The sin offering of ignorance, 1, 2; for the priest, 3-12; for the congregation, 13-21; for the ruler, 22-26; for any of the people, 27-35.
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'If a soul sins through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done and violates any of them, 3 If the priest who is anointed sins according to the sin of the people, then let him bring, for his sin which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to the LORD for a sin-offering. 4 And he shall bring the bull to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the LORD, lay his hand upon the bull's head, and kill the bull before the LORD. 5 And the priest who is anointed shall take some of the bull's blood and bring it to the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil 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 bull 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 bull for the sin-offering, the fat that covers the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 9 The two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the loins, and the lobe of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys, 10 As it was taken off from the bull 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 bull and all his flesh, with his head, with his legs, his inwards, and his dung, 12 Even the whole bull he shall carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire. Where the ashes are poured out he shall be burnt.
13 'And if the whole congregation of Israel sins through ignorance, and the thing is hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something 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 sinned against it is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bull 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 bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD. 16 And the priest who is anointed shall bring some of the bull'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 veil. 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 him and burn it upon the altar. 20 And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull for a sin-offering. And he shall do so with this. And the priest shall make an atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21 And he shall carry forth the bull outside the camp and burn him as he burned the first bull. It is a sin-offering for the congregation.
22 'When a ruler has sinned and done something 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, in which he has sinned, comes 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 sin-offering. 25 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering. And he 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 he shall be forgiven.
27 'And if anyone of the common people sins through ignorance, while he does something against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and is guilty, 28 Or if his sin which he has sinned comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering and slay the sin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering. 30 And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering. And he shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all its fat, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings, and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor to the LORD. And the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32 'And if he brings a lamb for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. 33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering and slay it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt-offering. 34 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering. And he shall pour out all its blood at the bottom of the altar. 35 And he shall take away all its fat, 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 to the LORD. And the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.'"
Matthew Henry Commentary - Leviticus, Chapter 4[➚]