Laws for Sin Offerings
(Leviticus 5:1–13; Leviticus 6:24–30)
The sin offering is called khatta’t in Hebrew,...
The sin offering is called khatta’t in Hebrew, from the root khata’. It means "to lack, fall short, miss, fail." The people made this offering when they unintentionally violated specific commands of God (see also Numbers 15:22–29). The purpose of this offering was to repair a loss or fix a failure (for example, Leviticus 5:1–4).
Although all Christians sin, God will forgive us if we confess them (Galatians 6:1; 1 John 1:8–9). Yet, the Scripture warns against sinning "defiantly" or "deliberately" (Numbers 15:30–31; Hebrews 10:26–29; 6:4–6).
1Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
These verses describe two types of sin offerings:...
These verses describe two types of sin offerings:
The offering for the sin of the high priest (Leviticus 4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13).
The offering for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any common person (4:27).
The first type required a bull, a large and expensive animal. It was not eaten (6:30) but completely burned (4:12, 21). The priests presented some of its blood in the Holy Place (4:6–7, 17–18).
The second type required a smaller animal. This was a male goat for a leader or a female sheep or goat for a common person. The priest ate part of the common person’s offering (6:24–29). The priest would present the blood at the bronze altar in the courtyard (4:25, 30).
This distinction highlights the responsibilities of leaders. The offering was the same for the priest and the entire community. But the leader’s offering was more than that of a common person.
The New Testament also emphasizes the responsibility of religious leaders. God will judge those who teach and those who serve as religious leaders more strictly than their followers (James 3:1; Matthew 23:1–33; Luke 20:47).
The offering for the sin of the high priest (Leviticus 4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13).
The offering for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any common person (4:27).
3If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering† for the sin he has committed. 4He must bring the bull to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the LORD.
The tabernacle area had a tent (sometimes called...
The tabernacle area had a tent (sometimes called the “Tent of Meeting”; (see study note on 1:1). The tent was at the west end of the courtyard. Inside the tent, an inner curtain separated the first room, the Holy Place, from the second, the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place contained the ark of the Covenant (or Testimony) and represented God's throne room (Exodus 26:31–33; see study note on Leviticus 1:1).
The priests would sprinkle the animal's blood in front of the curtain (Leviticus 4:6, 17). They would also apply it to the horns of the incense altar (4:7, 18). This would atone for the anointed priest or the entire congregation. This action showed the seriousness of the offenses that needed atonement (compare 4:25, 30–35).
5Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the Tent of Meeting. 6The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. 7The priest must then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. And he is to pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8Then he shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 9both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys— 10just as the fat is removed from the ox of the peace offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.
They would only burn the offerings for the...
They would only burn the offerings for the priest or the entire community outside the camp. God might have commanded this because the offering had symbolically taken on the impurity (uncleanness) of the high priest or the community. So, they had to remove it outside the camp. The guilty people could not participate in or gain any benefit from their own sin offerings. This was true even for priests (Leviticus 6:19–23).
11But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and legs and its entrails and dung— 12all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he must burn it on a wood fire on the ash heap.
13Now if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly so that they violate any of the LORD’s commandments and incur guilt by doing what is forbidden, 14when they become aware of the sin they have committed, then the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting. 15The elders of the congregation are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and it shall be slaughtered before the LORD. 16Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the bull’s blood into the Tent of Meeting, 17and he is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil. 18He is also to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting, and he must pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 19And he is to remove all the fat from it and burn it on the altar. 20He shall offer this bull just as he did the bull for the sin offering; in this way the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven. 21Then he is to take the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.
The sin offerings in this passage atoned for...
The sin offerings in this passage atoned for the common people, including leaders and other Israelites. These offerings could be eaten, unlike those in Leviticus 4:3–21, and involved smaller animals. They disposed of the blood in the tabernacle courtyard, not the Holy Place.
Like the peace offering in chapter 3, they burned the fat and certain internal organs on the altar. The priest and his male family members ate the rest of the meat in a holy place (6:29; 6:26; compare 10:16–20). A lay leader offered a male goat (4:23), while a common person could offer a female goat or lamb.
The smaller size and cost of the animal reflected that the common person had less influence. It probably related to their financial situation as well. Those who were poor could bring a pair of doves or young pigeons (5:7–8; 12:6, 8; compare Luke 2:24). The very poor could offer two quarts of flour (Leviticus 5:11).
22When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the commandments of the LORD his God, he incurs guilt. 23When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished male goat as his offering. 24He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering. 25Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, 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. 26He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the peace offerings; thus the priest will make atonement for that man’s sin, and he will be forgiven.
The common people, with fewer responsibilities than priests...
The common people, with fewer responsibilities than priests or leaders, could offer a female sheep or goat. More important social positions required more responsibility (see Amos 3:2; Matthew 25:14–30; James 3:1).
27And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt. 28When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for that sin. 29He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 30Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, 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. 31Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
32If, however, he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he must bring an unblemished female. 33And he is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 34Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 35And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.