Leviticus Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 describes the fourth offering. It was called the Sin Offering. Notice the instructions, this offering was to cover sins committed "unknowingly or unwittingly (not done on purpose)". Four examples of such sins are given:

  1. An Anointed Priest. If a Priest sins unwittingly, it brings the guilt upon all the people. His sacrifice must be a young bull without blemish and the Priest shall lay his hand upon the head of the bull and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle.
  2. The Whole Congregation. If the congregation sins unwittingly, and it is found out, the sacrifice must be a young bull without blemish and the Elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the bulls head as the Priest kills it at the door of the Tabernacle.

In both of these cases, the blood was to be sprinkled 7 times before the Lord in front of the "veil" of the Sanctuary, and some put upon the horns of the Altar of Incense for a burnt sacrifice. The same "inner parts" as before with their fat shall be burned as a burnt offering, and the remainder shall be carried outside the camp and burned.

  1. A Ruler. If a Ruler sins unwittingly, he must sacrifice a male goat without blemish, killed as was the bull in No.1 with the blood put upon the horns of the Altar for a burnt offering and the rest poured around its base. The fat and inner parts shall be burnt as a sin offering.
  2. A Common Person. If an ordinary person sins unwittingly, he must sacrifice a female goat or lamb without blemish. It would be killed and offered as the one for the Ruler.

These four sacrifices would make atonement for the sins they had committed unwittingly.


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