Leviticus 4

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 2 “Tell the Israelites [sons of Jacob, God’s chosen people] to do as follows with one who sins [misses the mark, commits a transgression] unintentionally [without realizing it, in ignorance] against any of the LORD’s [Yehovah, the covenant God] commandments [divine instructions, laws] and does what is forbidden [prohibited, not allowed] by them [God’s ordinances, decrees]: word study 3 If the anointed [set apart, consecrated] priest [spiritual leader, mediator] sins [misses the mark, rebels against God], bringing guilt [responsibility, blame] on the people [nation, community], he must bring to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] a young bull [unblemished, perfect animal] without blemish [defect, flaw] as a sin offering [atonement, purification] for the sin [rebellion, transgression] he has committed [intentionally done wrong]. word study 4 He must bring the bull [young ox, a sacrificial animal] to the entrance [doorway, gateway] to the Tent of Meeting [tabernacle, sacred gathering place] before the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Presence], lay his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on the bull’s head [the topmost part of the body], and slaughter [kill, offer as a sacrifice] it before the LORD [in His presence, under His gaze]. word study 5 Then the [chief, supreme] anointed priest [set apart, anointed] shall take [receive, get] some of the bull’s [young ox, sacrifice] blood [the liquid that flows through the body] and bring [carry, transport] it into the [sacred, appointed] Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [assembly, congregation]. word study 6 The priest [the one who serves God, a spiritual leader] is to dip [immerse, plunge] his finger [a part of his hand] in the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] and sprinkle [scatter, shed] some of it [a portion, a part] seven times before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], in front of [before the presence, facing] the veil [a curtain, a separation] of the sanctuary [the Holy Place, a sacred area]. word study 7 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] must then put some of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] on the horns [corners, protrusions] of the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] of fragrant incense [sweet perfume, pleasing aroma] that is before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] in the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [assembly, gathering]. And he is to pour out the rest of the bull’s [young ox, sacrifice] blood at the base [foundation, foot] of the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] of burnt offering [total dedication, complete surrender] at the entrance [doorway, gate] to the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [assembly, gathering]. word study 8 Then he shall remove [take away, lift up] all the fat [choicest, richest part] from the bull [young ox, sacrifice] of the sin [guilt, punishment] offering—the fat [the best or richest part] that covers [to hide, conceal] the entrails [inner parts, midst], all the fat [richest portion] that is on [upon, above] them [the inner parts], word study 9 both kidneys [the two, a pair] with the fat [the richest part] on them near the loins [the lower back, confidence, or hope], and the lobe [the caudate lobe, a flap] of the liver [the heaviest organ], which he is to remove [to turn aside, depart from] with the kidneys— word study 10 just as the fat [from the best part, choice portion] is removed [lifted up, taken away] from the ox [cattle, bull] of the peace offering [sacrifice of thanksgiving, voluntary gift]. Then the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] shall burn [offer, make a perfume] them on the altar [place of sacrifice, holy table] of burnt offering [total dedication, complete surrender]. word study 11 But the hide [skin, outer covering] of the bull [young ox, sacrificial animal] and all its flesh [body, living creature], with its head [the topmost part of the body] and legs [from knee to ankle] and its entrails [inner parts, intestines] and dung [refuse, waste]— word study 12 all the rest of the bull [the entire young ox, every part]—he must take outside [beyond the boundary, away from] the camp [the Israelite encampment] to a ceremonially clean [pure, holy, set apart] place [location, area, spot] where the ashes [the remains of sacrifices, the residue of burning] are poured out [disposed of, thrown away], and there he must burn [consume with fire, completely destroy] it on a wood [tree, wooden] fire [flame, burning] on the ash heap [the pile of ashes, the place of burning]. word study 13 Now if the whole [entire, all-inclusive] congregation [gathering, assembly] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] strays [to wander, go astray] unintentionally [through ignorance, without knowing] and the matter [thing, affair] escapes [is hidden, concealed] the notice [eyes, attention] of the assembly [group of people gathered together] so that they violate [do against, disobey] any of the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] commandments [laws, rules given by God] and incur [become guilty of, deserve punishment for] guilt [sin, wrongdoing] by doing [making, committing] what is forbidden [not permitted, against God’s will], word study 14 when they become aware [realize, understand] of the sin [transgression, guilt] they have committed [missed the mark, gone wrong], then the assembly [congregation, gathering] must bring a young bull [ox, cattle] as a sin offering [purification, atonement] and present [approach, come near] it before the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred season]. word study 15 The [elderly, respected] elders of the congregation [gathering of people, community] are to lay their hands [openly, with intention] on the bull’s [young ox, sacrifice] head [the topmost part of the body] before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah, God Almighty], and it shall be slaughtered [killed, sacrificed] before [in the sight of, under the gaze of] the LORD. word study 16 Then the [supreme, high] anointed priest [who is anointed, set apart] is to bring [carry, take] some of the bull’s [young ox, sacrifice] blood [the liquid that flows through the body] into the [sacred, tabernacle] Tent [nomad’s home, place of worship] of Meeting [appointed time, gathering place], word study 17 and he is to dip [immerse, to plunge] his finger [a digit, used for grasping] in the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] and sprinkle [to scatter, shed] it seven times before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] in front of [facing, in the presence of] the veil [a curtain, separating the Holy Place]. word study 18 He is also to put some of the blood [from the sacrifice] on the horns [a horn; a hill or peak] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God] that is before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] in the Tent of Meeting [a sacred place of assembly, where God meets with His people], and he must pour out the rest of the blood [all of it, completely] at the base [foundation, starting point] of the altar of burnt offering [a step or stairs, leading to sacrifice] at the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the Tent of Meeting [a place of sacred assembly, where God’s people gather]. word study 19 And he is to remove [take away, lift up] all [every part, the entirety] the fat [choicest portion, richest part] from it and burn [offer, make perfume] it on the altar [place of sacrifice, worship]. word study 20 He shall offer this bull [as a sin offering, for purification] just as he did the bull [young ox, for atonement] for the sin offering [to make amends, to cover sin]; in this way [thus, so] the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] will make atonement [cover, reconcile] on their behalf [for them, in their place], and they will be forgiven [pardoned, have their sin removed]. word study 21 Then he is to take the bull [young ox, a sacrifice] outside [beyond the boundary] the camp [gathering of people, Israelites’ encampments] and burn [set on fire, kindle flames] it, just as he burned [consumed with fire] the first [primary, preceding] bull [bullock, an offering]. It is the sin [guilt, punishment for sin] offering [sacrifice, atonement] for the assembly [congregation, group of people]. word study 22 When a leader [ruler, high-ranking official] sins [misses the mark, goes wrong] unintentionally [through ignorance, without realizing] and does what is prohibited [forbidden, not permitted] by any of the commandments [laws, divine instructions] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] his God [Elohim, the one supreme God], he incurs guilt [is guilty, deserves punishment]. word study 23 When he becomes aware [or comes to know, realizes] of the sin [guilt, or punishment for sin] he has committed [missed the mark, gone wrong], he must bring [or offer, present] an unblemished [perfect, without defect] male [masculine, complete] goat [or kid of the goats, a male without blemish] as his offering [sacrifice, atonement]. word study 24 He is to lay [place, rest] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on the head [the topmost part of the body] of the goat [hairy, wild goat] and slaughter [kill, sacrifice] it at the place [location, site] where the burnt offering [step, ascent to the altar] is slaughtered [killed, massacred] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. It is a sin [guilt, punishment] offering [sacrifice, purification]. word study 25 Then the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to take [receive, get] some of the blood [the liquid of life] of the sin [guilt, rebellion] offering [a sacrifice to atone for wrongdoing] with his finger [a toe], put it on the horns [corners, protrusions] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, worship] of burnt offering [a sacrifice completely consumed by fire], and pour out [shed, spill] the rest of the blood [the remaining liquid] at the base [foundation, bottom] of the altar [the foot, the starting point]. word study 26 He must burn [totally consume] all its fat [the richest or best part] on the altar [the place of sacrifice], like the fat [the best or richest part] of the peace offerings [voluntary sacrifices to show thanks]; thus the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] will make atonement [cover, reconcile] for that man’s sin [guilt, rebellion against God], and he will be forgiven [pardoned, released from guilt]. word study 27 And if one [any individual, a single person] of the common people [those not of the priestly class, ordinary citizens] sins [misses the mark, goes wrong] unintentionally [without realizing it, in ignorance] and does what is prohibited [forbidden, not allowed] by any of the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] commandments [laws, divine instructions], he incurs guilt [becomes responsible, is liable for punishment]. word study 28 When he becomes aware [or if it is made known to him] of the sin [missing the mark, incurring guilt] he has committed [gone wrong, erred], he must bring [offer, present] an unblemished [perfect, without defect] female goat [she-goat, kid] as his offering [sacrifice, atonement] for that sin [guilt, punishment for sin]. word study 29 He is to lay [place, rest] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on the head [the topmost part of the body] of the sin [guilt, punishment] offering [atonement, purification] and slaughter [kill, massacre] it at the place [location, site] of the burnt [completely consumed] offering [sacrifice, ascent to the altar]. word study 30 Then the priest [the one who serves God] is to take [receive, get] some of its blood [the liquid that flows through the body] with his finger [a part of the hand used for grasping], put [place, set] it on the horns [the projections at the corners] of the altar [a place of sacrifice] of burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar for a burnt offering], and pour out [shed, spill] the rest [all that remains] of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life] at the base [the foundation, the starting point] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study 31 Then he is to remove [take away, turn aside] all the fat [the richest part], just as it is removed [turned aside] from the peace offering [a sacrifice to show thanks], and the priest [a person who serves God] is to burn it on the altar [a place of sacrifice] as a pleasing aroma [a soothing, fragrant smell] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. In this way the priest will make atonement [cover, coat with forgiveness] for him, and he will be forgiven [receive pardon, mercy]. word study 32 If, however, he brings [offers, presents] a lamb [young ram, sheep] as a sin [guilt, punishment] offering, he must bring [present, offer] an unblemished [perfect, without defect] female [ewe, woman]. word study 33 And he is to lay [place, rest] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on the head [the topmost part of the body] of the sin offering [atonement for sin, purification] and slaughter [kill, shed blood] it as a sin offering [purification, atonement] at the place [location or condition] where the burnt offering [step or stairs to the altar, complete consecration] is slaughtered [killed, sacrificed]. word study 34 Then the priest [the one who serves God] is to take [receive, get] some of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life] of the sin [guilt, punishment for sin] offering [a sacrifice to atone for sin] with his finger [a part of the hand used to grasp], put [place, set] it on the horns [corners, projections] of the altar [a place of sacrifice] of burnt [completely consumed] offering [a sacrifice to God], and pour out [shed, spill] the rest [all that remains] of its blood [the liquid that flows through the body] at the base [foundation, starting point] of the altar [a place of sacrifice]. word study 35 And he shall remove [take away, set apart] all the fat [the richest part], just as the fat of the lamb [a young sheep] is removed from the peace offerings [a voluntary sacrifice, an act of worship], and he shall burn it on the altar [a place of sacrifice] along with the offerings made by fire [a means of atonement] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. In this way the priest [a mediator, a spiritual leader] will make atonement [cover, reconcile] for him for the sin [a missing of the mark] he has committed, and he will be forgiven [receive pardon, be reconciled]. word study