Offerings for Unintentional Sins

22 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses(A) 23 any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come(B) 24 and if this is done unintentionally(C) without the community being aware of it,(D) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering(E) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(F) along with its prescribed grain offering(G) and drink offering,(H) and a male goat for a sin offering.[a](I) 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,(J) for it was not intentional(K) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering(L) and a sin offering.(M) 26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.(N)

27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,(O) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.(P) 28 The priest is to make atonement(Q) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(R) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 15:24 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 27

Offerings for Inadvertent National Sin

22 “Here’s what you are to do[a] when you all[b] go astray and fail to observe all these commands that the Lord had spoken to Moses, 23 including anything that the Lord commanded you by the authority[c] of Moses, starting from the day the Lord commanded Moses and continuing through your generations. 24 When anything is done without the knowledge[d] of the congregation, the entire community is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, along with its meal and drink offerings offered according to procedure, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25 Then the priest is to make atonement for the entire community of the Israelis, and they will be forgiven[e] for inadvertent sins. They are to bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, as well as their sin offering, into the Lord’s presence on account of their error. 26 Then the entire community of Israel will be forgiven, along with the resident alien who lives among them, since all the people will have sinned inadvertently.”

Offerings for Inadvertent Personal Sin

27 “Now when one person[f] sins inadvertently, then he is to bring a one year old female goat for a sin offering. 28 Then, in the Lord’s presence, the priest is to make atonement for the person who sinned inadvertently, that is, to make atonement on his behalf so he may be forgiven. 29 You are to have a single law for the one who does things inadvertently, whether for the native-born Israeli or for the resident alien who lives among you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 15:22 The Heb. lacks Here’s what you are to do
  2. Numbers 15:22 Lit. you (pl.)
  3. Numbers 15:23 Lit. by the hand
  4. Numbers 15:24 Lit. is hidden from the eyes
  5. Numbers 15:25 Or it are to be forgiven them
  6. Numbers 15:27 Lit. soul