The Sin Offering

4 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally^(A) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands^(B)—

³ “‘If the anointed priest^(C) sins,^(D) bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull^(E) without defect^(F) as a sin offering^[a](G) for the sin he has committed.^{(H) 4} He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord.^(I) He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. ⁵ Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood^(J) and carry it into the tent of meeting. ⁶ He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle^(K) some of it seven times before the Lord,^(L) in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.^{(M) 7} The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns^(N) of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar^(O) of burnt offering^(P) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ He shall remove all the fat^(Q) from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, ⁹ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys^(R)— ¹⁰ just as the fat is removed from the ox^[b](S) sacrificed as a fellowship offering.^(T) Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.^{(U) 11} But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines^(V)— ¹² that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp^(W) to a place ceremonially clean,^(X) where the ashes^(Y) are thrown, and burn it^(Z) there in a wood fire on the ash heap.^(AA)

¹³ “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally^(AB) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt ¹⁴ and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull^(AC) as a sin offering^(AD) and present it before the tent of meeting. ¹⁵ The elders^(AE) of the community are to lay their hands^(AF) on the bull’s head^(AG) before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord.^{(AH) 16} Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood^(AI) into the tent of meeting. ¹⁷ He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle^(AJ) it before the Lord^(AK) seven times in front of the curtain. ¹⁸ He is to put some of the blood^(AL) on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord^(AM) in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar^(AN) of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ He shall remove all the fat^(AO) from it and burn it on the altar,^{(AP) 20} and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement^(AQ) for the community, and they will be forgiven.^{(AR) 21} Then he shall take the bull outside the camp^(AS) and burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the community.^(AT)

²² “‘When a leader^(AU) sins unintentionally^(AV) and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt ²³ and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat^(AW) without defect. ²⁴ He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord.^(AX) It is a sin offering.^{(AY) 25} 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^(AZ) of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.^{(BA) 26} He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement^(BB) for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.^(BC)

²⁷ “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally^(BD) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt ²⁸ and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering^(BE) for the sin they committed a female goat^(BF) without defect. ²⁹ They are to lay their hand on the head^(BG) of the sin offering^(BH) and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.^{(BI) 30} Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering^(BJ) and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar^(BK) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(BL) In this way the priest will make atonement^(BM) for them, and they will be forgiven.^(BN)

³² “‘If someone brings a lamb^(BO) as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect.^{(BP) 33} They are to lay their hand on its head and slaughter it^(BQ) for a sin offering^(BR) at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.^{(BS) 34} 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 and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.^{(BT) 35} They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar^(BU) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.

The Day of Atonement^(A)

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.^{(B) 2} The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses^(C) into the Most Holy Place^(D) behind the curtain^(E) in front of the atonement cover^(F) on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear^(G) in the cloud^(H) over the atonement cover.

³ “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:^(I) He must first bring a young bull^(J) for a sin offering^[a] and a ram for a burnt offering.^{(K) 4} He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,^(L) with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.^(M) These are sacred garments;^(N) so he must bathe himself with water^(O) before he puts them on.^{(P) 5} From the Israelite community^(Q) he is to take two male goats^(R) for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

⁶ “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.^{(S) 7} Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ He is to cast lots^(T) for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.^{[b](U) 9} Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. ¹⁰ But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement^(V) by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

¹¹ “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household,^(W) and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. ¹² He is to take a censer full of burning coals^(X) from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense^(Y) and take them behind the curtain. ¹³ He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover^(Z) above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.^{(AA) 14} He is to take some of the bull’s blood^(AB) and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.^(AC)

¹⁵ “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people^(AD) and take its blood behind the curtain^(AE) and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle^(AF) it on the atonement cover and in front of it. ¹⁶ In this way he will make atonement^(AG) for the Most Holy Place^(AH) because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting,^(AI) which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. ¹⁷ No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

¹⁸ “Then he shall come out to the altar^(AJ) that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.^{(AK) 19} He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.^(AL)

²⁰ “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.^{(AM) 21} He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat^(AN) and confess^(AO) over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. ²² The goat will carry on itself all their sins^(AP) to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

²³ “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments^(AQ) he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.^{(AR) 24} He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area^(AS) and put on his regular garments.^(AT) Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people,^(AU) to make atonement for himself and for the people.^{(AV) 25} He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

²⁶ “The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat^(AW) must wash his clothes^(AX) and bathe himself with water;^(AY) afterward he may come into the camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp;^(AZ) their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. ²⁸ The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.^(BA)

²⁹ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(BB) for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month^(BC) you must deny yourselves^[c](BD) and not do any work^(BE)—whether native-born^(BF) or a foreigner residing among you— ³⁰ because on this day atonement will be made^(BG) for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.^{(BH) 31} It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves;^(BI) it is a lasting ordinance.^{(BJ) 32} The priest who is anointed and ordained^(BK) to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments^{(BL) 33} and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.^(BM)

³⁴ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(BN) for you: Atonement is to be made once a year^(BO) for all the sins of the Israelites.”

And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Psalm 5^[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.