Bible Chapter Summary
Leviticus 4 Summary
Sin Offerings for Unintentional Transgressions
Leviticus 4 presents the LORD's instructions to Moses regarding sin offerings for unintentional sins committed against His commandments, addressing four distinct classes of offenders: the anointed priest, the whole congregation of Israel, a ruler, and a common person. For the anointed priest and the congregation, a young unblemished bullock is required; its blood is sprinkled seven times before the veil of the sanctuary and applied to the horns of the incense altar, with the fat burned on the altar and the remainder of the carcass carried outside the camp and burned. For a ruler, a male kid of the goats is prescribed, while a common person may offer either a female kid of the goats or a female lamb; in both cases the blood is applied to the horns of the altar of burnt offering and the fat is burned. In each case the anointed priest performs the prescribed rites, and the LORD declares that atonement is made and the sin is forgiven.
Key themes
Key verses
Leviticus 4:2
“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:”
Leviticus 4:3
“If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.”
Leviticus 4:20
“And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.”
Leviticus 4:35
“And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.”
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