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1And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, When a person sins through ignorance against any of the commands of YHWH [regarding things] which are not to be done, and has done [something] against one of these—
3if the priest who is anointed sins according to the guilt of the people, then he has brought near for his sin which he has sinned a bullock, a son of the herd, a perfect one, to YHWH, for a sin-offering,
4and he has brought in the bullock to the opening of the Tent of Meeting before YHWH, and has laid his hand on the head of the bullock, and has slaughtered the bullock before YHWH.
5And the priest who is anointed has taken of the blood of the bullock, and has brought it into the Tent of Meeting,
6and the priest has dipped his finger in the blood, and sprinkled of the blood seven times before YHWH, at the front of the veil of the holy place;
7and the priest has put of the blood on the horns of the altar of spice-incense before YHWH, which [is] in the Tent of Meeting, and he pours out all the blood of the bullock at the foundation of the altar of the burnt-offering, which [is] at the opening of the Tent of Meeting.
8And he lifts up from it all the fat of the bullock of the sin-offering, the fat which is covering over the innards, and all the fat which [is] on the innards,
9and the two kidneys, and the fat which [is] on them, which [is] on the flanks, and the redundance on the liver above the kidneys—he turns it aside,
10as it is lifted up from the ox of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings; and the priest has made them an incense on the altar of the burnt-offering.
11And the skin of the bullock, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its innards, and its dung—
12he has even brought out the whole bullock to the outside of the camp, to a clean place, to the place of the pouring out of the ashes, and he has burned it on the wood with fire; it is burned beside the place of the pouring out of the ashes.
13And if all the congregation of Israel errs ignorantly, and the thing has been hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done [something against] one of all the commands of YHWH [regarding things] which are not to be done, and have been guilty;
14when the sin which they have sinned concerning it has been known, then the assembly has brought a bullock near, a son of the herd, for a sin-offering, and they have brought it in before the Tent of Meeting;
15and the elderly of the congregation have laid their hands on the head of the bullock, before YHWH, and [one] has slaughtered the bullock before YHWH.
16And the priest who is anointed has brought in of the blood of the bullock to the Tent of Meeting,
17and the priest has dipped his finger in the blood, and has sprinkled seven times before YHWH at the front of the veil,
18and he puts [some] of the blood on the horns of the altar which [is] before YHWH, which [is] in the Tent of Meeting; and he pours out all the blood at the foundation of the altar of the burnt-offering, which [is] at the opening of the Tent of Meeting;
19and he lifts up all its fat from it, and has made incense on the altar.
20And he has done to the bullock as he has done to the bullock of the sin-offering, so he does to it; and the priest has made atonement for them, and it has been forgiven them;
21and he has brought out the bullock to the outside of the camp, and has burned it as he has burned the first bullock; it [is] a sin-offering of the assembly.
22When a prince sins, and has done [something against] one of all the commands of his God YHWH [regarding things] which are not to be done, through ignorance, and has been guilty,
23or his sin wherein he has sinned has been made known to him, then he has brought in his offering, a kid of the goats, a male, a perfect one,
24and he has laid his hand on the head of the goat, and has slaughtered it in the place where he slaughters the burnt-offering before YHWH; it [is] a sin-offering.
25And the priest has taken of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and has put [it] on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and he pours out its blood at the foundation of the altar of the burnt-offering,
26and he makes incense on the altar with all its fat, as the fat of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings; and the priest has made atonement for him because of his sin, and it has been forgiven him.
27And if any person of the people of the land sins through ignorance, by his doing [something against] one of the commands of YHWH [regarding things] which are not to be done, and has been guilty,
28or his sin which he has sinned has been made known to him, then he has brought in his offering, a kid of the goats, a perfect one, a female, for his sin which he has sinned,
29and he has laid his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and has slaughtered the sin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering.
30And the priest has taken of its blood with his finger, and has put [it] on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and he pours out all its blood at the foundation of the altar,
31and he turns aside all its fat, as the fat has been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest has made incense on the altar for refreshing fragrance to YHWH; and the priest has made atonement for him, and it has been forgiven him.
32And if he brings in a sheep [for] his offering, a female for a sin-offering, he brings in a perfect one,
33and he has laid his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and has slaughtered it for a sin-offering in the place where he slaughters the burnt-offering.
34And the priest has taken of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and has put [it] on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and he pours out all its blood at the foundation of the altar,
35and he turns aside all its fat, as the fat of the sheep is turned aside from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest has made them an incense on the altar, according to the fire-offerings of YHWH, and the priest has made atonement for him, for his sin which he has sinned, and it has been forgiven him.”
(Exodus) Exodus 29:10
By J. Vernon McGee3.2K02:57ExpositionalGEN 3:21LEV 1:3LEV 4:4LEV 4:29LEV 6:9LEV 6:25In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of laying on of hands in the Old Testament sacrificial system. He emphasizes that laying hands on an animal was a form of identification, symbolizing that the animal was taking the place of the sinner. The speaker clarifies that this act of laying hands does not transmit anything spiritual, but rather is a physical action. The sermon also briefly mentions the burnt offering as the main sacrifice, representing the person of Christ.
The Principles by Which Jesus Lived
By Zac Poonen2.6K57:33PrinciplesLEV 4:2MAT 6:33ACT 17:30ACT 24:16JAS 3:11PE 1:15In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of discipline and doing our best in our Christian walk. He uses examples from the world, such as athletes and students, who put in great effort to achieve their goals. The speaker then draws parallels to the spiritual realm, highlighting the need for believers to discipline themselves and strive to do their best for God. He also discusses the concept of unintentional sin and how the Bible provides a way for forgiveness and restoration through offerings. The sermon concludes by referencing the book of Hebrews and its teachings on sin and forgiveness.
(The Church in the Last Days) 05 - Possessing the Land
By Milton Green1.4K55:50LEV 4:1LEV 26:1LEV 26:3LEV 26:12In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of following the Word of God rather than adhering to old traditions or wrong teachings. The message is based on Leviticus 26, where the Lord brings a case against the inhabitants of the land for their lack of faithfulness, kindness, and knowledge of God. The speaker highlights the sinful behaviors prevalent in society, such as swearing, deception, murder, stealing, adultery, and violence. The land is described as mourning due to these actions, and the speaker urges the audience not to indulge in such behaviors but to instead seek godliness and avoid filling themselves with negative influences like television.
God's Handbook on Holiness - Part 2
By Roy Hession98552:55HolinessLEV 1:2LEV 4:26MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher discusses the offerings that were made in the tabernacle as described in the book of Leviticus. The tabernacle was a portable place of worship where sacrifices were offered on behalf of the people. The preacher explains the structure of the tabernacle and the different offerings that were made, including the sin offering. The purpose of these offerings was to seek forgiveness from God and alleviate the consequences of sin.
Acts 2_pt2
By Bill Gallatin5921:11:24ExpositionalLEV 4:13ACT 3:19In this sermon, Pastor Bill Gallatin discusses the story of Peter and John healing a crippled man at the gate called Beautiful. The man was begging for money, but Peter tells him that he has no silver or gold to give. Instead, Peter offers him something far greater - a touch from Jesus Christ. Through faith, the man is miraculously healed and is able to walk. This story highlights the power of Jesus to transform lives and the importance of exercising faith in Him.
Of the Pardon of Sin.
By John Gill1Grace and ForgivenessPardon of SinLEV 4:20PSA 51:1PSA 130:4DAN 9:9MAT 26:28ACT 5:31ROM 2:12EPH 1:7HEB 8:121JN 1:9John Gill expounds on the doctrine of the pardon of sin, emphasizing that it is rooted in the satisfaction made by Christ. He explains that forgiveness is a revelation of the gospel, not attainable through natural understanding or the law, which offers no hope of pardon. Gill highlights that all sins, regardless of their nature or severity, can be forgiven through the grace of God and the blood of Christ, and he outlines the effects and properties of this pardon, including peace of conscience and access to God. He also addresses common questions regarding the nature of sin and the conditions for forgiveness, affirming that true repentance and faith are essential for experiencing God's mercy.
No Sins of Ignorance
By Daniel Steele0LEV 4:13LEV 16:17HEB 9:7Daniel Steele preaches about the concept of unavoidable infirmities and ignorances not needing expiation, citing examples from Hebrews and Leviticus to emphasize the importance of atonement for sins of ignorance. He highlights that sins not committed willfully but through human infirmity or with partial awareness of their moral wrongness can still be atoned for through the blood of sprinkling. Steele points out that even unconscious sins or those committed with passive consciousness are included in sins of ignorance, as seen in the case of Saul of Tarsus finding forgiveness due to his ignorance of Jesus as the true Messiah.
Bishop Wilson's Meditations on His Sacred Office, No. 4.-- Wednesday
By J.H. Newman0LEV 4:3MAT 7:14ROM 15:31CO 9:27GAL 5:24TIT 2:15J.H. Newman preaches about the importance of self-denial, mortification, and living a holy life in accordance with God's will. He emphasizes the need to deny ungodliness, worldly lusts, and to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, following the examples set by Paul and Christ. Newman highlights the necessity of self-denial in preparing the soul for grace, overcoming corrupt affections, and ultimately, finding true freedom and acceptance by God through fervent devotion, humility, and obedience.
Atonement
By G.W. North0AtonementRedemptionEXO 30:10LEV 4:20LEV 5:15LEV 16:30MAT 26:28JHN 1:29ROM 3:25HEB 9:7HEB 9:221JN 1:7G.W. North emphasizes the distinction between redemption and atonement in his sermon, explaining that while redemption is foundational to both the Old and New Testaments, atonement is specific to the Old Testament and the Law given to Israel. He clarifies that atonement, which involved various sacrifices for different sins, was a temporary measure that provided coverage for sins of ignorance but did not address known sins, which required individual atonement. North highlights that the Day of Atonement was a significant event for Israel, covering a year's worth of unintentional sins, yet it was limited and retrospective in nature. He points out that the blood used for atonement was specifically chosen by God, with different sacrifices serving distinct purposes, underscoring the importance of understanding the unique role of Christ's sacrifice in the New Covenant. Ultimately, North calls for a deeper understanding of these concepts to appreciate the fullness of salvation offered through Jesus.
Definition of Sin
By Daniel Steele0LEV 4:2ROM 5:19ROM 6:14ROM 7:15ROM 8:1ROM 8:37EPH 2:8EPH 3:16EPH 3:20Daniel Steele addresses the need for reform in the understanding and use of the term 'sin,' pointing out the various interpretations and historical roots of the term's confusion. He critiques Paul's use of 'sin' and emphasizes the importance of defining sin as a deviation from duty and a willful violation of God's known law. Steele discusses the challenges of keeping the law of faith and love, highlighting the impossibility of living without sin and the need for grace in overcoming moral weaknesses. He warns against a legalistic view of God's law and encourages a deeper understanding of sin and grace.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Introduction
The law concerning the sin-offering for transgressions committed through ignorance, Lev 4:1, Lev 4:2. For the priest thus sinning, Lev 4:3-12. For the sins of ignorance of the whole congregation, Lev 4:13-21. For the sins of ignorance of a ruler, Lev 4:22-26. For the sins of ignorance of any of the common people, Lev 4:27-35.
Verse 2
If a soul shall sin through ignorance - That is, if any man shall do what God has forbidden, or leave undone what God has commanded, through ignorance of the law relative to these points; as soon as the transgression or omission comes to his knowledge, he shall offer the sacrifice here prescribed, and shall not suppose that his ignorance is an excuse for his sin. He who, when his iniquity comes to his knowledge, refuses to offer such a sacrifice, sins obstinately and wilfully, and to him there remains no other sacrifice for sin - no other mode by which he can be reconciled to God, but he has a certain fearful looking for of judgment - which shall devour such adversaries; and this seems the case to which the apostle alludes, Heb 10:26, etc., in the words above quoted. There have been a great number of subtle questions started on this subject, both by Jews and Christians, but the above I believe to be the sense and spirit of the law.
Verse 3
If the priest that is anointed - Meaning, most probably, the high priest. According to the sin of the people; for although he had greater advantages than the people could have, in being more conversant with the law of God, and his lips should understand and preserve knowledge, yet it was possible even for him, in that time in which the word of God had not been fully revealed, to transgress through ignorance; and his transgression might have the very worst tendency, because the people might be thereby led into sin. Hence several critics understand this passage in this way, and translate it thus: If the anointed priest shall lead the people to sin; or, literally, if the anointed priest shall sin to the sin of the people; that is, so as to cause the people to transgress, the shepherd going astray, and the sheep following after him.
Verse 4
Lay his hand upon the bullock's head - See Clarke's note on Lev 1:4.
Verse 6
Seven times - See Clarke's note on Exo 29:30. The blood of this sacrifice was applied in three different ways: 1. The priest put his finger in it, and sprinkled it seven times before the veil, Lev 4:6. 2. He put some of it on the horns of the altar of incense. 3. He poured the remaining part at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offerings, Lev 4:7.
Verse 12
Without the camp - This was intended figuratively to express the sinfulness of this sin, and the availableness of the atonement. The sacrifice, as having the sin of the priest transferred from himself to it by his confession and imposition of hands, was become unclean and abominable, and was carried, as it were, out of the Lord's sight; from the tabernacle and congregation it must be carried without the camp, and thus its own offensiveness was removed, and the sin of the person in whose behalf it was offered. The apostle (Heb 13:11-13) applies this in the most pointed manner to Christ: "For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."
Verse 13
If the whole congregation of Israel sin - This probably refers to some oversight in acts of religious worship, or to some transgression of the letter of the law, which arose out of the peculiar circumstances in which they were then found, such as the case mentioned Sa1 14:32, etc., where the people, through their long and excessive fatigue in their combat with the Philistines, being faint, flew on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and did eat with the blood; and this was partly occasioned by the rash adjuration of Saul, mentioned Sa1 14:24 : Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening. The sacrifices and rites in this case were the same as those prescribed in the preceding, only here the elders of the congregation, i. e., three of the Sanhedrin, according to Maimonides, laid their hands on the head of the victim in the name of all the congregation.
Verse 22
When a ruler hath sinned - Under the term נשיא nasi, it is probable that any person is meant who held any kind of political dignity among the people, though the rabbins generally understand it of the king. A kid of the goats was the sacrifice in this case, the rites nearly the same as in the preceding cases, only the fat was burnt as that of the peace-offering. See Lev 4:26 and Lev 3:5.
Verse 27
The common people - עם הארץ am haarets, the people of the land, that is, any individual who was not a priest, king, or ruler among the people; any of the poor or ordinary sort. Any of these, having transgressed through ignorance, was obliged to bring a lamb or a kid, the ceremonies being nearly the same as in the preceding cases. The original may denote the very lowest of the people, the laboring or agricultural classes. The law relative to the general cases of sins committed through ignorance, and the sacrifices to be offered on such occasions, so amply detailed in this chapter, may be thus recapitulated. For all sins and transgressions of this kind committed by the people, the prince, and the priest, they must offer expiatory offerings. The person so sinning must bring the sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle, and lay his hands upon its head, as in a case already referred to, acknowledging the sacrifice to be his, that he needed it for his transgression; and thus he was considered as confessing his sin, and the sin was considered as transferred to the animal, whose blood was then spilt to make an atonement. See Clarke on Lev 1:4 (note). Such institutions as these could not be considered as terminating in themselves, they necessarily had reference to something of infinitely higher moment; in a word, they typified Him whose soul was made an offering for sin, Isa 53:10. And taken out of this reference they seem both absurd and irrational. It is obviously in reference to these innocent creatures being brought as sin-offerings to God for the guilty that St. Paul alludes Co2 5:21, where he says, He (God) made him to be sin (ἁμαρτιαν, a sin-offering) for us Who Knew No Sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God - holy and pure by the power and grace of God, in or through him. And it is worthy of remark, that the Greek word used by the apostle is the same by which the Septuagint, in more than fourscore places in the Pentateuch, translate the Hebrew word הטאה hattaah, sin, which in all those places our translation renders sin-offering. Even sins of ignorance cannot be unnoticed by a strict and holy law; these also need the great atonement: on which account we should often pray with David, Cleanse thou me from secret faults! Psa 19:12. How little attention is paid to this solemn subject! Sins of this kind - sins committed sometimes ignorantly, and more frequently heedlessly, are permitted to accumulate in their number, and consequently in their guilt; and from this very circumstance we may often account for those painful desertions, as they are called, under which many comparatively good people labor. They have committed sins of ignorance or heedlessness, and have not offered the sacrifice which can alone avail in their behalf. How necessary in ten thousand cases is the following excellent prayer! "That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to thy Holy Word." - Litany.
Introduction
SIN OFFERING OF IGNORANCE. (Lev 4:1-2) 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."
Verse 3
SIN OFFERING FOR THE PRIEST. (Lev. 4:3-35) 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.
Verse 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 [Lev 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).
Verse 13
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.
Verse 22
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.
Verse 27
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 [Lev 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 [Lev 4:6, Lev 4:17].
Verse 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. Next: Leviticus Chapter 5
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 4 This chapter contains the law of the sin offering, which was offered for sins committed through ignorance, error, and mistake, Lev 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, Lev 4:3 for the whole congregation, Lev 4:13 and for the ruler, Lev 4:22 and for any of the common people, Lev 4:27.
Verse 1
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. 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. Leviticus 4:2 lev 4:2 lev 4:2 lev 4:2Speak 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, Eze 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, Heb 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, Psa 19:12, against any of the commandments of the Lord (concerning things which ought not to be done.) The Jewish writers (m) 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 observe (n), 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 Jews (o) 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 day (p). (m) T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 23. 2. (n) Maimon. in Misn. Horayot, c. 2. sect. 3. Bartenora in Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 1. Gersom in loc. (o) Misn. Ceritot, c. 1. sect. 2. & Bartenora in ib. Maimon. Hilchot Shegagot, c. 1. sect. 2. (p) Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Ceritot, ib.
Verse 2
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 Lev 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, Heb 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 Maimonides (q) 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 Lev 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, Co2 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. (q) Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 1. sect. 14.
Verse 3
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 Lev 1:3, and shall lay his hand on the bullock's head; the Targum of Jonathan says his right hand; See Gill on Lev 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 Lev 1:5 all this is typical of the imputation of sin to Christ, and of his death.
Verse 4
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.
Verse 5
And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood,.... The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so Maimonides (r); for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canons (s) 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 Maimonides (t): 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 Maimonides (u) 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, Heb 10:19. (r) Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 7. Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 3. sect. 4. (s) Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib. (t) Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 15. (u) Ib. sect. 13.
Verse 6
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 Exo 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 southeast (w); 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 horn (x). This rite shows, that the intercession of Christ, signified by the altar of sweet incense, proceeds upon the foot of his blood and sacrifice, Rev 8:3 Jo1 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 Maimonides (y), 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. (w) Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect. 5. Maimon. ib. (Maasch Hakorbanot c. 5.) sect. 10. 14. (x) Maimon. ib. sect. 8. (y) Ib. sect. 11.
Verse 7
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 fires (z), 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 Lev 4:9, is the same with what is ordered concerning them in Lev 3:3; see Gill on Lev 3:3, Lev 3:4, Lev 3:5. Jarchi and Gersom both observe that they agree, that as one brings peace into the world, so does the other. (z) Maimon. ib. (Maasch Hakorbanot) c. 7. sect. 2.
Verse 8
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 them (a); in other burnt offerings the skin was taken off, and was a perquisite of the priest, Lev 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. (a) Ib. (Maasch Hakoranot) c. 5. sect. 18. & 7. 2.
Verse 11
Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp,.... The Jewish writers interpret it without the three camps (b), 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 ashes (c): this was typical of Christ being had out of the city of Jerusalem, and suffering without the gates of it, Heb 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, Joh 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 Maimonides (d); and it is added, "with fire", as the last writer says (e), 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 Maimonides (f). (b) T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 68. 1. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 42. 2. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect. 5. Jarchi in loc. (c) Maimon. Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 3, 4. (d) Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 7. sect. 5. (e) Ib. Vid. T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 75. 1. (f) Maimon. ib.
Verse 12
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 elsewhere (g); 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. (g) Hilchot Shegagot, c. 12. sect. 1.
Verse 13
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.
Verse 14
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 five (h); the more generally received notion is, that they were three of the sanhedrim (i); 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. (h) Misn. Sotah, c. 9. sect. 1. (i) Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 7. Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 10.
Verse 15
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, Lev 4:5 from hence to the Lev 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 Lev 4:6, Lev 4:7, Lev 4:12.
Verse 16
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 Talmud (k) it is said, it means the prince of a tribe, such as Nachson the son of Amminadab, prince of the tribe of Judah. Maimonides (l) 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, Eze 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. (k) T. Bab. Horayot, fol. 11. 1. (l) Hilchot Shegagot, c. 15. sect. 6.
Verse 22
Or if his sin wherein he hath sinned come to his knowledge,.... Or rather, "and if his sin", &c. (m) 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. (m) Sept. "et postea", V. L. & Noldius, p. 3. No. 23.
Verse 23
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat,.... His right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan; See Gill on Lev 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 Lev 1:11, it is a sin offering: an offering for his sin of ignorance, or "sin"; so Christ our offering is said to be, Co2 5:21.
Verse 24
And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger,.... With the finger of his right hand, as the Talmudists (n) 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 bottom (o). (n) T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 24. 1. (o) Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 10.
Verse 25
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 Lev 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.
Verse 26
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 Lev 4:2, Lev 4:13, Lev 4:22.
Verse 27
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.
Verse 28
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.
Verse 29
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 Lev 4:31; see Gill on Lev 4:25, Lev 4:26. . Leviticus 4:32 lev 4:32 lev 4:32 lev 4:32And 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 alike (p): he shall bring it a female without blemish; typical of Christ the Lamb of God, without spot and without blemish, Pe1 1:19. (p) T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 57. 2. & Ceritot, fol. 28. 2.
Verse 30
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 right (q). (q) T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 7. 1. & Menachot, fol. 4. 1.
Verse 32
And the priest shall take of the blood,.... See Gill on Lev 4:25, Lev 4:26. Next: Leviticus Chapter 5
Introduction
The Expiatory Sacrifices. - The sacrifices treated of in ch. 1-3 are introduced by their names, as though already known, for the purpose of giving them a legal sanction. But in ch. 4 and 5 sacrifices are appointed for different offences, which receive their names for the first time from the objects to which they apply, i.e., from the sin, or the trespass, or debt to be expiated by them: viz., חטּאת sin, i.e., sin-offering (Lev 4:3, Lev 4:8, Lev 4:14, Lev 4:19, etc.), and אשׁם debt, i.e., debt-offering (Lev 5:15-16, Lev 5:19); - a clear proof that the sin and debt-offerings were introduced at the same time as the Mosaic law. The laws which follow are distinguished from the preceding ones by the new introductory formula in Lev 4:1-2, which is repeated in Lev 5:14. This repetition proves that Lev 4:2-5:13 treats of the sin-offerings, and Lev 5:14-19 of the trespass-offerings; and this is confirmed by the substance of the two series of laws.
Verse 2
The Sin-Offerings. - The ritual prescribed for these differed, with regard to the animals sacrificed, the sprinkling of the blood, and the course adopted with the flesh, according to the position which the person presenting them happened to occupy in the kingdom of God. The classification of persons was as follows: (1) the anointed priest (Lev 4:2-12); (2) the whole congregation of Israel (Lev 5:13 -21); (3) the prince (vv. 22-26); (4) the common people (v. 27- Lev 5:13). In the case of the last, regard was also paid to their circumstances; so that the sin-offerings could be regulated according to the ability of the offerer, especially for the lighter forms of sin (Lev 5:1-13). Lev 4:2 "If a soul sin in wandering from any (מכּל in a partitive sense) of the commandments of Jehovah, which ought not to be done, and do any one of them" (מאחת with מן partitive, cf. Lev 4:13, Lev 4:22, Lev 4:27, lit., anything of one). This sentence, which stands at the head of the laws for the sin-offerings, shows that the sin-offerings did not relate to sin or sinfulness in general, but to particular manifestations of sin, to certain distinct actions performed by individuals, or by the whole congregation. The distinguishing characteristic of the sin is expressed by the term בּשׁגגה (in error). No sins but those committed בּשׁגגה could be expiated by sin-offerings; whilst those committed with a high hand were to be punished by the extermination of the sinner (Num 15:27-31). שׁגגה, from שׁגג = שׁגה to wander or go wrong, signifies mistake, error, oversight. But sinning "in error" is not merely sinning through ignorance (Lev 4:13, Lev 4:22, Lev 4:27, Lev 5:18), hurry, want of consideration, or carelessness (Lev 5:1, Lev 5:4, Lev 5:15), but also sinning unintentionally (Num 35:11, Num 35:15, Num 35:22-23); hence all such sins as spring from the weakness of flesh and blood, as distinguished from sins committed with a high (elevated) hand, or in haughty, defiant rebellion against God and His commandments.
Verse 3
The sin of the high priest. - The high priest is here called the "anointed priest" (Lev 4:3, Lev 4:5, Lev 4:16, Lev 6:15) on account of the completeness of the anointing with which he was consecrated to his office (Lev 8:12); in other places he is called the great (or high) priest (Lev 21:10; Num 35:25, etc.), and by later writers הראשׁ כּהן, the priest the head, or head priest (Kg2 25:18; Ch2 19:11). If he sinned העם לאשׁמת, "to the sinning of the nation," i.e., in his official position as representative of the nation before the Lord, and not merely in his own personal relation to God, he was to offer for a sin-offering because of his sin an ox without blemish, the largest of all the sacrificial animals, because he filled the highest post in Israel. Lev 4:4-7 The presentation, laying on of hands, and slaughtering, were the same as in the case of the other sacrifices (Lev 1:3-5). The first peculiarity occurs in connection with the blood (Lev 4:5-7). The anointed priest was to take (a part) of the blood and carry it into the tabernacle, and having dipped his finger in it, to sprinkle some of it seven times before Jehovah "in the face of the vail of the Holy" (Exo 26:31), i.e., in the direction towards the curtain; after that, he was to put (נתן) some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense, and then to pour out the great mass of the blood, of which only a small portion had been used for sprinkling and smearing upon the horns of the altar, at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering. A sevenfold sprinkling "in the face of the vail" also took place in connection with the sin-offering for the whole congregation, as well as with the ox and he-goat which the high priest offered as sin-offerings on the day of atonement for himself, the priesthood, and the congregation, when the blood was sprinkled seven times before (לפני) the capporeth (Lev 16:14), and seven times upon the horns of the altar (Lev 16:18-19). So too the blood of the red cow, that was slaughtered as a sin-offering outside the camp, was sprinkled seven times in the direction towards the tabernacle (Num 19:4). The sevenfold sprinkling at the feast of atonement had respect to the purification of the sanctuary from the blemishes caused by the sins of the people, with which they had been defiled in the course of the year (see at ch. 16), and did not take place till after the blood had been sprinkled once "against (? upon) the capporeth in front" for the expiation of the sin of the priesthood and people, and the horns of the altar had been smeared with the blood (Lev 16:14, Lev 16:18); whereas in the sin-offerings mentioned in this chapter, the sevenfold sprinkling preceded the application of the blood to the horns of the altar. This difference in the order of succession of the two manipulations with the blood leads to the conclusion, that in the case before us the sevenfold sprinkling had a different signification from that which it had on the day atonement, and served as a preliminary and introduction to the expiation. The blood also was not sprinkled upon the altar of the holy place, but only before Jehovah, against the curtain behind which Jehovah was enthroned, that is to say, only into the neighbourhood of the gracious presence of God; and this act was repeated seven times, that in the number seven, as the stamp of the covenant, the covenant relation, which sin had loosened, might be restored. It was not till after this had been done, that the expiatory blood of the sacrifice was put upon the horns of the altar, - not merely sprinkled or swung against the wall of the altar, but smeared upon the horns of the altar; not, however, that the blood might thereby be brought more prominently before the eyes of God, or lifted up into His more immediate presence, as Hoffmann and Knobel suppose, but because the significance of the altar, as the scene of the manifestation of the divine grace and salvation, culminated in the horns, as the symbols of power and might. In the case of the sin-offerings for the high priest and the congregation, the altar upon which this took place was not the altar of burnt-offering in the court, but the altar of incense in the holy place; because both the anointed priest, by virtue of his calling and consecration as the mediator between the nation and the Lord, and the whole congregation, by virtue of its election as a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6), were to maintain communion with the covenant God in the holy place, the front division of the dwelling-place of Jehovah, and were thus received into a closer relation of fellowship with Jehovah than the individual members of the nation, for whom the court with its altar was the divinely appointed place of communion with the covenant God. The remainder of the blood, which had not been used in the act of expiation, was poured out at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering, as the holy place to which all the sacrificial blood was to be brought, that it might be received into the earth. Lev 4:8-10 The priest was to lift off "all the fat" from the sacrificial animal, i.e., the same fat portions as in the peace-offering (Lev 3:3-4, כּל־חלב is the subject to יוּרם in Lev 3:10), and burn it upon the altar of burnt-offering. Lev 4:11-12 The skin of the bullock, and all the flesh, together with the head and the shank and the entrails (Lev 1:9) and the foeces, in fact the whole bullock, was to be carried out by him (the sacrificing priest) to a clean place before the camp, to which the ashes of the sacrifices were carried from the ash-heap (Lev 1:16), and there burnt on the wood with fire. (On the construction of Lev 4:11 and Lev 4:12 see Ges. 145, 2). The different course, adopted with the blood and flesh of the sin-offerings, from that prescribed in the ritual of the other sacrifices, was founded upon the special signification of these offerings. As they were presented to effect the expiation of sins, the offerer transferred the consciousness of sin and the desire for forgiveness to the head of the animal that had been brought in his stead, by the laying on of his hand; and after this the animal was slaughtered, and suffered death for him as the wages of sin. But as sin is not wiped out by the death of the sinner, unless it be forgiven by the grace of God, so devoting to death an animal laden with sin rendered neither a real nor symbolical satisfaction or payment for sin, by which the guilt of it could be wiped away; but the death which it endured in the sinner's stead represented merely the fruit and effect of sin. To cover the sinner from the holiness of God because of his sin, some of the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled seven times before Jehovah in the holy place; and the covenant fellowship, which had been endangered, was thereby restored. After this, however, the soul, which was covered in the sacrificial blood, was given up to the grace of God that prevailed in the altar, by means of the sprinkling of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense, that it might receive the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, and the full enjoyment of the blessings of the covenant be ensured to it once more. But the sin, that had been laid upon the animal of the sin-offering, lay upon it still. The next thing done, therefore, was to burn the fat portions of its inside upon the altar of burnt-offering. Now, if the flesh of the victim represented the body of the offerer as the organ of his soul, the fat portions inside the body, together with the kidneys, which were regarded as the seat of the tenderest and deepest emotions, can only have set forth the better part or inmost kernel of the man, the ἔσω ἄνθρωπος (Rom 7:22; Eph 3:16). By burning the fat portions upon the altar, the better part of human nature was given up in symbol to the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit of God, that it might be purified from the dross of sin, and ascend in its glorified essence to heaven, for a sweet savour unto the Lord (Lev 4:31). The flesh of the sin-offering, however, or "the whole bullock," was then burned in a clean place outside the camp, though not merely that it might be thereby destroyed in a clean way, like the flesh provided for the sacrificial meals, which had not been consumed at the time fixed by the law (Lev 7:17; Lev 8:32; Lev 19:6; Exo 12:10; Exo 29:34), or the flesh of the sacrifices, which had been defiled by contact with unclean objects (Lev 7:19); for if the disposal of the flesh formed an integral part of the sacrificial ceremony in the case of all the other sacrifices, and if, in the case of the sin-offerings, the blood of which was not brought into the interior of the sanctuary, the priests were to eat the flesh in a holy place, and that not "as a portion assigned to them by God as an honourable payment," but, according to the express declaration of Moses, "to bear and take away (לשׂאת) the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them" (Lev 10:17), the burning of the flesh of the sin-offerings, i.e., of the animal itself, the blood of which was not brought into the holy place, cannot have been without significance, or simply the means adopted to dispose of it in a fitting manner, but must also have formed one factor in the ceremony of expiation. The burning outside the camp was rendered necessary, because the sacrifice had respect to the expiation of the priesthood, and the flesh or body of the bullock, which had been made חטּאת by the laying on of the hand, could not be eaten by the priests as the body of sin, that by the holiness of their official character they might bear and expiate the sin imputed to the sacrifice (see at Lev 10:17). In this case it was necessary that it should be given up to the effect of sin, viz., to death or destruction by fire, and that outside the camp; in other words, outside the kingdom of God, from which everything dead was removed. But, inasmuch as it was sacrificial flesh, and therefore most holy by virtue of its destination; in order that it might not be made an abomination, it was not to be burned in an unclean place, where carrion and other abominations were thrown (Lev 14:40, Lev 14:45), but in the clean place, outside the camp, to which the ashes of the altar of burnt-offering were removed, as being the earthly sediment and remains of the sacrifices that had ascended to God in the purifying flames of the altar-fire. (Note: The most holy character of the flesh of the sin-offering (Lev 6:18.) furnishes no valid argument against the correctness of this explanation of the burning; for, in the first place, there is an essential difference between real or inherent sin, and sin imputed or merely transferred; and secondly, the flesh of the sin-offering was called most holy, not in a moral, but only in a liturgical or ritual sense, as subservient to the most holy purpose of wiping away sin; on which account it was to be entirely removed from all appropriation to earthly objects. Moreover, the idea that sin was imputed to the sin-offering, that it was made sin by the laying on of the hand, has a firm basis in the sacrifice of the red cow (Num 19), and also occurs among the Greeks (see Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.).)
Verse 13
Sin of the whole congregation. - This is still further defined, as consisting in the fact that the thing was hid (נעלּם) (Note: In the correct editions נעלּם has dagesh both here and in Lev 5:2, Lev 5:4, as Delitzsch informs me, according to an old rule in pointing, which required that every consonant which followed a syllable terminating with a guttural should be pointed with dagesh, if the guttural was to be read with a quiescent sheva and not with chateph. This is the case in ויּאסּר in Gen 46:29; Exo 14:6, תּעלּים in Psa 10:1, and other words in the critical edition of the Psalter which has been carefully revised by Bהr according to the Masora, and published with an introduction by Delitzsch. In other passages, such as בּכל־לּבּי Psa 9:2, על־לּשׁנו Psa 15:3, etc., the dagesh is introduced to prevent the second letter from being lost in the preceding one through the rapidity of reading. - Ewald's conjectures and remarks about this "dagesh, which is found in certain MSS," is a proof that he was not acquainted with this rule which the Masora recognises.) from the eyes of the congregation, i.e., that it was a sin which was not known to be such, an act which really violated a commandment of God, though it was not looked upon as sin. Every transgression of a divine command, whether it took place consciously or unconsciously, brought guilt, and demanded a sin-offering for its expiation; and this was to be presented as soon as the sin was known. The sin-offering, which the elders had to offer in the name of the congregation, was to consist of a young ox, and was to be treated like that of the high priest (Lev 4:14-23 compared with Lev 4:3-12), inasmuch as "the whole congregation" included the priesthood, or at any rate was on an equality with the priesthood by virtue of its calling in relation to the Lord. חטא with על signifies to incur guilt upon (on the foundation of) sin (Lev 5:5, etc.); it is usually construed with an accusative (Lev 4:3, Lev 4:28; Lev 5:6, Lev 5:10, etc.), or with בּ, to sin with a sin (Lev 4:23; Gen 42:22). The subject of ושׁחט (Lev 4:15) is one of the elders. "The bullock for a sin-offering:" sc., the one which the anointed priest offered for his sin, or as it is briefly and clearly designated in Lev 4:21, "the former bullock" (Lev 4:12).
Verse 20
"And let the priest make an atonement for them, that it may be forgiven them," or, "so will they be forgiven." This formula recurs with all the sin-offerings (with the exception of the one for the high priest), viz., Lev 4:26, Lev 4:31, Lev 4:35, Lev 5:10, Lev 5:13; Num 15:25-26, Num 15:28; also with the trespass-offerings, Lev 5:16, Lev 5:18; Lev 19:22, - the only difference being, that in the sin-offerings presented for defilements cleansing is mentioned, instead of forgiveness, as the effect of the atoning sacrifice (Lev 12:7-8; Lev 13:20, Lev 13:53; Num 8:21).
Verse 22
The sin of a ruler. - Lev 4:22. אשׁר: ὅτε, when. נשׂיא is the head of a tribe, or of a division of a tribe (Num 3:24, Num 3:30, Num 3:35). Lev 4:23-26 "If (או, see Ges. 155, 2) his sin is made known to him," i.e., if any one called his attention to the fact that he had transgressed a commandment of God, he was to bring a he-goat without blemish, and, having laid his hand upon it, to slay it at the place of burnt-offering; after which the priest was to put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, and then to burn the whole of the fat upon the altar, as in the case of the peaceoffering (see Lev 3:3-4), and thus to make atonement for the prince on account of his sin. עזים שׂעיר, or שׂעיר alone (lit., hairy, shaggy, Gen 27:11), is the buck-goat, which is frequently mentioned as the animal sacrificed as a sin-offering: e.g., that of the tribe-princes (Num 7:16., Lev 15:24), and that of the nation at the yearly festivals (Lev 16:9, Lev 16:15; Lev 23:19; Num 28:15, Num 28:22, Num 28:30; Num 29:5, Num 29:16.) and at the consecration of the tabernacle (Lev 9:3, Lev 9:15; Lev 10:16). It is distinguished in Num 7:16. from the attudim, which were offered as peace-offerings, and frequently occur in connection with oxen, rams, and lambs as burnt-offerings and thank-offerings (Psa 50:9, Psa 50:13; Psa 66:15; Isa 1:11; Isa 34:6; Eze 39:18). According to Knobel, עזים שׂעיר, or שׂעיר, was an old he-goat, the hair of which grew longer with age, particularly about the neck and back, and עזים שׂעירת (Lev 4:28; Lev 5:16) an old she-goat; whilst עתּוּד was the younger he-goat, which leaped upon the does (Gen 31:10, Gen 31:12), and served for slaughtering like lambs, sheep, and goats (Deu 32:14; Jer 51:40). But as the עזים שׂעיר was also slaughtered for food (Gen 37:31), and the skins of quite young he-goats are called שׂעירת (Gen 27:23), the difference between שׂעיר and עתּוּד is hardly to be sought in the age, but more probably, as Bochart supposes, in some variety of species, in which case seir and seirak might denote the rough-haired, shaggy kind of goat, and attud the buck-goat of stately appearance.
Verse 27
In the case of the sin of a common Israelite ("of the people of the land," i.e., of the rural population, Gen 23:7), that is to say, of an Israelite belonging to the people, as distinguished from the chiefs who ruled over the people (Kg2 11:18-19; Kg2 16:15), the sin-offering was to consist of a shaggy she-goat without blemish, or a ewe-sheep (Lev 4:32). The ceremonial in both cases was the same as with the he-goat (Lev 4:23.). - "According to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord" (Lev 4:35): see at Lev 3:5.
Introduction
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 (Lev 4:1-12). Or, II. By the whole congregation (Lev 4:13-21). Or, III. By a ruler (Lev 4:22-26). Or, IV. By a private person (Lev 4:27, etc.).
Verse 1
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; Exo 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, Lev 4:2. 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, Pro 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, Heb 10:27; 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, Lev 4:3), 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 (Lev 4:3), as valuable an offering as that for the whole congregation (Lev 4:14); whereas for any other ruler, or a common person, a kid of the goats should serve, Lev 4:23, Lev 4:28. 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 (Lev 4:4), with a solemn penitent confession of the sin he had committed, putting it upon the head of the sin-offering, Lev 16:21. No remission without confession, Psa 32:5; Pro 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, Lev 4:5-7. 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, Lev 4:8-10. 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, Lev 4:11, Lev 4:12. 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.
Verse 13
This is the law for expiating the guilt of a national sin, by a sin offering. If the leaders of the people, through mistake concerning the law, caused them to err, when the mistake was discovered an offering must be brought, that wrath might not come upon the whole congregation. Observe, 1. It is possible that the church may err, and that her guides may mislead her. It is here supposed that the whole congregation may sin, and sin through ignorance. God will always have a church on earth; but he never said it should be infallible, or perfectly pure from corruption on this side heaven. 2. When a sacrifice was to be offered for the whole congregation, the elders were to lay their hands upon the head of it (three of them at least), as representatives of the people and agents for them. The sin we suppose to have been some common custom, taken up and used by the generality of the people, upon presumption of its being lawful, which afterwards, upon search, appeared to be otherwise. In this case the commonness of the usage received perhaps by tradition from their fathers, and the vulgar opinion of its being lawful, would not so far excuse them from sin but that they must bring a sacrifice to make atonement for it. There are many bad customs and forms of speech which are thought to have no harm in them, and yet may bring guilt and wrath upon a land, which therefore it concerns the elders both to reform and to intercede with God for the pardon of, Joe 2:16. 3. The blood of this sin-offering, as of the former, was to be sprinkled seven times before the Lord, Lev 4:17. It was not to be poured out there, but sprinkled only; for the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ was then and still is sufficiently signified and represented by sprinkling, Isa 52:15. It was to be sprinkled seven times. Seven is a number of perfection, because when God had made the world in six days he rested the seventh; so this signified the perfect satisfaction Christ made, and the complete cleansing of the souls of the faithful by it; see Heb 10:14. The blood was likewise to be put upon the horns of the incense-altar, to which there seems to be an allusion in Jer 17:1, where the sin of Judah is said to be graven upon the horns of their altars. If they did not forsake their sins, the putting of the blood of their sin-offerings upon the horns of their altars, instead of taking away their guilt, did but bind it on the faster, perpetuated the remembrance of it, and remained a witness against them. It is likewise alluded to in Rev 9:13, where a voice is heard from the four horns of the golden altar; that is, an answer of peace is given to the prayers of the saints, which are acceptable and prevalent only by virtue of the blood of the sin-offering put upon the horns of that altar; compare Rev 8:3. 4. When the offering is completed, it is said, atonement is made, and the sin shall be forgiven, Lev 4:20. The promise of remission is founded upon the atonement. It is spoken here of the forgiveness of the sin of the whole congregation, that is, the turning away of those national judgments which the sin deserved. Note, The saving of churches and kingdoms from ruin is owing to the satisfaction and mediation of Christ.
Verse 22
Observe here, 1. That God takes notice of and is displeased with the sins of rulers. Those who have power to call others to account are themselves accountable to the ruler of rulers; for, as high as they are, there is a higher than they. This is intimated in that the commandment transgressed is here said to be the commandment of the Lord his God, Lev 4:22. He is a prince to others, but let him know the Lord is a God to him. 2. The sin of the ruler which he committed through ignorance is supposed afterwards to come to his knowledge (Lev 4:23), which must be either by the check of his own conscience or by the reproof of his friends, both which we should all, even the best and greatest, not only submit to, but be thankful for. What we have done amiss we should be very desirous to come to the knowledge of. That which I see not, teach thou me, and show me wherein I have erred, are prayers we should put up to God every day, that though through ignorance we fall into sin we may not through ignorance lie still in it. 3. The sin-offering for a ruler was to be a kid of the goats, not a bullock, as for the priest and the whole congregation; nor was the blood of his sin-offering to be brought into the tabernacle, as of the other two, but it was all bestowed upon the brazen altar (Lev 4:25); nor was the flesh of it to be burnt, as that of the other two, without the camp, which intimated that the sin of a ruler, though worse than that of a common person, yet was not so heinous, nor of such pernicious consequence, as the sin of the high priest, or of the whole congregation. A kid of the goats was sufficient to be offered for a ruler, but a bullock for a tribe, to intimate that the ruler, though major singulis - greater than each, was minor universis - less than the whole. It is bad when great men give bad examples, but worse when all men follow them. 4. It is promised that the atonement shall be accepted and the sin forgiven (Lev 4:26), that is, if he repent and reform; for otherwise God swore concerning Eli, a judge in Israel, that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever, Sa1 3:14.
Verse 27
I. Here is the law of the sin-offering for a common person, which differs from that for a ruler only in this, that a private person might bring either a kid or a lamb, a ruler only a kid; and that for a ruler must be a male, for the other a female: in all the circumstances of the management of the offering they agreed. Observe, 1. The case supposed: If any one of the common people sin through ignorance, Lev 4:27. The prophet supposes that they were not so likely as the great men to know the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God (Jer 5:4), and yet, if they sin through ignorance, they must bring a sin-offering. Note, Even sins of ignorance need to be atoned for by sacrifice. To be able to plead, when we are charged with sin, that we did it ignorantly, and through the surprise of temptation, will not bring us off if we be not interested in that great plea, Christ hath died, and entitled to the benefit of that. We have all need to pray with David (and he was a ruler) to be cleansed from secret faults, the errors which we ourselves do not understand or are not aware of, Psa 19:12. 2. That the sins of ignorance committed by a single person, a common obscure person, did require a sacrifice; for, as the greatest are not above the censure, so the meanest are not below the cognizance of the divine justice. None of the common people, if offenders, were overlooked in a crowd. 3. That a sin-offering was not only admitted, but accepted, even from one of the common people, and an atonement made by it, Lev 4:31, Lev 4:35. Here rich and poor, prince and peasant, meet together; they are both alike welcome to Christ, and to an interest in his sacrifice, upon the same terms. See Job 34:19. II. From all these laws concerning the sin-offerings we may learn, 1. To hate sin, and to watch against it. That is certainly a very bad thing to make atonement for which so many innocent and useful creatures must be slain and mangled thus. 2. To value Christ, the great and true sin-offering, whose blood cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away. Now, if any man sin, Christ is the propitiation (Jo1 2:1, Jo1 2:2), not for Jews only, but for Gentiles. And perhaps there was some allusion to this law concerning sacrifices for sins of ignorance in that prayer of Christ's, just when he was offering up himself a sacrifice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Verse 1
4:1–5:13 The sin offering (Hebrew khatta’t, from the root khata’, meaning “to lack, fall short, miss, fail”) was for specific unintentional violations of God’s commands (see also Num 15:22-29), intended to repair a loss or remedy a failure (e.g., Lev 5:1-4). Although we all sin, God will forgive us if we confess it (Gal 6:1; 1 Jn 1:8-9). But we are warned against sinning “brazenly” or “deliberately” (Num 15:30-31; Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-29).
Verse 3
4:3-21 These verses distinguish two types of sin offerings: (1) the offering given for the sin of the high priest (4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13), and (2) the offering given for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any of the common people (4:27). The former case required offering a bull, a large, expensive animal. It was not to be eaten (6:30) but was completely burned (4:12, 21), and some of its blood was presented in the Holy Place (4:6-7, 17-18). The latter case required a lesser animal—a male goat for a lay leader or a female sheep or goat for a common person. The priest ate a portion of the layperson’s offering (6:24-29), and the blood was presented at the bronze altar in the courtyard (4:25, 30). The distinction stresses the responsibilities of leaders. The offering was the same for the priest as for the entire people, and the lay leader’s offering was more than that of a common person. The New Testament also emphasizes the responsibility of religious leaders; those who teach (Jas 3:1) and those who serve as religious leaders (Matt 23:1-33; Luke 20:47) are judged more severely than those who follow them.
4:3 The high priest was designated by God and “anointed” (Hebrew mashiakh, “set apart by the ritual of anointing”) for a particular service. In 1 Sam 1:1—2 Kgs 25:30, anointing most often refers to Israel’s king (see 1 Sam 24:6; 2 Sam 1:14; 19:21). While all priests were anointed (Exod 40:13-15), here the term probably refers to the high priest because he was specially anointed for service in the Tabernacle (Lev 6:20; 8:12). Since the high priest was mediator for all of Israel, including lesser priests, his sin would bring guilt on the entire assembly (see “Community Identity” Theme Note). • Guilt results from violating God’s will; it is not just perceived or psychological guilt (see study note on 5:17-19).
Verse 5
4:5-6 The Tabernacle complex had a tent (sometimes called the “Tent of Meeting”; see study note on 1:1) at the west end of the courtyard. Inside the tent, the inner curtain divided the first room, the Holy Place, from the second, the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place contained the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 26:31-33) and was God’s throne room (see study note on Lev 1:1). Sprinkling the animal’s blood before the curtain (4:6, 17) and applying it to the horns of the incense altar (4:7, 18) was done to atone for the anointed priest or for the entire congregation. This action demonstrated the gravity of the offenses being atoned for (cp. 4:25, 30-35).
Verse 7
4:7 The altar for fragrant incense stood in front of the inner curtain, just outside the Most Holy Place (4:6). It had four protrusions resembling horns, as did the altar for burnt offerings (see study note on Exod 27:2). The priests burned incense on this altar to the Lord each morning and evening (Exod 30:1-10).
Verse 11
4:11-12 Only the offerings for the priest or the entire community were burned outside the camp. Perhaps this was commanded because the offering had figuratively absorbed the contamination of the high priest or the community and therefore had to be disposed of outside the camp. Those guilty were not to partake of or reap any benefit from their own sin offerings, even if they were priests (6:19-23).
Verse 15
4:15 The Hebrew term for elders is related to the word for beard. It implies mature but not necessarily elderly individuals. They were leaders of the community—typically, heads of families and tribes (cp. Exod 18:21-26; Deut 22:15-19). For this offering, the elders represented the entire people, as they would later in anointing David as king (2 Sam 5:3).
Verse 20
4:20 A similar form of the phrase they will be forgiven appears frequently in passages dealing with atonement (4:26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7; 19:22; Num 15:25, 26, 28). God is willing to forgive a repentant person’s sin and restore him or her to the community of faith.
Verse 22
4:22-35 The sin offerings described in this passage atoned for laypersons, whether leaders or other Israelite citizens. These offerings could be eaten (contrast 4:3-21), and they involved lesser animals. The blood of the offering was disposed of in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and not carried to the Holy Place. As with the peace offering (ch 3), the fat and certain internal organs were burned on the altar. However, the rest of the meat from these offerings was given to the priest as food for himself and the males in his family (6:29), and it was to be eaten in a holy place (6:26; cp. 10:16-20). A lay leader was to offer a male goat (4:23), while a common layperson could offer a female goat or lamb. The animal’s lesser size and cost reflected the lesser influence of the common Israelite and, probably, their financial situation. Economic considerations allowed those who were poor to bring a pair of doves or young pigeons (5:7-8; 12:6, 8; cp. Luke 2:24). The desperately poor could offer two quarts of flour (Lev 5:11).
4:22 Israel’s leaders included the elders (see 4:15), tribal heads, and family heads (see Num 1:16, 44; 1 Kgs 8:1).
Verse 23
4:23 The male goat offered by a lay leader was a lesser offering than was required for the priest (a bull) but more than was required for a common person (4:28, 32). However, like all offerings used for securing atonement, the animal could have no defects (see 1:3).
Verse 24
4:24 at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered: See 1:3-5.
Verse 25
4:25 blood . . . horns of the altar: Unlike the blood of the bull for the priest, the blood of the offering of a leader (4:25) or a common Israelite (4:30, 34) was not to be carried into the Holy Place. Also, a portion of the meat was to be eaten by the priest who offered it (6:24-29).
Verse 27
4:27-35 The common people, who had less responsibility than a priest or leader, were permitted the lesser offering of a female sheep or goat. A greater position brings greater responsibility (cp. Amos 3:2; Matt 25:14-30; Jas 3:1).