35 and all its fat he turneth aside, as the fat of the sheep is turned aside from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar, according to the fire-offerings of Jehovah, and the priest hath made atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned, and it hath been forgiven him.
and with all its fat he doth make perfume on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings; and the priest hath made atonement for him because of his sin, and it hath been forgiven him.
`And he hath done to the bullock as he hath done to the bullock of the sin-offering, so he doth to it; and the priest hath made atonement for them, and it hath been forgiven them;
For Christ is an end of law for righteousness to every one who is believing,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He did make us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the remission of the trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,
in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of the sins,
who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might -- through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest,
For such a chief priest did become us -- kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens,
how much more shall the blood of the Christ (who through the age-during Spirit did offer himself unblemished to God) purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,
who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed,
and if in the light we may walk, as He is in the light -- we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son doth cleanse us from every sin;
and he -- he is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world,
In this was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son -- the only begotten -- hath God sent to the world, that we may live through him; in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood, and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him `is' the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen.
and he hath sent away the living bird unto the outside of the city unto the face of the field, and hath made atonement for the house, and it hath been clean.
`And the priest hath taken of its blood with his finger, and hath put on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and all its blood he doth pour out at the foundation of the altar, and all its fat he doth turn aside, as the fat hath been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made perfume on the altar, for sweet fragrance to Jehovah; and the priest hath made atonement for him, and it hath been forgiven him.
and hath brought in his guilt-offering to Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned, a female out of the flock, a lamb, or a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering, and the priest hath made atonement for him, because of his sin.
`And the second he maketh a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance, and the priest hath made atonement for him, because of his sin which he hath sinned, and it hath been forgiven him.
and the priest hath made atonement for him before Jehovah, and it hath been forgiven him, concerning one thing of all that he doth, by being guilty therein.'
And Moses saith unto Aaron, `Draw near unto the altar, and make thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself, and for the people, and make the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as Jehovah hath commanded.'
and the remnant of the oil which `is' on the palm of the priest, he putteth on the head of him who is to be cleansed, and the priest hath made atonement for him before Jehovah.
And Jehovah calleth unto Moses, and speaketh unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying, `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Any man of you when he doth bring near an offering to Jehovah, out of the cattle -- out of the herd, or out of the flock -- ye do bring near your offering. `If his offering `is' a burnt-offering out of the herd -- a male, a perfect one, he doth bring near, unto the opening of the tent of meeting he doth bring it near, at his pleasure, before Jehovah; and he hath laid his hand on the head of the burnt-offering, and it hath been accepted for him to make atonement for him; and he hath slaughtered the son of the herd before Jehovah; and sons of Aaron, the priests, have brought the blood near, and sprinkled the blood on the altar round about, which `is' at the opening of the tent of meeting. `And he hath stripped the burnt-offering, and hath cut it into its pieces;
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, in their drawing near before Jehovah, and they die; yea, Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Speak unto Aaron thy brother, and he cometh not in at all times unto the sanctuary within the vail, unto the front of the mercy-seat, which `is' upon the ark, and he dieth not, for in a cloud I am seen upon the mercy-seat. `With this doth Aaron come in unto the sanctuary; with a bullock, a son of the herd, for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering; a holy linen coat he putteth on, and linen trousers are on his flesh, and with a linen girdle he girdeth himself, and with a linen mitre he wrappeth himself up; they `are' holy garments; and he hath bathed with water his flesh, and hath put them on. `And from the company of the sons of Israel he taketh two kids of the goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering; and Aaron hath brought near the bullock of the sin-offering which is his own, and hath made atonement for himself, and for his house; and he hath taken the two goats, and hath caused them to stand before Jehovah, at the opening of the tent of meeting. `And Aaron hath given lots over the two goats, one lot for Jehovah, and one lot for a goat of departure; and Aaron hath brought near the goat on which the lot for Jehovah hath gone up, and hath made it a sin-offering. `And the goat on which the lot for a goat of departure hath gone up is caused to stand living before Jehovah to make atonement by it, to send it away for a goat of departure into the wilderness. `And Aaron hath brought near the bullock of the sin-offering which is his own, and hath made atonement for himself, and for his house, and hath slaughtered the bullock of the sin-offering which `is' his own, and hath taken the fulness of the censer of burning coals of fire from off the altar, from before Jehovah, and the fulness of his hands of thin spice-perfume, and hath brought `it' within the vail; and he hath put the perfume on the fire before Jehovah, and the cloud of the perfume hath covered the mercy-seat which `is' on the testimony, and he dieth not. `And he hath taken of the blood of the bullock, and hath sprinkled with his finger on the front of the mercy-seat eastward; even at the front of the mercy-seat he doth sprinkle seven times of the blood with his finger. `And he hath slaughtered the goat of the sin-offering which `is' the people's, and hath brought in its blood unto the inside of the vail, and hath done with its blood as he hath done with the blood of the bullock, and hath sprinkled it on the mercy-seat, and at the front of the mercy-seat, and he hath made atonement for the sanctuary because of the uncleanness of the sons of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so he doth for the tent of meeting which is tabernacling with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. `And no man is in the tent of meeting in his going in to make atonement in the sanctuary, till his coming out; and he hath made atonement for himself, and for his house, and for all the assembly of Israel. `And he hath gone out unto the altar which `is' before Jehovah, and hath made atonement for it; and he hath taken of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and hath put on the horns of the altar round about; and he hath sprinkled on it of the blood with his finger seven times, and hath cleansed it, and hath hallowed it from the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel. `And he hath ceased from making atonement `for' the sanctuary, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, and hath brought near the living goat; and Aaron hath laid his two hands on the head of the living goat, and hath confessed over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, and hath put them on the head of the goat, and hath sent `it' away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness; and the goat hath borne on him all their iniquities unto a land of separation. `And he hath sent the goat away into the wilderness, and Aaron hath come in unto the tent of meeting, and hath stripped off the linen garments which he had put on in his going in unto the sanctuary, and hath placed them there; and he hath bathed his flesh with water in the holy place, and hath put on his garments, and hath come out, and hath made his burnt-offering, and the burnt-offering of the people, and hath made atonement for himself and for the people; and with the fat of the sin-offering he doth make perfume on the altar. `And he who is sending away the goat for a goat of departure doth wash his garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water, and afterwards he cometh in unto the camp. `And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the goat of the sin-offering, whose blood hath been brought in to make atonement in the sanctuary, doth `one' bring out unto the outside of the camp, and they have burnt with fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung; and he who is burning them doth wash his garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water, and afterwards he cometh in unto the camp. `And it hath been to you for a statute age-during, in the seventh month, in the tenth of the month, ye humble yourselves, and do no work -- the native, and the sojourner who is sojourning in your midst; for on this day he maketh atonement for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins before Jehovah ye are clean; it `is' to you a sabbath of rest, and ye have humbled yourselves -- a statute age-during. `And the priest whom he doth anoint, and whose hand he doth consecrate to act as priest instead of his father, hath made atonement, and hath put on the linen garments, the holy garments; and he hath made atonement `for' the holy sanctuary; and `for' the tent of meeting, even `for' the altar he doth make atonement; yea, for the priests, and for all the people of the assembly he maketh atonement. `And this hath been to you for a statute age-during, to make atonement for the sons of Israel, because of all their sins, once in a year;' and he doth as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
`And the priest hath made atonement for all the company of the sons of Israel, and it hath been forgiven them, for it `is' ignorance, and they -- they have brought in their offering, a fire-offering to Jehovah, even their sin-offering before Jehovah for their ignorance;
being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that `is' in Christ Jesus, whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God -- for the shewing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who `is' of the faith of Jesus.
For in our being still ailing, Christ in due time did die for the impious; for scarcely for a righteous man will any one die, for for the good man perhaps some one also doth dare to die; and God doth commend His own love to us, that, in our being still sinners, Christ did die for us; much more, then, having been declared righteous now in his blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath; for if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in his life. And not only `so', but we are also boasting in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we did receive the reconciliation;
But, not as the offence so also `is' the free gift; for if by the offence of the one the many did die, much more did the grace of God, and the free gift in grace of the one man Jesus Christ, abound to the many; and not as through one who did sin `is' the free gift, for the judgment indeed `is' of one to condemnation, but the gift `is' of many offences to a declaration of `Righteous,' for if by the offence of the one the death did reign through the one, much more those, who the abundance of the grace and of the free gift of the righteousness are receiving, in life shall reign through the one -- Jesus Christ. So, then, as through one offence to all men `it is' to condemnation, so also through one declaration of `Righteous' `it is' to all men to justification of life; for as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners: so also through the obedience of the one, shall the many be constituted righteous. And law came in, that the offence might abound, and where the sin did abound, the grace did overabound, that even as the sin did reign in the death, so also the grace may reign, through righteousness, to life age-during, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
for what the law was not able to do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, His own Son having sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, did condemn the sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 4
Commentary on Leviticus 4 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 4
This chapter contains the law of the sin offering, which was offered for sins committed through ignorance, error, and mistake, Leviticus 4:1 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, Leviticus 4:3 for the whole congregation, Leviticus 4:13 and for the ruler, Leviticus 4:22 and for any of the common people, Leviticus 4:27.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Continued to speak to him, or, after some pause made, proceeded to speak to him, and give things in commandment concerning the sin offering, what it should be, and for whom, as follows.
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,.... For this law concerning the sin offering, as the rest, only belonged to them, and such as were proselyted to them:
if a soul should sin through ignorance; sin is from the soul, though committed by the body; it is the soul that sins, Ezekiel 18:4 it includes, as Aben Ezra observes, both Israelites and proselytes; who sinned through ignorance either of the law, that such things were forbidden, or of having committed them, they being done unobserved, and through inadvertency; or were forgotten that they were done, or were done through error and mistake; these sins are what the apostle calls the errors of the people, their strayings out of the way through ignorance and inadvertency, Hebrews 5:2 such sins as a man is overtaken with unawares, and is drawn into at once through temptation and the prevalence of corruption; these are the errors and secret faults which David distinguishes from presumptuous sins, Psalm 19:12,
against any of the commandments of the Lord (concerning things which ought not to be done.) The Jewish writersF13T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 23. 2. distinguish the commandments of the Lord into affirmative and negative, and make their number to be six hundred and thirteen; two hundred and forty eight are affirmative, according to the number of bones in a man's body, and three hundred sixty five are negative ones, according to the number of the days of the year; and they observeF14Maimon. in Misn. Horayot, c. 2. sect. 3. Bartenora in Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 1. Gersom in loc. , it is only the transgression of negative precepts that is here meant, and for which a sin offering was to be brought:
and shall do against any of them; it must be something done, and not merely said: hence the JewsF15Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 2. & Bartenora in ib. Maimon. Hilchot Shegagot, c. 1. sect. 2. say, that as the neglect of circumcision, and of the passover, does not come under this law, because they are affirmative precepts; so neither blasphemy, because there is nothing done, only something said: of these sins of ignorance, they give instances as follows; if any man eats the fat that is about the kidneys, thinking it is the fat that is about the heart; or that lies with a woman forbidden by the law, thinking her to be his wife; or that commits idolatry, by bowing to the idol, thinking that the law forbids sacrifice, incense, and libation, but not bowing; or that profanes the sabbath, thinking it is a common dayF16Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Ceritot, ib. .
If the priest that is anointed do sin,.... That is, the high priest, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and the Septuagint version, render it; who in after times was only anointed, though at first Aaron's sons were anointed with him; so an high priest is described in Leviticus 21:10 and such an one was liable to sin, and often did; which shows not only that the greatest and best of men are not without sin, but proves what the apostle observes, that the law made men high priests which had infirmity, even sinful infirmities, who needed to offer for themselves as well as for the people; by which it appeared that perfection could not be had by the Levitical priesthood, and that it was proper it should cease, and another priesthood take place, Hebrews 7:11,
according to the sin of the people; committing the like sins of error and ignorance as the common people, to which he was liable as they; or "to make the people guilty"; as the margin reads; to which agrees the Septuagint version, "so that the people sin"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "making the people to sin"; either by his doctrine or example, and both through ignorance, heedlessness, and inadvertency: the Targum of Jonathan is,"when he offers the offering of sin for the people, not according to its manner'or rite; as if his sin lay in erring while he was offering; but be it in which way it may, whether by any unadvised inadvertent action of his own, or ignorant instruction of the people, so causing them to err, or any ignorance or mistake in offering the sacrifices of the people:
then let him bring for the sin which he has sinned; in either way:
a young bullock; not an ox which was three years old, nor a calf which was but of one year, but a bullock which was of two years; so MaimonidesF17Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 1. sect. 14. observes, that wherever it is said a calf, that is a young one of the first year, but a bullock it is a young one of the second year: as are men's characters, so are the aggravations of their sins, and sacrifices were proportioned thereunto; the high priest was obliged to bring the same offering as the whole congregation did in a like case; see Leviticus 4:13.
without blemish; a type of the sacrifice of Christ offered up without spot to God, as it follows:
unto the Lord; against whom sin is committed, and therefore sacrifice both in the type and antitype must be brought and offered up to him, by whom it is accepted, and to whom it is of a sweetsmelling savour, namely, the unblemished sacrifice of Christ:
for a sin offering; or "for sin": the sin offering is called sin itself, and so is Christ the antitype of it, 2 Corinthians 5:21 Christ is most holy in himself, had no sin in him, nor knew any, nor were any committed by him; yet he appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, took the place of sinners, and was their substitute, had all their sins laid upon him, and was by imputation made sin itself, and became an offering for it, and so fully answered the type of the sin offering.
And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord,.... As the bullock of the burnt offering; See Gill on Leviticus 1:3,
and shall lay his hand on the bullock's head; the Targum of Jonathan says his right hand; See Gill on Leviticus 1:4,
and kill the bullock before the Lord; at the door of the tabernacle, that is, in the court, as Gersom observes; according to the above Targum, the butcher killed it, and not the priest: See Gill on Leviticus 1:5 all this is typical of the imputation of sin to Christ, and of his death.
And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood,.... Let out and received into a basin; this he did himself, and not another, for he offered for himself, and the blood was to make atonement for him:
and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation; out of the court where the bullock was slain, into the holy place, where were the vail that divided between the holy of holies, and the altar of sweet incense, after mentioned.
And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood,.... The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so MaimonidesF18Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 7. Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 3. sect. 4. ; for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canonsF19Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib. and though it is only said the priest, and not that is anointed, as before, yet it seems to mean him and not another; though if a private priest did this, Gersom says, it would be right, and so MaimonidesF20Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 15. :
and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord; a figure of the blood of Christ, called, in allusion to this rite, the blood of sprinkling; which being presented before the Lord, calls for pardon from him, and sprinkled on the conscience, speaks peace there, and perfectly cleanses from all sin, which the seven times sprinkling is a symbol of:
before the vail of the sanctuary: the words may be literally rendered, "the face of the vail of the sanctuary": as if the blood was sprinkled on the outside of the vail. Jarchi's note is,"over against the place of its holiness, he directed (it) over against between the staves; the blood shall not touch the vail, but if it touches, it touches it;'that is, it is no matter. And according to MaimonidesF21Ib. sect. 13. the blood of bullocks and goats burnt was sprinkled seven times upon the vail, which divided between the and the holy of holies. This typified the vail of flesh, whose blood gives boldness to enter into the holiest of all, Hebrews 10:19.
And the priest shall put some of the blood,.... With his finger, which he dipped into it:
upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; this was the golden altar on which incense was offered: it was placed before the vail, on the outside of it, in the holy place, see Exodus 30:1 and the priest, when he put the blood on the horns of it, began at the northeast horn, so to the northwest, then to the southwest, and last to the southeastF23Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect. 5. Maimon. ib. (Maasch Hakorbanot c. 5.) sect. 10. 14. ; and the priest dipped his finger at every horn, and when he had finished at one horn, he wiped his finger at the edge of the basin, and after that dipped a second time; for what remained of the blood on his finger was not fit to put upon another hornF24Maimon. ib. sect. 8. . This rite shows, that the intercession of Christ, signified by the altar of sweet incense, proceeds upon the foot of his blood and sacrifice, Revelation 8:3 1 John 2:1,
and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; this altar stood without the holy place, and the altar of incense within; and after the priest had sprinkled of the blood of the bullock, upon the horns of the altar of incense, what remained he poured at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering; for though it is said "all" the blood, it can mean no more than what was left; wherefore the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "all the remaining blood": and Jarchi's explanatory note is, the rest of the blood. The place where this was poured, according to MaimonidesF25Ib. sect. 11. , was the west bottom of the altar; and Gersom on the place observes the same. This denotes the efficacy of Christ's blood to make atonement for sin, and the reverent esteem it ought to be had in, being precious blood.
And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering,.... When the priest had killed the bullock, and sprinkled and poured the blood, as before commanded; he then cut up the bullock, and took out its inwards, and put them in a vessel, and salted them, and strowed them on the firesF26Maimon. ib. (Maasch Hakorbanot) c. 7. sect. 2. , and burnt them, and the fat of them, as he did with the sacrifice of the peace offerings; so that what is here said, and in the two next verses Leviticus 4:9, is the same with what is ordered concerning them in Leviticus 3:3; see Gill on Leviticus 3:3, Leviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:5. Jarchi and Gersom both observe that they agree, that as one brings peace into the world, so does the other.
And the skin of the bullock,.... Not taken off; for the sin offerings that were burnt were not flayed at all, but were cut in pieces with their skins on themF1Ib. (Maasch Hakoranot) c. 5. sect. 18. & 7. 2. ; in other burnt offerings the skin was taken off, and was a perquisite of the priest, Leviticus 7:8 but this being an offering for the priest, the skin was burnt with the rest:
and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung; the burning of these denoted the sufferings of Christ, and these several parts the extent of them, they reaching to all parts of his body as stretched upon the cross; and the dung particularly the reproach of them, he dying the death of the cross, and was made sin and a curse for his people.
Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp,.... The Jewish writers interpret it without the three campsF2T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 68. 1. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 42. 2. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect. 5. Jarchi in loc. , the camp of the tabernacle, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of the Israelites; when the temple was built, such sacrifices were carried and burnt without the city of Jerusalem; there were three places for burning; one was in the midst of the court, where they burnt such sacrifices as were unfit and rejected; the other was in the mountain of the house called Birah, where they burnt such as any accident befell them, after the carrying of them out of the court; and the third place was without Jerusalem, called the place of ashesF3Maimon. Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 3, 4. : this was typical of Christ being had out of the city of Jerusalem, and suffering without the gates of it, Hebrews 13:11,
unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out; the ashes of the burnt offerings. This, according to Ainsworth, answered to the place where Christ was crucified, being a place of skulls, or dead men's ashes, John 19:17,
and burn him on the wood with fire; any wood might be used for the burning of it, even straw or stubble, which in the Hebrew language are called wood, as Gersom on the place observes, and so MaimonidesF4Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 5. ; and it is added, "with fire", as the last writer saysF5Ib. Vid. T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 75. 1. , to exclude lime and cinder coals:
where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt; openly without; and seeing it is not said, that the priest shall carry forth the bullock, and shall burn it, it is concluded by Gersom on the place, that both may be done lawfully by a stranger, and so MaimonidesF6Maimon. ib. .
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 elsewhereF7Hilchot Shegagot, c. 12. sect. 1. ; 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.
When the sin which they have sinned against it,.... Any of the commandments of the Lord forbidding such a thing to be done:
is known; is made known to them by the priest, or any other, so that they are convinced that what has been done is wrong, though done through ignorance:
then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation; the same offering with that of the anointed priest, he being, as Aben Ezra on the place observes, equal to all Israel.
And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord,.... These must be two at least, some say three, and some say fiveF8Misn. Sotah, c. 9. sect. 1. ; the more generally received notion is, that they were three of the sanhedrimF9Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 7. Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 10. ; though the Targum of Jonathan makes them to be the twelve rulers of the twelve tribes:
and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord; in the court near the altar of burnt offering, either by a priest, or Levite, or by a butcher, as the above Targum expresses it.
And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood,.... That is, the chief priest, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan explain it:
to the tabernacle of the congregation; as he brought the blood of his own bullock, Leviticus 4:5 from hence to the Leviticus 4:16 an account is given of the same rites to be observed in the sin offering, for the congregation, as for the anointed priest; See Gill on Leviticus 4:6, Leviticus 4:7, Leviticus 4:12.
When a ruler hath sinned,.... Or "prince", the "nasi", one that is lifted up above others in honour, power, and authority, or that bears the weight of government: the word comes from one which signifies to lift up, or to bear; it may be understood of a governor of a family, or of a tribe, as Aben Ezra observes; and so in the TalmudF11T. Bab. Horayot, fol. 11. 1. it is said, it means the prince of a tribe, such as Nachson the son of Amminadab, prince of the tribe of Judah. MaimonidesF12Hilchot Shegagot, c. 15. sect. 6. says a king is designed, over whom none has power; and so Gersom on the place, who observes, that David the king is called a prince, Ezekiel 34:24.
and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God; the phrase, "his God", is here added, and is not used neither of the anointed priest, nor of the congregation, nor of one of the common people; only of the prince, to show, that though he is above others, God is above him, and he is accountable to him; he is his God, of whom he is, and by whom he rules; wherefore if he breaks any of his commandments, though ignorantly, he must bring a sacrifice for it:
concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; of transgressing negative precepts, which are as binding on him as others.
Or if his sin wherein he hath sinned come to his knowledge,.... Or rather, "and if his sin", &c.F13או και Sept. "et postea", V. L. & Noldius, p. 3. No. 23. either by means of others informing him of it, or of himself calling to mind what he has done, and considering it to be a transgression of the law:
he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish; his offering was to be a "kid of the goats", a fat and a large one; because, as Baal Hatturim observes, he ate fat things every day; and to distinguish it from the offering of one of the common people; and "without blemish"; as all sacrifices were, that they might be typical of the offering of Christ without spot.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat,.... His right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan; See Gill on Leviticus 1:4.
and kill it; not the prince, but the priest after mentioned, or the butcher, as the same Targum:
in the place where they hill the burnt offering before the Lord; in the court on the north side of the altar, see Leviticus 1:11,
it is a sin offering: an offering for his sin of ignorance, or "sin"; so Christ our offering is said to be, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger,.... With the finger of his right hand, as the TalmudistsF14T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 24. 1. observe, and Gersom on the place; the priest first received the blood into a basin or ministering vessel, and then dipped the finger of his right hand into it, that next the thumb:
and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering; the four horns of it; in this there was a difference between the sacrifice of the anointed priest and of the congregation, and this of the ruler; the blood of the former was put upon the horns of the altar of incense, this upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering:
and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering; the South bottom of it; the order of the priest's proceeding in putting the blood was different from that used in putting it on the horns of the altar of incense; here he first put the blood upon the southeast horn, then upon the northeast, next upon the northwest, and then upon the southwest; and upon the bottom of that horn where he finished, he poured the remainder of the blood, which was the southern bottomF15Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 10. .
And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, Of burnt offering, that is, the priest shall do it:
as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; see Leviticus 3:3.
and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin; in a typical way, directing to the great sacrifice of Christ, which is the only real atonement and propitiation for sin: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render, "the priest shall pray for him": for the pardon of his sin:
and it shall be forgiven him; not for the prayers of the priest, nor for the sacrifice offered up, but for the sake of Christ, the antitype of such sacrifices, and when faith was exercised on him; or the meaning is, he shall not be punished for it.
And if anyone of the common people sin through ignorance,.... Or, "if one soul of the people of the earth": that is, a single person, and so is distinguished from the congregation, one of the common sort of people; however is neither an high priest, nor a prince, or king, but either a common priest, or Levite, or Israelite; no man is free from sin; all sorts of persons, of all ranks and degrees, high and low, rich and poor, men in office, civil or ecclesiastical, or in whatsoever state of life, are liable to sin, and do sin continually, either ignorantly or willingly; and Christ is a sacrifice for all sins and for all sorts of sinners:
whilst he doeth somewhat; &c. See Gill on Leviticus 4:2, Leviticus 4:13, Leviticus 4:22.
Or if his sin which he hath sinned come to his knowledge,.... So that he is convinced that he has sinned:
then he shall bring his offering; to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to the priest there:
a kid of the goats: a young goat:
a female without blemish; and so inferior to the offering of the ruler or prince; for the characters of men are aggravations of their sins, and sacrifices were to be in some measure answerable to them, and suitable to their circumstances:
for the sin which he hath sinned; to atone for it in a typical way.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering,.... His right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan; not the priest that shall offer it, but the man that has sinned, that brings it, thereby confessing his sin, and transferring it to the sacrifice:
and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering; that is, on the north side of the altar.
And the priest shall take of the blood,.... So that all the preceding actions, the bringing the offering, the putting the hand upon the head of it, and slaying it, were done by the man that sinned; of this and what follows here and in the next verse Leviticus 4:31; see Gill on Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 4:26.
And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering,.... As he might if he would; the Jews observe, that in all places a lamb is put before a goat, as being more excellent in its kind; but here it is mentioned after, which shows, they say, that they are equally alikeF16T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 57. 2. & Ceritot, fol. 28. 2. :
he shall bring it a female without blemish; typical of Christ the Lamb of God, without spot and without blemish, 1 Peter 1:19.
He shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering,.... On the head of the lamb, as on the head of the goat, even his right hand, as the above Targum, as before:
and slay it for a sin offering, in the place where they kill the burnt offering: for if it was not slain for a sin offering, but for something else, or on any other account, as for a burnt offering, it was not rightF17T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 7. 1. & Menachot, fol. 4. 1. .
And the priest shall take of the blood,.... See Gill on Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 4:26.