Leviticus 4:3
New International Version
“’If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

New Living Translation
“If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the LORD a young bull with no defects.

English Standard Version
if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.

Berean Standard Bible
If 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.

King James Bible
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

New King James Version
if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering.

New American Standard Bible
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then he is to offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for his sin which he has committed.

NASB 1995
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

NASB 1977
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

Legacy Standard Bible
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him bring near to Yahweh a bull from the herd without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

Amplified Bible
if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

Christian Standard Bible
“If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he is to present to the LORD a young, unblemished bull as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he is to present to the LORD a young, unblemished bull as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

American Standard Version
if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto Jehovah for a sin-offering.

Contemporary English Version
When the high priest sins, he makes everyone else guilty too. And so, he must sacrifice a young bull that has nothing wrong with it.

English Revised Version
if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people; then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If the anointed priest does something wrong and brings guilt on the people, he must bring a bull that has no defects as an offering for sin to the LORD.

Good News Translation
If it is the High Priest who sins and so brings guilt on the people, he shall present a young bull without any defects and sacrifice it to the LORD for his sin.

International Standard Version
or if the anointed priest sins, thereby bringing guilt on the people, let him bring a young bull without defect as a sin offering to the LORD for his sin that he had committed.

Majority Standard Bible
If 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.

NET Bible
"'If the high priest sins so that the people are guilty, on account of the sin he has committed he must present a flawless young bull to the LORD for a sin offering.

New Heart English Bible
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.

Webster's Bible Translation
If the priest that is anointed shall sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring, for his sin which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish to the LORD for a sin-offering.

World English Bible
if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to Yahweh for a sin offering.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
if the priest who is anointed sins according to the guilt of the people, then he has brought near for his sin which he has sinned a bullock, a son of the herd, a perfect one, to YHWH, for a sin-offering,

Young's Literal Translation
'If the priest who is anointed doth sin according to the guilt of the people, then he hath brought near for his sin which he hath sinned a bullock, a son of the herd, a perfect one, to Jehovah, for a sin-offering,

Smith's Literal Translation
If the priest being anointed shall sin according to the guilt of the people; and he brought for his sin which he sinned, a bullock, the son of a cow, blameless to Jehovah for the sin.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
if the priest, who is anointed, will have sinned, causing the people to commit a transgression, he shall offer to the Lord for his sin an immaculate calf.

New American Bible
If it is the anointed priest who thus does wrong and thereby makes the people guilty, he shall offer to the LORD an unblemished bull of the herd as a purification offering for the wrong he committed.

New Revised Standard Version
If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull of the herd without blemish as a sin offering to the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sins of the people; then let him offer for the sin which he has committed a young bullock without blemish to the LORD for his sin offering.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If the Priest who is anointed shall sin with the offense of the people, he shall offer a bull, son of an ox, without defect, for the sin that he sinned, to LORD JEHOVAH for his sin.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin-offering.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
if the anointed priest sin so as to cause the people to sin, then shall he bring for his sin, which he has sinned, an unblemished calf of the herd to the Lord for his sin.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws for Sin Offerings
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: 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.…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:7
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 5:1-3
Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. / He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness. / That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 7:27
Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.

Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

Hebrews 10:11
Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

1 John 2:2
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 3:25
God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

1 Peter 1:19
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Numbers 15:22-25
Now if you stray unintentionally and do not obey all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses— / all that the LORD has commanded you through Moses from the day the LORD gave them and continuing through the generations to come— / and if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, then the whole congregation is to prepare one young bull as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering. ...

Numbers 18:1
So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.

Exodus 29:10-14
You are to present the bull at the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head. / And you shall slaughter the bull before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. / Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ...

Exodus 30:10
Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”


Treasury of Scripture

If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bullock without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.

the priest

Leviticus 8:12
And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

Leviticus 21:10-12
And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; …

Exodus 29:7,21
Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him…

a young bullock

Leviticus 4:14
When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 9:2
And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:6,11
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house…

for a sin

Leviticus 5:6
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

Exodus 29:14
But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

Exodus 30:10
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Anointed Blemish Bull Bullock Chief Committed Defect Guilt Herd Mark Offer Offering Ox Perfect Priest Sin Sinned Sin-Offering Sins Wrong Young
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Anointed Blemish Bull Bullock Chief Committed Defect Guilt Herd Mark Offer Offering Ox Perfect Priest Sin Sinned Sin-Offering Sins Wrong Young
Leviticus 4
1. The sin offering of ignorance
3. for the priest
13. for the congregation
22. for the ruler
27. for any of the people














If the anointed priest sins
The term "anointed priest" refers to the high priest, who was consecrated with holy anointing oil, signifying his sacred role as a mediator between God and the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "anointed" is "mashiach," which is also the root for "Messiah," indicating a divinely appointed role. The high priest's sin is significant because it affects not only himself but the entire community, highlighting the interconnectedness of leadership and collective responsibility in ancient Israel.

bringing guilt on the people
The phrase underscores the communal nature of sin in the Old Testament context. The Hebrew word for "guilt" is "asham," which implies a state of liability or culpability. The high priest's actions have repercussions for the entire nation, illustrating the principle that leaders bear a heavy responsibility for their conduct. This concept is echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing the importance of righteous leadership.

he must bring to the LORD
This phrase indicates the necessity of approaching God with an offering to atone for sin. The act of bringing a sacrifice to the LORD is a demonstration of repentance and acknowledgment of God's holiness. It reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people, where atonement is required to restore fellowship.

a young bull without blemish
The requirement of a "young bull without blemish" signifies the need for a perfect and valuable sacrifice. The Hebrew word for "without blemish" is "tamim," meaning complete or whole. This requirement points to the future perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is without sin. The young bull, being a costly offering, underscores the seriousness of sin and the need for a significant atonement.

as a sin offering
The "sin offering," or "chattat" in Hebrew, is a specific type of sacrifice intended to atone for unintentional sins. This offering is distinct from other sacrifices, such as the burnt offering or peace offering, and it highlights the need for purification and reconciliation with God. The sin offering foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who atones for the sins of humanity.

for the sin he has committed
This phrase emphasizes personal responsibility and accountability before God. The high priest, despite his elevated position, is not exempt from the consequences of sin. This principle is a reminder of the universal need for atonement and the grace of God, who provides a means for forgiveness and restoration through sacrifice.

(3) The priest that is anointed.--To illustrate this law, the conduct of the high priest is adduced as the first instance, to show when and how this exalted functionary is to bring the sin offering in question. By this the Levitical law indicates that even the chief of the priesthood was but a frail being like the rest of the people, and was exposed to the same infirmities as the laity, thus precluding the assumption of spiritual superiority. Hence the remark of the Apostle, "the law made those high priests who had infirmity, and who needed daily to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the people's; but our high priest, Christ Jesus, was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Hebrews 7:27-28). The phrase "the priest that is anointed" for "the high priest" is restricted to this book, where it occurs four times (Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 4:5; Leviticus 4:16; Leviticus 6:15 in Heb.; 22 in the English). "The great priest," or high priest, is the appellation used in the other portions of the Pentateuch (Leviticus 21:10; Numbers 35:25; Numbers 35:28), and in Joshua (Joshua 20:6); whilst in the later books of the Old Testament this functionary is called chief priest (2Kings 25:18; 2Chronicles 19:11; 2Chronicles 24:11; 2Chronicles 26:20; 2Chronicles 31:10; Ezra 7:5). He is called "the anointed priest," because, like Aaron, he alone was anointed when he succeeded to the high office, whilst the ordinary priests were simply consecrated. Their anointing descended with them to all futurity by virtue of being the descendants of Aaron. (See Leviticus 8:12.) . . . Verses 3-12. - The case of the high priest. He is designated the priest that is anointed, in respect to which title, see notes on chapter 8. In case he sins in his representative character, his sin is such as to bring guilt on the people (this is the meaning of the words translated according to the sin of the people), and a special sin offering must therefore be made. He is to take of the blood of the animal sacrificed, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:... and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary. And put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense. This was a more solemn method of presenting the blood to the Lord than that used in the burnt offering; the offering of the blood, which was the vehicle of life, being the chief feature in the sin offering, as the consumption of the whole animal by the altar fire was in the burnt offering. In the burnt offerings and peace offerings the blood was thrown once on the altar of burnt sacrifice (see chapter Leviticus 1:5); now it is sprinkled, in a smaller quantity each time, but as often as seven times (the number seven symbolically representing completeness), before the vail which shrouded the ark. The altar of sweet incense is the golden altar, which stood within the tabernacle, in front of the vail. Perhaps the reason why the horns of the altar are specially appointed to have the blood placed on them is that they were regarded as the most sacred part of the altar, because they were its highest points, in which its elevation towards heaven culminated. The remainder of the victim's blood is to be poured at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, in the court of the tabernacle, to sink into the ground, because no more of it was wanted for ceremonial use. The internal fat is to be burnt upon the altar of the burnt offering, but not actually upon the smoldering burnt sacrifice, as in the case of the peace offerings; the sin offering preceding the burnt offering in order of time, while the peace offering followed it. The remainder of the animal is to be carried without the camp... and be burnt, because its flesh was at once accursed and most holy. It was accursed, as having been symbolically the vehicle of the sins laid upon it by the offerer; therefore it must not be consumed upon the altar of God, but be destroyed with fire outside the camp, typifying the removal from God's kingdom, and the final destruction of all that is sinful. But yet it was most holy, as its blood had been taken into the tabernacle, and had served as a propitiation; therefore, if it had to be burnt, it yet had to be burnt solemnly, reverently, and as a ceremonial act, in a place appointed for the purpose. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews notices that one of the points in which our Lord was the antitype of the sin offering was that he "suffered without the gate," "that he might sanctify the people with his own blood" (Hebrews 13:12), which was thus indicated to have been carried within the sanctuary, that is, into heaven.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
אִ֣ם (’im)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the anointed
הַמָּשִׁ֛יחַ (ham·mā·šî·aḥ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4899: Anointed, a consecrated person, the Messiah

priest
הַכֹּהֵ֧ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

sins,
יֶחֱטָ֖א (ye·ḥĕ·ṭā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

bringing guilt
לְאַשְׁמַ֣ת (lə·’aš·maṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 819: Guiltiness, a fault, the presentation of a, sin-offering

on the people,
הָעָ֑ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

he must bring
וְהִקְרִ֡יב (wə·hiq·rîḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

to the LORD
לַיהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

a young bull
פַּ֣ר (par)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6499: Young bull, steer

without blemish
תָּמִ֛ים (tā·mîm)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 8549: Entire, integrity, truth

as a sin offering
חַטָּאתוֹ֩ (ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

for
עַ֣ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the sin
לְחַטָּֽאת׃ (lə·ḥaṭ·ṭāṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

he has committed.
חָטָ֜א (ḥā·ṭā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn


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OT Law: Leviticus 4:3 If the anointed priest sins so as (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 4:2
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