Leviticus Chapter 4

Of offerings for sins of ignorance.

4:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

4:2. Say to the children of Israel: The soul that sinneth through ignorance, and doth any thing concerning any of the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded not to be done:

Ignorance. . .To be ignorant of what we are bound to know is sinful; and for such culpable ignorance, these sacrifices, prescribed in this and the following chapter, were appointed.

4:3. If the priest that is anointed shall sin, making the people to offend, he shall offer to the Lord for his sin a calf without blemish.

4:4. And he shall bring it to the door of the testimony before the Lord: and shall put his hand upon the head thereof, and shall sacrifice it to the Lord.

4:5. He shall take also of the blood of the calf: and carry it into the tabernacle of the testimony.

The blood. . .As the figure of the blood of Christ shed for the remission of our sins, and carried by him into the sanctuary of heaven.

4:6. And having dipped his finger in the blood, he shall sprinkle with it seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary.

4:7. And he shall put some of the same blood upon the horns of the altar of the sweet incense most acceptable to the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the testimony. And he shall pour all the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar of holocaust in the entry of the tabernacle.

4:8. And he shall take off the fat of the calf for the sin offering, as well that which covereth the entrails, as all the inwards:

4:9. The two little kidneys, and the caul that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the fat of the liver with the little kidneys:

4:10. As it is taken off from the calf of the sacrifice of peace offerings. And he shall burn them upon the altar of holocaust.

4:11. But the skin and all the flesh with the head and the feet and the bowels and the dung:

4:12. And the rest of the body, he shall carry forth without the camp into a clean place where the ashes are wont to be poured out: and he shall burn them upon a pile of wood. They shall be burnt in the place where the ashes are poured out.

4:13. And if all the multitude of Israel shall be ignorant, and through ignorance shall do that which is against the commandment of the Lord,

4:14. And afterwards shall understand their sin: they shall offer for their sin a calf, and shall bring it to the door of the tabernacle.

4:15. And the ancients of the people shall put their hands upon the head thereof before the Lord. And the calf being immolated in the sight of the Lord:

4:16. The priest that is anointed shall carry of the blood into the tabernacle of the testimony.

4:17. And shall dip his finger in it and sprinkle it seven times before the veil.

4:18. And he shall put of the same blood on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord, in the tabernacle of the testimony. And the rest of the blood he shall pour at the foot of the altar of holocaust, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony.

4:19. And all the fat thereof he shall take off, and shall burn it upon the altar:

4:20. Doing so with this calf, as he did also with that before. And the priest praying for them, the Lord will be merciful unto them.

4:21. But the calf itself he shall carry forth without the camp, and shall burn it as he did the former calf: because it is for the sin of the multitude.

4:22. If a prince shall sin, and through ignorance do any one of the things that the law of the Lord forbiddeth,

4:23. And afterwards shall come to know his sin: he shall offer a buck goat without blemish, a sacrifice to the Lord.

4:24. And he shall put his hand upon the head thereof: and when he hath immolated it in the place where the holocaust is wont to be slain before the Lord, because it is for sin,

4:25. The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the victim for sin, touching therewith the horns of the altar of holocaust, and pouring out the rest at the foot thereof.

4:26. But the fat he shall burn upon it, as is wont to be done with the victims of peace offerings. And the priest shall pray for him, and for his sin: and it shall be forgiven him.

4:27. And if any one of the people of the land shall sin through ignorance, doing any of those things that by the law of the Lord are forbidden, and offending,

4:28. And shall come to know his sin: he shall offer a she goat without blemish.

4:29. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the victim that is for sin: and shall immolate it in the place of the holocaust.

4:30. And the priest shall take of the blood with his finger, and shall touch the horns of the altar of holocaust: and shall pour out the rest at the foot thereof.

4:31. But taking off all the fat, as is wont to be taken away of the victims of peace offerings, he shall burn it upon the altar, for a sweet savour to the Lord: and he shall pray for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

4:32. But if he offer of the flock a victim for his sin, to wit, an ewe without blemish:

4:33. He shall put his hand upon the head thereof, and shall immolate it in the place where the victims of holocausts are wont to be slain.

4:34. And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and shall touch the horns of the altar of holocaust: and the rest he shall pour out at the foot thereof.

4:35. All the fat also he shall take off, as the fat of the ram that is offered for peace offerings is wont to be taken away: and shall burn it upon the altar, for a burnt sacrifice of the Lord. And he shall pray for him and his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.