13‘Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, and they commit any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty; 14when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a bull of the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting. 15‘Then the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slain before the LORD. 16‘Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting; 17and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. 18‘He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD in the tent of meeting; and all the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 19‘He shall remove all its fat from it and offer it up in smoke on the altar. 20‘He shall also do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. 21‘Then he is to bring out the bull to a place 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 unintentionally does any one of all the things which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty, 23if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without defect. 24‘He shall lay his hand on the head of the male goat and slay it in the place where they slay the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering. 25‘Then the priest is to 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 the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26‘All its fat he shall offer up in smoke on the altar as in the case of the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven.

      27‘Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, 28if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed. 29‘He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. 30‘The priest shall take some of its blood 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. 31‘Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

      32‘But if he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring it, a female without defect. 33‘He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they slay the burnt offering. 34‘The priest is to 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. 35‘Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"If the anointed priest does something wrong and brings guilt on the people, he must bring a bull that has no defects as an offering for sin to the LORD.

King James Bible
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If the priest that is anointed shall sin, making the people to offend, he shall offer to the Lord for his sin a calf without blemish.

Darby Bible Translation
if the priest that is anointed sin according to the trespass of the people; then for his sin which he hath sinned shall he present a young bullock without blemish to Jehovah for a sin-offering.

English Revised Version
if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people; then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

Webster's Bible Translation
If the priest that is anointed shall sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring, for his sin which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish to the LORD for a sin-offering.

World English Bible
if 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 blemish to Yahweh for a sin offering.

Young's Literal Translation
'If the priest who is anointed doth sin according to the guilt of the people, then he hath brought near for his sin which he hath sinned a bullock, a son of the herd, a perfect one, to Jehovah, for a sin-offering,

Cross References

Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Leviticus 4:5 'Then the anointed priest is to take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the tent of meeting,

Leviticus 4:14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a bull of the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:23 if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without defect.

Leviticus 4:28 if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed.

Leviticus 9:2 and he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD.

Numbers 16:22 But they fell on their faces and said, "O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?"

2 Chronicles 29:21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

Ezekiel 43:19 'You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who draw near to Me to minister to Me,' declares the Lord GOD, 'a young bull for a sin offering.

Commentary

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Chapter 4

This chapter is concerning the sin-offering, which was properly intended to make atonement for a sin committed through ignorance, I. By the priest himself (v. 1-12). Or, II. By the whole congregation (v. 13-21). Or, III. By a ruler (v. 22-26). Or, IV. By a private person (v. 27, etc.).

Verses 1-12

The laws contained in the first three chapters seem to have been delivered to Moses at one time. Here begin the statutes of another session, another day. From the throne of glory between the cherubim God delivered these orders. And he enters now upon a subject more strictly new than those before. Burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and peace-offerings, it should seem, had been offered before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai; those sacrifices the patriarchs had not been altogether unacquainted with (Gen. 8:20; Ex. 20:24), and in them they had respect to sin, to make atonement for it, Job 1:5. But the law being now added because of transgressions (Gal. 3:19), and having entered, that eventually the offence might abound (Rom. 5:20), they were put into a way of making atonement for sin more particularly by sacrifice, which was (more than any of the ceremonial institutions) a shadow of good things to come, but the substance is Christ, and that one offering of himself by which he put away sin and perfected for ever those who are sanctified.

I. The general case supposed we have, v. 2. Here observe, 1. Concerning sin in general, that it is described to be against any of the commandments of the Lord; for sin is the transgression of the law, the divine law. The wits or wills of men, their inventions or their injunctions, cannot make that to be sin which the law of God has not made to be so. It is said likewise, if a soul sin, for it is not sin if it be not some way or other the soul's act; hence it is called the sin of the soul (Mic. 6:7), and it is the soul that is injured by it, Prov. 8:36. 2. Concerning the sins for which those offerings were appointed. (1.) They are supposed to be overt acts; for, had they been required to bring a sacrifice for every sinful thought or word, the task had been endless. Atonement was made for those in the gross, on the day of expiation, once a year; but these are said to be done against the commandments. (2.) They are supposed to be sins of commission, things which ought not to be done. Omissions are sins, and must come into judgment; but what had been omitted at one time might be done at another, and so to obey was better than sacrifice: but a commission was past recall. (3.) They are supposed to be sins committed through ignorance. If they were done presumptuously, and with an avowed contempt of the law and the Law-maker, the offender was to be cut off, and there remained no sacrifice for the sin, Heb. 10:26, 27; Num. 15:30. But if the offender were either ignorant of the law, as in divers instances we may suppose many were (so numerous and various were the prohibitions), or were surprised into the sin unawares, the circumstances being such as made it evident that his resolution against the sin was sincere, but that he was overtaken in it, as the expression is (Gal. 6:1), in this case relief was provided by the remedial law of the sin-offering. And the Jews say, "Those crimes only were to be expiated by sacrifice, if committed ignorantly, for which the criminal was to have been cut off if they had been committed presumptuously."

II. The law begins with the case of the anointed priest, that is, the high priest, provided he should sin through ignorance; for the law made men priests who had infirmity. Though his ignorance was of all others least excusable, yet he was allowed to bring his offering. His office did not so far excuse his offence as that it should be forgiven him without a sacrifice; yet it did not so far aggravate it but that it should be forgiven him when he did bring his sacrifice. If he sin according to the sin of the people (so the case is put, v. 3), which supposes him in this matter to stand upon the level with other Israelites, and to have no benefit of his clergy at all. Now the law concerning the sin-offering for the high priest is, 1. That he must bring a bullock without blemish for a sin-offering (v. 3), as valuable an offering as that for the whole congregation (v. 14); whereas for any other ruler, or a common person, a kid of the goats should serve, v. 23, 28. This intimated the greatness of the guilt connected with the sin of a high priest. The eminency of his station, and his relation both to God and to the people, greatly aggravated his offences; see Rom. 2:21. 2. The hand of the offerer must be laid upon the head of the offering (v. 4), with a solemn penitent confession of the sin he had committed, putting it upon the head of the sin-offering, ch. 16:21. No remission without confession, Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13. It signified also a confidence in this instituted way of expiating guilt, as a figure of something better yet to come, which they could not stedfastly discern. He that laid his hand on the head of the beast thereby owned that he deserved to die himself, and that it was God's great mercy that he would please to accept the offering of this beast to die for him. The Jewish writers themselves say that neither the sin-offering nor the trespass-offering made atonement, except for those that repented and believed in their atonement. 3. The bullock must be killed, and a great deal of solemnity there must be in disposing of the blood; for it was the blood that made atonement, and without shedding of blood there was no remission, v. 5-7. Some of the blood of the high-priest's sin-offering was to be sprinkled seven times before the veil, with an eye towards the mercy-seat, though it was veiled: some of it was to be put upon the horns of the golden altar, because at that altar the priest himself ministered; and thus was signified the putting away of that pollution which from his sins did cleave to his services. It likewise serves to illustrate the influence which Christ's satisfaction has upon the prevalency of his intercession. The blood of his sacrifice is put upon the altar of his incense and sprinkled before the Lord. When this was done the remainder of the blood was poured at the foot of the brazen altar. By this rite, the sinner acknowledged that he deserved to have his blood thus poured out like water. It likewise signified the pouring out of the soul before God in true repentance, and typified our Saviour's pouring out his soul unto death. 4. The fat of the inwards was to be burnt upon the altar of burnt-offering, v. 8-10. By this the intention of the offering and of the atonement made by it was directed to the glory of God, who, having been dishonoured by the sin, was thus honoured by the sacrifice. It signified the sharp sufferings of our Lord Jesus, when he was made sin (that is, a sin-offering) for us, especially the sorrows of his soul and his inward agonies. It likewise teaches us, in conformity to the death of Christ, to crucify the flesh. 5. The head and body of the beast, skin and all, were to be carried without the camp, to a certain place appointed for that purpose, and there burnt to ashes, v. 11, 12. This was very significant, (1.) Of the duty of repentance, which is the putting away of sin as a detestable thing, which our soul hates. True penitents say to their idols, "Get you hence; what have we to do any more with idols?" The sin-offering is called sin. What they did to that we must do to our sins; the body of sin must be destroyed, Rom. 6:6. (2.) Of the privilege of remission. When God pardons sin he quite abolishes it, casts it behind his back. The iniquity of Judah shall be sought for and not found. The apostle takes particular notice of this ceremony, and applies it to Christ (Heb. 13:11-13), who suffered without the gate, in the place of a skull, where the ashes of dead men, as those of the altar, were poured out.

Calvin's Commentary

1. And the LORD spakeunto Moses, saying,

1. Alloquutus est praeterea Jehova Mosen, dicendo:

2. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:

2. Loquere ad filius Israel, dicendo, Anima quum peccaverit per errorem ab omnibus praeceptis Jehovae qusa non sunt facienda, feceritque quidpiam de uno ex illis:

3. If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

3. Si sacerdos unctus peccaverit secundum delictum populi, offeret sacrificium pro peccato suo quod peccavit, juvencum vitulum immaculatum Jehovae pro peccato.

4. And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.

4. Adducetque juvencum ilum ad ostium tabernaculi conventionis in conspectu Jehovae, et admovebit manum suare super caput juvenci, mactabitque juvencum in conspectu Jehovah.

5. And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:

5. Accipietque sacerdos unctus de sanguine juvenci, et inferet eum in tabernaculum conventionis.

6. And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.

6. Dein sacerdos tinget digitum suum in sanguine, aspergetque de sanguine illo septem vicibus coram Jehova:

7. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

7. Ponetque sacerdos de sanguine isto super cornua altaris suffimenti aromataci coram Jehova, quod est in tabernaculo conventionis: totum autem sanguinem reliquum juvenci effundet ad basin altaris holocausti quod est ad ostium tabernaculi conventionis.

8. And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

8. Totum praeterea adipem juvenci oblati pro peccato tollet ab eo: nempe adipem operientem intestina, et totum adipem qui est super ca.

9. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,

9. Duos quoque renes, et adipem qui est super eos, et qui est super ilia, et fibram quae est super jecur, cum renibus auferet:

10. As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.

10. Quemadmodum tollitur a bove sacrificii prosperitatum: adolebitque ea sacerdos super altare holocausti.

11. And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,

11. Pellem praeterea juvenci, et omnem carnem ejus, cum capite ejus, et cruribus, et intestina ejus, et timum ejus.

12. Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

12. Educetque totum juveneum extra castra ad locum mundum, ad locum ubi effundetur cinis: et comburet eum super ligna igni: in loco inquam ubi effunditur cinis, comburetur.

13. And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;

13. Quod si tota synagoga Israel erraverit, et latuerit res in oculis congregationis, et fecerit unum ab omnibus praeceptis Jehovae qum non sunt facienda, et deliquerit:

14. When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernale of the congregation.

14. Notum autem fuerit peccatum quod peceaverunt: tune offeret congregatio juvencum filium bovis in sacrificium pro peccato, adducetque ilium ante tabernaculum conventionis,

15. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.

15. Ponentque seniores synagogae marius suas super caput juvenci coram Jehova: tune mactabit juvencum coram Jehova.

16. And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:

16. Inferetque sacerdos unctus de sanguine juvenci in tabernaculum conventionis.

17. And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.

17. Et intinget sacerdos digitum suum in ipso sanguine, aspergetque septem vicibus coram Jehova ante velum.

18. And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18. De sanguine quoque illo ponet super cornua altaris, quod est coram Jehova, quod est inquam in tabernaculo conventionis, posthaec totum sanguinem reliquum effundet ad basin altaris holocausti quod est ad ostium tabernaculi conventionis.

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

19. Totum autem adipem ejus tollet ab eo, et adolebit super altare.

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

20. Juvenco vero faciet quemadmodum fecit juvenco oblato pro peccato, sic faciet ei: atque expiabit eos sacerdos, et remittetur eis.

21. And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.

21. Deinde juvencum educet extra castra, et comburet eum quemadmodum combussit juvencum priorem: oblatio pro peccato congregationis est.

22. When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;

22. Si princeps peccaverit, feceritque unum ab omnibus praeceptis Jehovae Dei sui quae non sunt facienda, et id fecerit per errorem, et deliquerit:

23. Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:

23. Si innotuerit ei peccatum suum quod peccavit: tunc offeret oblationem suam hircum caprarum masculum immaculatum.

24. And he shall lay his hand upon 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.

24. Ponetque manum suam super caput hirci, et mactabit eum in loco in quo mactari solet holocaustum coram Jehova: oblatio pro peccato est.

25. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

25. Tolletque sacerdos de sanguine oblationis pro peccato digito suo, et ponet super corrina altaris holocausti: reliquum autem sanguinem ejus effundet ad basin altaris holocausti.

26. And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

26. Totum vero adipem ejus adolebit super altare, sicut adipem sacrificii prosperitatum: et ita expiabit ilium sacerdos a peccato ejus, et remittetur ei.

27. And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;

27. Quod si anima aliqua peccaverit per errorem de populo terrae, faciendo unum a praeceptis Jehova quae non sunt facienda, et deliquerit:

28. Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.

28. Si innotuerit ei peccatum suum quod peccavit: afferet oblationem suam capellam caprarum immaculatam foeminam pro peccato suo quod peccavit.

29. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

29. Admovebitque manum suam super caput oblationis pro peccato, et mactabit oblationem illam pro peccato in loco holocausti.

30. And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

30. Dein tollet sacerdos de sanguine ejus digito suo, ponetque super cornua altaris holocausti: totum vero reliquum sanguinem ejus effundet ad basin altaris.

31. And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shalt make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

31. Totum praeterea adipem ejus auferet, quemadmodum ablatus fuit adeps a sacrificio prosperitatum: adolebitque sacerdos super altare in odorem quietis Jehovae: atque ita expiabit eum sacerdos, et remittetur ei.

32. And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.

32. Quod si pecudem obtulerit oblationem suam pro peccato, foeminam immaculatam afferet.

33. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.

33. Ponetque manum suam super caput illius oblationis pro peccato, et mactabit illam pro sacrificio peccati, in loco in quo mactare solet holocaustum.

34. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:

34. Deinde accipiet sacerdos de sanguine oblationis pro peccato digito suo, ponetque super cornua altaris holocausti: totum vero reliquum sangninem ejus effundet ad basin altaris.

35. And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

35. Totum praeterea adipem qius auferet, quemadmodum auferri solet adeps agni a sacrificio prosperitatum: adolebitque illa sacerdos super altare in oblationem ignitam Jehovae: atque expiabit eum sacerdos a peccato suo quod peccavit, et remittetur el.

After Moses had treated of the offerings and other sacrifices, which were testimonies of gratitude and exercises of piety, he now descends to the sin-offering (expiationem) which held the chief place amongst the sacrifices, inasmuch as, without reconciliation, there could never be any intercourse between men and God; for since He deservedly abominates the whole human race on account of the corruption of our nature, and because we all continually provoke His wrath, the whole hope of salvation must needs be founded on the remedies provided for propitiating Him. This principle, being established, we must remember that Moses will henceforth speak of the expiatory sacrifices which propitiate God to men by the removal of their guilt. He here shews how God is to be appeased, where a man shall have sinned through ignorance or inconsiderateness; wherein too a distinction is laid down between different persons, since one kind of victim is required of a king, another of the priests, and another of ordinary persons; whilst regard is had to the poor, that they may not be burdened by so great an expense as the rich. But, since it will appear from the context that all kinds of ignorance are not here included, we must see what the word sggh, shegagah, [256] means, which I have preferred rendering error rather than ignorance; for Moses does not refer to those transgressions into which we are ensnared, when we are led astray by the appearance of rectitude, so as to think ourselves without blame; but to those of which we take no heed, and whereby our minds are not pricked; or to those sudden falls, wherein the infirmity of the flesh so stifles the reason and the judgment as to blind the sinner. It is of such that Paul speaks when he bids us

"restore in the spirit of meekness those who are overtaken in a fault," (Galatians 6:1;)

for he does not mean those who are deceived by their good intentions (as they call it,) or rather by their foolish opinion, so as to be unconscious of their sin; but those who fall through the infirmity of their flesh, and whom Satan catches unawares in his snares; or who, at any rate, do not perceive the evil they have done, so as immediately to apply the remedy. This will be more clearly understood from Psalm 19:12, 13, where David, having asked pardon for his errors, seeks to be kept free from presumptuous sins. [257] The antithesis between sgy'vt, shegioth, [258] and zdym, zedim, shews that those transgressions are called errors, in which there is no criminal pride against God. "If a soul shall sin -- from all the commandments," [259] is a harsh expression; and therefore some refer it to sins of omission, but I interpret it more simply, "If he sin by turning away from the commandments," or "if he commit any thing opposed (alienum)to the commandments."

3. If the priest that is anointed. He now distinguishes between different persons, and begins with the high priest, who alone bore the high distinction of the holy unction, unless it be thought better to apply it to the whole supreme class. [260] It is probable, however, that it only refers to one. The more illustrious was his dignity, the more diligently and zealously ought his life to be confirmed to the model of holiness; and therefore the infirmity which was more tolerable in others, was more exceedingly reprehensible in him. This is the reason why it was required that he should atone for himself with a greater victim. But this in some measure related to all the Levites, inasmuch as they were chosen to be of the sacred class; and it now extends to all the ministers and pastors of the Church, not that they should ransom themselves by the sacrifice of a calf, but that they should diligently beware of every sin, and be more intent in their endeavors after holiness. The clause "according to the sin of the people," might be also rendered "unto the sin," etc., as though Moses had said that the priest through sin corrupted the people by his bad example; for, since his life is the rule of holiness and righteousness, so his faults give occasion to the errors of others. The sense, however, that I have followed is simpler, i.e., that though the transgression of the priest may be an ordinary one, yet in consideration of his office it becomes more weighty, and deserving of greater punishment.

5. And the priest that is anointed shall take. It is well known that what is here prescribed as to the sprinkling of blood, and its pouring out, as well as to the burning of the fat and the kidneys, is the same as in the other sacrifices; and the comparison in the 10th verse sufficiently proves that, the ordinary forms were observed in other particulars. But inasmuch as it might seem absurd that the priest, who was himself guilty, should come before God to perform the office of reconciliation, it was necessary to prescribe the details more accurately, to obviate all doubt. Although, therefore, he was unworthy to approach God, yet, since the law of the priesthood was inviolable, he was admitted to the discharge of his duties; for it was not lawful that more mediators should be appointed. In order, then, that more reverence should be paid to the rites of the Law, and that men should seek after no other way of reconciliation, God extended His grace to the fault of the priest. The blood was sprinkled before the Lord, that the people might learn that through the sight of the sacrifice sins were hidden and buried, so as to come no more into remembrance before God; but the rest of the blood was poured before the altar, because it was holy, and therefore ought by no means to be cast elsewhere like anything profane.

13. And if the whole congregation. The very same sacrifice which was enjoined on the priest is required of the people; since he who went into the sanctuary in the name of all to present all the tribes before God, represented the whole body. It seems indeed that the kind of ignorance here spoken of is different from the former kind; since it was said "if the thing be hid;" yet I think that these infirmities are comprised, in which it often happens that men are blinded for a time. [261] For many do not search into themselves, and therefore slumber in their sins; whereas if they honestly examined their doings, their conscience would straightway smite them. It might, then, happen that the whole people should fail to be aware of their sin, whilst dealing with themselves too gently and indulgently. The meaning therefore is, that although no sense of sin should at first arouse them to repentance, yet, if afterwards they should be awakened so as to begin to acknowledge their crime, God must be propitiated by sacrifices; for otherwise the people might make a cloak for themselves of their error.

22. When a ruler hath sinned. A peculiar atonement is also appointed for the transgression of the rulers; and, although he speaks of the ruler in the singular number, yet inasmuch as the law was not yet enacted that one individual should bear rule, he undoubtedly designates the heads and governors generally, because they who bear rule do more injury by their bad example than private persons. If, then, any of the judges or governors had sinned through error, he might indeed be set free by a lesser victim than the priest or the whole people, yet there was individually this difference between them, that they were to offer she-goats or lambs, and the ruler a he-goat; and the object of this was that those in authority should more carefully keep themselves pure from every transgression, whereas otherwise they are wont to indulge themselves more freely, as if their rank and dignity allowed them greater license. Where we have given as our translation, "If (the sin) shall have become known," (si innotuerit,) translators are not agreed. [262] The word used is properly a disjunctive particle Or; [263] but it is sometimes used for the conditional particle, as we shall see in the next chapter. Those who retain the primary and genuine meaning of the word do violence to the signification of the last word of the foregoing verse, and translate it, "shall have offended" instead of "shall have felt that he has offended;" but since it appears from many passages that 'v, o, is equivalent to 'm, im, there is no need of wresting the words to an improper sense. The word hvd, hodang, which they render transitively "to make known," may fitly bear my translation, unless this is preferred, "if he shall have known," (si cognoverit) The words which Moses continually repeats, "the priest shall make an atonement for him, and his; iniquity shall be forgiven him," some coldly restrict to external and civil cleansing, as if Moses only removed his condemnation before men; but God rather offers pardon to sinners, and assures them that He will be favorable to them, lest fear or doubt should prevent them from freely calling upon Him. And assuredly those who do not acknowledge that the legal rites were sacraments, are not acquainted with the very rudiments of the faith. Now to all sacraments, at any rate to the common sacraments of the Church, a spiritual promise is annexed: it follows, therefore, that pardon was truly promised to the fathers, who reconciled themselves to God by the offering of sacrifices, not because the slaying of beasts expiated sins, but because it was a certain and infallible symbol, in which pious minds might acquiesce, so as to dare to come before God with tranquil confidence. In sum, as now in baptism sins are sacramentally washed away, so under the Law also the sacrifices were means of expiation, though in a different way; since baptism sets Christ before us as if He were present, whilst under the Law He was only obscurely typified. Figuratively indeed what applies to Christ only is transferred to the signs, for in Him alone was manifested to us the fulfillment of all spiritual blessings, and He at length blotted out sins by His one and perpetual sacrifice; but since the question here is not as to the value of the legal ceremonies in themselves, let it suffice that they truly testified of the grace of God, of which they were the types; and so let not that profane imagination be listened to, that the sacrifices only politically and as far as regarded men absolved those by whom they were offered from guilt and condemnation.

Footnotes:

[256] S.M. says the word means, "a sin into which the perplexed mind has been driven under the impulse of some passion, through thoughtlessness, imprudence, or error, when inattentive to the dictates of reason and of the Spirit." -- W.

[257] "A superbiis." -- Lat. "De ses fiertes, et rebellions." -- Fr.

[258] Lexicographers make no distinction between the approximate roots sgg and sgh. Hence sgy'vt, is regarded as meaning the same as the word used in Leviticus 4:2. By zdym, are understood sins committed with a high hand and rebellious spirit. -- W.

[259] A. V., "against any of the commandments." Ainsworth's version is, "A soule, when it shall sin through ignorance of all the commandments," etc.; and his Gloss. "of all, understand, by doing any one of all the commandments. So Moses himself explaineth it in the words here following, and in ver. 13, 22, 27."

[260] "Sur toute la maison d'Aaron." -- Fr.

[261] "D'estre comme estourdis pour un temps, et n'y voir goutte;" are, as it were, stupified for a time, and cannot see a wink. -- Fr.

[262] Instead of this and the following sentences, the Fr. says, "Les expositeurs font bien ici quelques difficultez literales, mais pource que la deduction ne serviroit rien a ceux, qui ne sont point lettrez, je les passe." Commentators certainly make some literal difficulties here, but since the statement of them would be useless to the unlearned, I pass them by.

[263] 'v, Or. Noldius, in his Concord. particularum, cites instances, such as 1 Samuel 20:10, in which this conjunction is equivalent to If. 'sm is that last word of ver. 22 which S.M. has rendered deliquerit; but A. V. more happily, is guilty, hvd, says S.M., is here used for nvd, the niphal of yd, but it is simpler to regard it as a not unusual variation of hvr, the hophal, strictly meaning, caused to become known. -- W.

Links

Leviticus 4 Commentaries: Barnes • Calvin • Clarke • Darby • Gill • Geneva • Guzik • JFB • Keil / Delitzsch • KJV Translators' • Henry's Concise • Matthew Henry • Scofield • TSK • Wesley

NIV / NLT / ESV / GWT / KJV / ASV / DRB

Jump to Previous Occurrence
Anointed Blemish Bull Bullock Chief Committed Defect Guilt Herd Mark Offer Offering Ox Perfect Priest Sin Sinned Sin-Offering Sins Wrong Young

Jump to Next Occurrence
Anointed Blemish Bull Bullock Chief Committed Defect Guilt Herd Mark Offer Offering Ox Perfect Priest Sin Sinned Sin-Offering Sins Wrong Young

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

Alphabetical: a anointed as bring bringing bull committed defect for guilt has he him If let LORD must offer offering on people priest sin sins so the then to without young

Bible Browser

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament