Leviticus 4

Sin Offering for the High Priest

1 “The Lord told Moses,”

2 Tell the Israelites: If somebody sins by accident, breaking one of My commands without realizing it, they must handle it like this.

3 If the high priest messes up, making the whole nation guilty, he must bring a young bull with no defects as a sin offering to Me.

4 He must bring the bull to the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hands on its head, and slaughter it before Me.

5 Then the priest will take some of the bull’s blood and bring it inside the Tabernacle.

6 He will dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times in front of the curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

7 Then he will put some blood on the horns of the incense altar inside the Tabernacle. The rest of the blood must be poured at the base of the burnt offering altar outside.

8 He will remove all the bull’s fat, the fat around the organs,

9 The kidneys, the fat near the liver, and the long lobe of the liver.

10 Just like the peace offering, he will burn these parts on the altar.

11 But the bull’s hide, meat, head, legs, organs, and guts,

12 Must be taken outside the camp to a clean place where ashes are dumped. He must burn it all on a wood fire.

Sin Offering for the Whole Nation

13 If the whole nation sins by accident and later realizes it, they must bring an offering to make it right.

14 The leaders must bring a young bull as a sin offering and bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle.

15 The elders must lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before Me.

16 The priest will take some blood inside the Tabernacle,

17 Dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it seven times in front of the curtain.

18 He will put some blood on the horns of the incense altar inside the Tabernacle, then pour the rest at the base of the burnt offering altar outside.

19 He must remove all the fat and burn it on the altar.

20 Then he will take the bull outside the camp and burn it just like the first one. This will make atonement, and their sin will be forgiven.

Sin Offering for Leaders

21 If a leader messes up by accident, breaking one of My commands, here is what he must do.

22 Once he realizes his sin, he must bring a male goat with no defects as a sin offering.

23 He must lay his hands on its head and slaughter it at the burnt offering altar.

24 The priest will take some blood and put it on the horns of the burnt offering altar, then pour the rest at the base of the altar.

25 He will burn all the fat on the altar like the peace offering. This will make atonement, and his sin will be forgiven.

Sin Offering for Regular People

26 If an ordinary person sins by accident and later realizes it, here is what they must do.

27 Once they realize their sin, they must bring a female goat with no defects as a sin offering.

28 They must lay their hands on its head and slaughter it at the burnt offering altar.

29 The priest will take some blood, put it on the altar’s horns, and pour the rest at the base of the altar.

30 Then he will remove all the fat and burn it on the altar like the peace offering.

31 This will make atonement, and their sin will be forgiven.

32 If they bring a lamb instead, it must be a female with no defects.

33 They must lay their hands on its head and slaughter it as a sin offering.

34 The priest will take some blood, put it on the altar’s horns, and pour the rest at the base of the altar.

35 He will remove all the fat and burn it like the peace offering. This will make atonement, and their sin will be forgiven.