Leviticus 4

Leviticus 4:1-12

This chapter is concerning the offering for a fat committed through ignorance; either, 1. By the priest himself, ver. 1—12. Or, 2. By the whole congregation, ver. 13—21. Or, 3. By a ruler, ver. 22—26. Or, 4. By a private person, ver. 27—35.

1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a soul shall in through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD (concerning things which ought Vol. I.

not to be done) and shall do against any of them: 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 finned, ‘a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin-offering. 4. And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and ‘shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 5. And the priest that is anointed, ‘shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation. 6. And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the val of the sanctuary. 7. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8. And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin-offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards: 9. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall be take away. 10. ‘As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace-offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt-offering. 11. ‘And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, 12. Even the whole bullock shall be carry forth without the camp, unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire. where the ashes are poured out, shall he be burnt.

The wages of sin, wherever it is found, is death; even sins of ignorance and infirmity are mortal, without an atonement. We have here therefore an express appointment of a sin-offering for the soul that sins through ignorance. The sin is supposed to be an outward act, committed either through ignorance of the law, or surprise. There may be alleviations of guilt, but no excuse for sin.

The sacrifice for the sin of the high-priest is first appointed. They were men, and therefore compelled about with infirmity. Note, (1.) We must not expect too much from sinful men, however holy their calling, or high their attainments. (2.) Yet a priest’s sin is ever most aggravated, since he who is appointed to guide others, is peculiarly bound to for them an example.

The sin-offering is a bullock, to be offered with the usual form. Confession of guilt, and dependence on that blood, without which there is no remission, is the only way of obtaining pardon for sin. The blood was sprinkled before the val, and on the horns of the golden altar; to signify, that all his services were polluted, till his iniquity was done away. The sin, for, as in the peace-offering, was burned on the altar; to signify, that God accepted the sacrifice, and was reconciled to the offender; and the whole of the head that remained, was burned without the camp, as a detectable thing. Thus Jesus, when he made his soul an offering for sin, suffered without the camp; and, in the sharpness of his sorrows, and the ignominy he endured, shewed in the dreadful evil of sin, whilst he thus took it away by the sacrifice of himself.

13. ¶ ‘And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing he hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD, concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty: 14. When the sin which they have finned against it is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation. 15. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD. 16. And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock’s blood to the tabernacle of the congregation. 17. And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the val. 18. And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 19. And he shall take all his fat from

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him, and burn it upon the altar. 20. And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a fin-offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 21. And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a fin-offering for the congregation.

Leviticus 4:13-21

Whatever is human, is liable to error. Nations and churches are all fallible, and therefore an atonement for national sins of ignorance is provided. The offering is the same as for the priest, as most likely their sins would be the same. Note, If the people live in ignorance and sin, much is to be feared for their teachers.

22. ¶ When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God, concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; 23. Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish. 24. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt-offering before the LORD: it is a fin-offering. 25. And the priest shall take of the blood of the fin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering. 26. And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 4:14-30

the LORD. 28. And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt-offering; they were consecrations for a fever favour: ‘it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 29. And ‘Moses took the breath and waved it for a wave-offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses part; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30. ‘And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons garments with him.

They who were to offer sacrifice for the sins of others, first need make atonement for their own. Nothing fits a minister to deal with wounded consciences, or engages him to have compulsion to the tempted, so much as a humbling sense of his own sins.

A bullock was offered for a sin-offering, a ram as a burnt-offering, and another for consecration; the blood of which was partly sprinkled on the altar, and partly put upon their right ears, thumbs, and great toes, and on their garments; and a cake of the meat-offering was put into their hands with the wave-thumbles, and burnt upon the altar. Learn bread. (1.) That they who are called to the office of the ministry, ought to be deeply thankful to God for the honour he puts upon them. (2.) Every priest is married to the altar, and engages to give up himself wholly to the work of the ministry. (3.) We shall always minister with comfort to others, when we have the blood of sprinkling speaking peace to our own souls.

b Ibid. 31.

31. ¶ And Moses said unto Aaron, and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there ’eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. 32. And that which remonents of the flesh and of the bread, shall ye burn with fire. 33. And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for ‘seven days shall he consecrate you. 34. As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 35. Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night, seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. 36. So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Leviticus 4:22-26

However sin comes to our knowledge, we should be thankful for the notice. Rulers have need often to open their ears to admonition; they may, even when they mean well, do ill. A kid sufficed for the atonement; intimating, that though the offence were the same, the crime was not so aggravated, or pernicious in its consequence, as that of the high-priest or congregation. Note, Though all sins are not alike evil in their effects to others, they are all mortal to the sinful foul, without an atonement.

27. ¶ And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD, concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28. Or if his sin which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the fin-offering, and slay the fin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering. 30. And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31. ¶ And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, for a sweet favour unto the LORD, and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. 32. And if he bring a lamb for a fin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. 33. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the fin-offering, and slay it for a fin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt-offering. 34. And the priest shall take of the blood of the fin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 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.

Leviticus 4:27-35

The offering of a private person resembles the ruler’s, save that he may use a lamb or a kid, and a female instead of a male. Note, (1.) No sinner is too little to be overlooked, or too great to be excused. (2.) All alike need the atoning blood of Christ. (3.) Every application to Christ for pardon of sin, lays an obligation upon us to forsake sin. There

is no atonement to be made for wilful disobedience. (4.) The sense of the desert of sin will affect our hearts with deep sorrow for it. The tears of penitence should always mingle with the blood of atonement.

Leviticus 4:31-36

Seven days the consecration lasted; every day the same sacrifices were repeated; and they are enjoined, on penalty of death, not to go out of the tabernacle, but to keep the charge of the Lord day and night; and the mean while, their peace-offerings were to be eaten before the Lord, according to the commandment; all which was exactly performed. Note. (1.) They who will serve the Lord, must learn to endure hardness, as good folders, and to disengage themselves from the affairs of this life. (2.) They who have the charge of the Lord, have an awful charge indeed. If through their neglect the sinner did in his iniquity, his blood will be required at their hands. (3.) When we have once solemnly given up ourselves to God, we must never look back. (4.) They who give themselves up to him, shall be satisfied with the plemenofnees of his house. God himself will be their portion and exceeding great reward.