Leviticus 4

Laws for Sin Offerings

¹The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

²“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them,

³if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to the LORD for a sin offering.

⁴He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before the LORD; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before the LORD.

⁵The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting.

⁶The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary.

⁷The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

⁸He shall take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering from it: the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,

⁹and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall remove,

¹⁰as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.

¹¹He shall carry the bull’s skin, all its meat, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung

¹²—all the rest of the bull—outside of the camp to a clean place where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. It shall be burned where the ashes are poured out.

¹³“‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and are guilty;

¹⁴when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁵The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD; and the bull shall be killed before the LORD.

¹⁶The anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull to the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁷The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, before the veil.

¹⁸He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the Tent of Meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁹All its fat he shall take from it, and burn it on the altar.

²⁰He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.

²¹He shall carry 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 ruler sins, and unwittingly does any one of all the things which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty,

²³if his sin in which he has sinned is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect.

²⁴He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD. It is a sin offering.

²⁵The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

²⁶All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven.

²⁷“‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and is guilty,

²⁸if his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has sinned.

²⁹He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering.

³⁰The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.

³¹All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

³²“‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without defect.

³³He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.

³⁴The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.

³⁵He shall remove all its fat, like the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of the LORD made by fire. The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.

Previous Leviticus 3

Next Leviticus 5

Leviticus 4 establishes the laws for sin offerings, specifically addressing unintentional sins committed by different levels of leadership and the community. The chapter details distinct procedures for when the anointed priest sins (bringing guilt on the people) and when the entire congregation sins unknowingly. These elaborate rituals involving young bulls, blood sprinkling, and specific burning procedures demonstrate God's provision for atonement while emphasizing the serious consequences of sin, even when committed unintentionally.

Context

Following the peace offering instructions in chapter 3, this chapter continues the systematic presentation of sacrificial laws that began in Leviticus 1.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Introduction to Sin Offering Laws God commands Moses to establish laws for unintentional sins against divine commandments
3-12
Sin Offering for the Anointed Priest Detailed procedure when the high priest sins, requiring a young bull and elaborate blood ritual
13-21
Sin Offering for the Whole Congregation Similar ritual prescribed when the entire assembly of Israel commits unintentional sin
22-26
Sin Offering for a Leader Requirements for when a ruler sins, involving a male goat without defect
27-35
Sin Offering for Common People Procedures for individual Israelites, offering either a female goat or lamb

Laws for Sin Offerings

4:1–5:13

law instruction solemn

Comprehensive laws for sin offerings covering unintentional sins by priests, the congregation, leaders, and common people. These offerings provide a means of atonement and restoration of relationship with God.

person_contrast

Moses receives detailed forgiveness protocols rather than his typical role as lawgiver demanding obedience, marking a rare shift from commanding compliance to providing restoration pathways.

Insight Character Study

Moses receives detailed forgiveness protocols rather than his typical role as lawgiver demanding obedience, marking a rare shift from commanding compliance to providing restoration pathways.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Leviticus 4:3 5 references

Lexicals 5

Ezekiel 43:23 Lexical

When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without defect and a ram out of the flock without defe…

5 shared words

Ezekiel 43:22 Lexical

“On the second day you shall offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as t…

5 shared words

Ezekiel 45:18 Lexical

“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without defect, and…

Leviticus 4

Laws for Sin Offerings

Laws for Sin Offerings

Insights

Cross-References

Leviticus 4:3 5 references

Leviticus 4:4 5 references

Leviticus 4:5 2 references

Leviticus 4:6 5 references

Leviticus 4:7 5 references

Leviticus 4:8 5 references

Leviticus 4:9 5 references

Leviticus 4:10 5 references

Leviticus 4:11 4 references

Leviticus 4:12 5 references

Leviticus 4:14 5 references

Leviticus 4:16 2 references

Leviticus 4:17 5 references

Leviticus 4:18 5 references

Leviticus 4:19 5 references

Leviticus 4:20 5 references

Leviticus 4:21 5 references

Leviticus 4:22 1 reference

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Leviticus 4:26 5 references

Leviticus 4:27 1 reference

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Leviticus 4:30 5 references

Leviticus 4:31 5 references

Leviticus 4:32 4 references

Leviticus 4:33 5 references

Leviticus 4:34 5 references

Leviticus 4:35 5 references

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