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The Statutes of Sin Offerings

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins (A)unintentionally in any of the [a]things which Yahweh has (B)commanded not to be done, and he does any one of them, (C)if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him bring near to Yahweh a bull from the herd without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has [b]committed. Then he shall bring the bull to the doorway of the tent of meeting before Yahweh, and (D)he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull and slaughter the bull before Yahweh. Then the (E)anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the tent of meeting, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh in front of (F)the veil of the sanctuary. The priest shall also put some of the blood on the horns of (G)the altar of fragrant incense which is before Yahweh in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. (H)Then he shall raise up from it all the fat of the bull of the sin offering: the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat which is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the [c]lobe of the liver, which he shall remove (I)with the kidneys 10 (just as it is raised up from the ox of the sacrifice of peace offerings), and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But (J)the hide of the bull and all its flesh with its head and its legs and its entrails and its refuse, 12 [d]that is, all the rest of the bull, he shall bring out to (K)a clean place outside the camp where the [e]ashes are poured out, and he shall burn it on wood with fire; where the [f]ashes are poured out it shall be burned.

13 (L)Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error, and the matter is hidden from the sight of the assembly, and they commit any of the [g]things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty; 14 (M)when the sin [h]which they have [i]committed becomes known, then the assembly shall bring near (N)a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting. 15 Then (O)the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh, and the bull shall be slaughtered (P)before Yahweh. 16 Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting; 17 and (Q)the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh in front of the veil. 18 And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of (R)the altar which is before Yahweh [j]in the tent of meeting; and all the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 19 (S)He shall then raise up all its fat from it and offer it up in smoke on the altar. 20 He shall also do with the bull just as he did with (T)the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So (U)the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. 21 Then he shall bring out the bull to a place outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is (V)the sin offering for the assembly.

22 ‘When (W)a leader (X)sins and unintentionally does any one of all the [k]things which Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty, 23 (Y)or if his sin [l]which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a [m](Z)goat, (AA)a male without blemish. 24 Then he shall lay his hand on the head of the male goat and slaughter it in the place where [n]they slaughter the burnt offering before Yahweh; it is a sin offering. 25 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on (AB)the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26 (AC)And all its fat he shall offer up in smoke on the altar as in the case of the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings. Thus (AD)the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven.

27 ‘Now if [o]anyone of [p]the common people sins (AE)unintentionally in doing any of the [q]things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, 28 (AF)or if his sin which he has [r]committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a [s](AG)goat, a (AH)female without blemish, for his sin which he has [t]committed. 29 (AI)And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and (AJ)slaughter the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of (AK)the altar of burnt offering; and (AL)all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 31 (AM)Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for (AN)a soothing aroma to Yahweh. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, [u]and he will be forgiven.

32 ‘But if he brings (AO)a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring it, a female without blemish. 33 (AP)And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it for a sin offering (AQ)in the place where [v]they slay the burnt offering. 34 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of (AR)the altar of burnt offering, and (AS)all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 35 Then he shall remove (AT)all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to Yahweh. Thus (AU)the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has [w]committed, and he will be forgiven.

‘Now if a person sins after he hears a [x]public (AV)oath to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his [y]guilt. Or a person who touches (AW)any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things—though it is hidden from him, yet he is unclean—will be guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. Or if a person (AX)swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with a sworn oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these. So it shall be, when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall (AY)confess that in which he has sinned. He shall also bring his guilt offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has [z]committed, (AZ)a female from the flock, a lamb or a [aa]goat, as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin.

‘But if [ab]he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to Yahweh his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, (BA)one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall bring near first that which is for the sin offering and shall nip its head at the front of its neck, but he (BB)shall not separate it. He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering (BC)on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out (BD)at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. 10 The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering (BE)according to the legal judgment. (BF)So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has [ac]committed, and it will be forgiven him.

11 ‘But (BG)if his [ad]means are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an [ae]ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; (BH)he shall not place oil on it or put frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12 He shall then bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, [af]with the offerings of Yahweh by fire: it is a sin offering. 13 So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has [ag]committed from (BI)one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then (BJ)the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 4:2 Lit commands of Yahweh which are not to be done
  2. Leviticus 4:3 Lit sinned
  3. Leviticus 4:9 Or appendage on
  4. Leviticus 4:12 Lit and
  5. Leviticus 4:12 Soaked with fat; or fat ashes
  6. Leviticus 4:12 Soaked with fat; or fat ashes
  7. Leviticus 4:13 Lit commands of Yahweh which are not to be done
  8. Leviticus 4:14 Lit concerning which
  9. Leviticus 4:14 Lit sinned
  10. Leviticus 4:18 Lit which is in
  11. Leviticus 4:22 Lit commands of Yahweh which are not to be done
  12. Leviticus 4:23 Lit in which he has sinned
  13. Leviticus 4:23 Lit buck of the goats
  14. Leviticus 4:24 Lit one slaughters
  15. Leviticus 4:27 Lit one soul
  16. Leviticus 4:27 Lit the people of the land
  17. Leviticus 4:27 Lit commands of Yahweh which are not to be done
  18. Leviticus 4:28 Lit sinned
  19. Leviticus 4:28 Or female goat
  20. Leviticus 4:28 Lit sinned
  21. Leviticus 4:31 Or so that he may be
  22. Leviticus 4:33 Lit one slays
  23. Leviticus 4:35 Lit sinned
  24. Leviticus 5:1 Lit voice of an oath
  25. Leviticus 5:1 Or iniquity
  26. Leviticus 5:6 Lit sinned
  27. Leviticus 5:6 Lit female goat
  28. Leviticus 5:7 Lit his hand does not reach enough for
  29. Leviticus 5:10 Lit sinned
  30. Leviticus 5:11 Lit hand does not reach
  31. Leviticus 5:11 An ephah was approx. 21 qt. or 23 l
  32. Leviticus 5:12 Lit upon
  33. Leviticus 5:13 Lit sinned

The purification offering

The Lord said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: Do the following whenever someone sins unintentionally against any of the Lord’s commands, doing something that shouldn’t be done:

If it is the anointed priest who has sinned, making the people guilty of sin, he must present to the Lord a flawless bull from the herd as a purification offering[a] for the sin he has committed. He will bring the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the meeting tent and press his hand on the bull’s head. Then he will slaughter the bull before the Lord. The anointed priest will take some of the bull’s blood and take it into the meeting tent. The priest will dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, toward the sanctuary’s inner curtain. Then the priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of perfumed incense, which is in the meeting tent before the Lord. But he will pour out all the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of entirely burned offerings, which is at the meeting tent’s entrance. Then he will remove all the fat from the bull for the purification offering: the fat that covers and surrounds the insides; the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins; and the lobe on the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys, 10 just as this is removed from the ox for the communal sacrifice of well-being. Then the priest will completely burn these on the altar of entirely burned offerings. 11 But the bull’s hide and all of its flesh, along with its head, lower legs, entrails, and dung— 12 all that remains of the bull—will be taken to a clean location outside the camp, to the ash heap. It should be burned there at the ash heap on a wood fire.

13 If it is the entire Israelite community that has done something wrong unintentionally and the deed escapes the assembly’s notice—but they’ve done something that shouldn’t be done in violation of the Lord’s commands, becoming guilty of sin— 14 once the sin that they committed becomes known, the assembly must present a bull from the herd as a purification offering. They will bring it before the meeting tent. 15 The community elders will press their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord and then slaughter it before the Lord. 16 The anointed priest will take some of the bull’s blood into the meeting tent. 17 The priest will dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord toward the inner curtain. 18 Then he will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord in the meeting tent. But he will pour all the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar of entirely burned offerings that is at the meeting tent’s entrance. 19 Then he will remove all the fat from it and completely burn it on the altar. 20 He will do the same with this bull as he did with the other bull for the purification offering; that is exactly what he must do. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for them, and they will be forgiven. 21 Then the priest will take the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as the first bull was burned. It is the purification offering for the assembly.

22 If a leader sins by unintentionally breaking any of the commands of the Lord his God, doing something that shouldn’t be done, and becomes guilty of sin— 23 once the sin that he committed is made known to him—he must bring as his offering a flawless male goat. 24 He will press his hand on the goat’s head. It will be slaughtered[b] at the place where an entirely burned offering would be slaughtered before the Lord. It is a purification offering. 25 The priest will take some of the blood from the purification offering and, using his finger, will put it on the horns of the altar of entirely burned offerings. But he will pour the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar of entirely burned offerings. 26 He will completely burn all of its fat on the altar just as the fat of the communal sacrifice of well-being is burned. In this way the priest will make reconciliation for the leader to remove his sin, and he will be forgiven.

27 If any ordinary person[c] sins unintentionally by breaking one of the Lord’s commands, doing something that shouldn’t be done, and becomes guilty of sin— 28 once the sin they committed is made known to them—they must bring as their offering a flawless female goat because of the sin that was committed. 29 They will press their hand on the head of the purification offering. It will be slaughtered[d] at the place for the entirely burned offerings. 30 The priest will take some of its blood and, using his finger, will put it on the horns of the altar of entirely burned offerings. But he will pour all the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar. 31 He will remove all of its fat, just as the fat from a communal sacrifice of well-being is removed. Then the priest will completely burn it on the altar as a soothing smell to the Lord. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for them, and they will be forgiven.

32 If you offer a sheep as a purification offering, it must be a flawless female. 33 You must press your hand on the head of the purification offering. It will be slaughtered[e] as a purification offering in the place where the entirely burned offering is slaughtered. 34 Then the priest will take some of the blood from the purification offering and, using his finger, will put it on the horns of the altar of entirely burned offerings. But he will pour all the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar. 35 He will remove all of its fat, just as the fat of a sheep would be removed from the communal sacrifice of well-being. Then the priest will completely burn it on the altar along with the Lord’s food gifts. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for you for the sin you committed, and you will be forgiven.

Unintentional sin

If you sin:

by not providing information after hearing a public solemn pledge even though you are a witness, knowing something, or having seen something so that you become liable to punishment;

or by touching some unclean thing—the dead body of an unclean wild animal, unclean livestock, or unclean swarming creature—but the fact goes unknown so that you become unclean and guilty of sin;

or by touching human uncleanness—any uncleanness that makes one unclean—and the fact goes unknown, but you later learn of it and become guilty of sin;

or by carelessly swearing to do something, whether bad or good—whatever one might swear carelessly—and the fact goes unknown, but you later learn of it and become guilty of sin concerning one of these things—

at that point, when you have become guilty of sin in one of these ways, you must confess how you have sinned and bring to the Lord as compensation for the sin that was committed a female from the flock, either a sheep or goat, as a purification offering. The priest will then make reconciliation for you, to remove your sin.

Alternative offerings

If you can’t afford an animal from the flock, you can bring to the Lord as compensation for your sin two doves or two pigeons, one as a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering. You will bring them to the priest, who will first present the one for the purification offering. He will pinch off its head at the back of its neck without splitting it. Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the purification offering on the side of the altar. The rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a purification offering. 10 Then, with the second bird, the priest will perform an entirely burned offering according to the regulation. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for you because of the sin you committed, and you will be forgiven.

11 If you cannot afford two doves or two pigeons, you can bring as the offering for your sin a tenth of an ephah[f] of choice flour as a purification offering. You must not put any oil on it, nor any frankincense, because it is a purification offering. 12 You will bring it to the priest, and the priest will take a handful from it—the token portion—and will burn it completely on the altar along with the food gifts for the Lord. It is a purification offering. 13 In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for you for whichever one of the sins you committed, and you will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest like the grain offering.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 4:3 Or sin offering (Heb hatta’t, which recurs frequently in Leviticus)
  2. Leviticus 4:24 Or He will slaughter it … where he would slaughter
  3. Leviticus 4:27 Or one of the people of the land
  4. Leviticus 4:29 Or They will slaughter it.
  5. Leviticus 4:33 Or You will slaughter it.
  6. Leviticus 5:11 Two quarts; one ephah is approximately twenty quarts dry.