn H6999 it upon the altar. H4196

20 And he shall do H6213 with the bullock H6499 as he did H6213 with the bullock H6499 for a sin offering, H2403 so shall he do H6213 with this: and the priest H3548 shall make an atonement H3722 for them, and it shall be forgiven H5545 them.

21 And he shall carry forth H3318 the bullock H6499 without H2351 the camp, H4264 and burn H8313 him as he burned H8313 the first H7223 bullock: H6499 it is a sin offering H2403 for the congregation. H6951

Commentary on Leviticus 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 4

Le 4:1, 2. Sin Offering of Ignorance.

2. If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord—a soul—an individual. All sins may be considered, in a certain sense, as committed "through ignorance," error, or misapprehension of one's true interests. The sins, however, referred to in this law were unintentional violations of the ceremonial laws,—breaches made through haste, or inadvertency of some negative precepts, which, if done knowingly and wilfully, would have involved a capital punishment.

do against any of them—To bring out the meaning, it is necessary to supply, "he shall bring a sin offering."

Le 4:3-35. Sin Offering for the Priest.

3. If the priest that is anointed do sin—that is, the high priest, in whom, considering his character as typical mediator, and his exalted office, the people had the deepest interest; and whose transgression of any part of the divine law, therefore, whether done unconsciously or heedlessly, was a very serious offense, both as regarded himself individually, and the influence of his example. He is the person principally meant, though the common order of the priesthood was included.

according to the sin of the people—that is, bring guilt on the people. He was to take a young bullock (the age and sex being expressly mentioned), and having killed it according to the form prescribed for the burnt offerings, he was to take it into the holy place and sprinkle the atoning blood seven times before the veil, and tip with the crimson fluid the horns of the golden altar of incense, on his way to the court of the priests,—a solemn ceremonial appointed only for very grave and heinous offenses, and which betokened that his sin, though done in ignorance, had vitiated all his services; nor could any official duty he engaged in be beneficial either to himself or the people, unless it were atoned for by blood.

11. the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh—In ordinary circumstances, these were perquisites of the priests. But in the expiation necessary for a sin of the high priest, after the fat of the sacrifice was offered on the altar, the carcass was carried without the camp [Le 4:12], in order that the total combustion of it in the place of ashes might the more strikingly indicate the enormity of the transgression, and the horror with which he regarded it (compare Heb 13:12, 13).

13-21. if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance—In consequence of some culpable neglect or misapprehension of the law, the people might contract national guilt, and then national expiation was necessary. The same sacrifice was to be offered as in the former case, but with this difference in the ceremonial, that the elders or heads of the tribes, as representing the people and being the principal aggressors in misleading the congregation, laid their hands on the head of the victim. The priest then took the blood into the holy place, where, after dipping his finger in it seven times, he sprinkled the drops seven times before the veil. This done, he returned to the court of the priests, and ascending the altar, put some portion upon its horns; then he poured it out at the foot of the altar. The fat was the only part of the animal which was offered on the altar; for the carcass, with its appurtenances and offals, was carried without the camp, into the place where the ashes were deposited, and there consumed with fire.

22-26. When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments—Whatever was the form of government, the king, judge, or subordinate, was the party concerned in this law. The trespass of such a civil functionary being less serious in its character and consequences than that either of the high priest or the congregation, a sin offering of inferior value was required—"a kid of the goats"; and neither was the blood carried into the sanctuary, but applied only to the altar of burnt offering; nor was the carcass taken without the camp; it was eaten by the priests-in-waiting.

27-34. if any one of the common people sin through ignorance—In this case the expiatory offering appointed was a female kid, or a ewe-lamb without blemish; and the ceremonies were exactly the same as those observed in the case of the offending ruler [Le 4:22-26]. In these two latter instances, the blood of the sin offering was applied to the altar of burnt offering—the place where bloody sacrifices were appointed to be immolated. But the transgression of a high priest, or of the whole congregation, entailing a general taint on the ritual of the tabernacle, and vitiating its services, required a further expiation; and therefore, in these cases, the blood of the sin offering was applied to the altar of incense [Le 4:6, 17].

35. it shall be forgiven him—None of these sacrifices possessed any intrinsic value sufficient to free the conscience of the sinner from the pollution of guilt, or to obtain his pardon from God; but they gave a formal deliverance from a secular penalty (Heb 9:13, 14); and they were figurative representations of the full and perfect sin offering which was to be made by Christ.