Leviticus
Summary
Leviticus Chapter 4 identifies the requirements for the sin offering, which focused on unintentional sins committed by any member of the community: from the high priest to the common person. The ritual varied depending on the status of the offerer, but the core purpose remained the same: to make atonement and receive forgiveness. The blood was handled with great care, being sprinkled before the sanctuary curtain and applied to the horns of the altar. This highlighted the serious nature of sin, even when committed by mistake, and the necessity of sacrifice for restoration.
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
"Tell the Israelites: 'If anyone sins unintentionally by doing something the LORD has commanded not to be done, they must follow these rules:
'If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must offer a young bull without any defect to the LORD as a sin offering.
He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on its head, and slaughter it there.
The anointed priest shall take some of the bull's blood and carry it into the Tent of Meeting.
He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.
The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense which is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting; the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance.
He shall remove all the fat from the bull for the sin offering, the fat that covers and surrounds the internal organs,
both kidneys with the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.
Just as the fat is removed from the peace offering, the priest shall burn these on the altar of burnt offering.
But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, including its head, legs, internal organs, and waste,
that is, the entire rest of the bull, he must carry outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are thrown, and burn it on a wood fire.
'If the whole community of Israel sins unintentionally and is unaware of it, yet they have done something the LORD commanded not to be done, they are guilty.
When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must offer a young bull as a sin offering and bring it before the Tent of Meeting.
The elders of the community shall lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered there.
Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood into the Tent of Meeting.
He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the curtain.
He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting, and pour out the rest at the base of the altar of burnt offering.
He shall remove all the fat from it and burn it on the altar.
He shall do with this bull just as he did with the first sin offering; in this way, the priest will make atonement for the community, and they will be forgiven.
Then he shall carry the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he burned the first one. This is the sin offering for the entire community.
'When a leader sins unintentionally and does something his God, the LORD, has commanded not to be done, he is guilty.
When he is made aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat without any defect.
He shall lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is killed before the LORD; it is a sin offering.
Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, pouring the rest of the blood at its base.
He shall burn all the goat's fat on the altar, just as he burns the fat of the peace offering. In this way, the priest will make atonement for the leader's sin, and he will be forgiven.
'If any ordinary person sins unintentionally and does something the LORD has commanded not to be done, they are guilty.
When they are made aware of the sin they committed, they must bring a female goat without any defect as an offering for that sin.
They shall lay their hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.
Then the priest shall take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, pouring the rest at its base.
He shall remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way, the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.
'If they bring a lamb as their sin offering, it must be a female without any defect.
They shall lay their hand on its head and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is killed.
Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, pouring the rest at its base.
He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made by fire to the LORD. In this way, the priest will make atonement for the sin committed, and they will be forgiven.'