Leviticus 5:9 Study Bible: He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.

◄ Leviticus 5:9 ►

then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.

Study Bible

then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar
In the Levitical sacrificial system, the act of sprinkling blood was a crucial part of atonement rituals. The priest's role in this process highlights the mediatory function between God and the people. Sprinkling blood on the altar's side signifies purification and consecration, setting apart the altar for holy purposes. This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the remission of sins, fulfilling the requirements of the law (Hebrews 9:22). The altar, located in the Tabernacle's outer court, was central to Israelite worship, symbolizing God's presence and the need for atonement.

while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar
The draining of the remaining blood at the altar's base signifies the complete offering of life, as blood represents life itself (Leviticus 17:11). This act underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of a life given to atone for it. The base of the altar, where the blood was poured, can be seen as a place of cleansing and renewal, pointing to the foundational role of sacrifice in maintaining the covenant relationship with God. This practice prefigures the totality of Christ's sacrifice, where His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28).

It is a sin offering.
The sin offering, or "ḥaṭṭā't" in Hebrew, was instituted to atone for unintentional sins and restore the sinner to fellowship with God. This offering emphasizes the holiness of God and the gravity of sin, which separates humanity from Him. The sin offering is distinct from other offerings, such as the burnt offering or peace offering, as it specifically addresses the need for purification from sin. In the New Testament, Jesus is identified as the ultimate sin offering, who bore the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), fulfilling the typology of the Old Testament sacrifices and providing a once-for-all atonement (Hebrews 10:10).

Persons / Places / Events

1. Priest
The individual responsible for performing the sacrificial rituals, acting as a mediator between the people and God.

2. Altar
A sacred place where sacrifices are offered to God, symbolizing His presence and the place of atonement.

3. Sin Offering
A specific type of sacrifice made to atone for unintentional sins, emphasizing the need for purification and reconciliation with God.

Teaching Points

The Seriousness of Sin
Sin requires atonement, and the detailed instructions for the sin offering underscore the gravity of sin in God's eyes.

The Role of the Priest
The priest's actions in the sin offering prefigure Christ's mediatory role, reminding us of our need for a mediator.

The Symbolism of Blood
Blood represents life and purification, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, whose blood cleanses us from all sin.

The Necessity of Repentance
The sin offering was not just a ritual but required genuine repentance, teaching us the importance of a contrite heart.

God's Provision for Forgiveness
The sin offering illustrates God's provision for forgiveness, encouraging us to trust in His grace and mercy.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the role of the priest in Leviticus 5:9 foreshadow the work of Jesus as our High Priest?

2. In what ways does the sin offering in Leviticus highlight the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement?

3. How can understanding the symbolism of blood in the Old Testament sacrifices deepen our appreciation for the sacrifice of Christ?

4. What does the process of the sin offering teach us about the importance of repentance and seeking God's forgiveness?

5. How can we apply the principles of atonement and reconciliation found in Leviticus 5:9 to our daily walk with God?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Hebrews 9
This chapter discusses the role of Christ as the ultimate High Priest and His sacrifice as the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system, including sin offerings.

1 John 1:7
This verse highlights the cleansing power of Jesus' blood, drawing a parallel to the sin offering's purpose of purification.

Isaiah 53
The prophecy of the suffering servant who bears the sins of many, connecting to the concept of atonement through sacrifice.

Sermons

Cases of Concealment of Knowledge and Ceremonial Uncleanness	R.A. Redford	Leviticus 5:1-13
Guilt Removed	S.R. Aldridge	Leviticus 5:1-13
The Trespass Offering	J.A. Macdonald	Leviticus 5:1-13
Pardon Possible to All	W. Clarkson	Leviticus 5:5-13

People

Ephah, Moses

Places

Teman

Topics

Altar, Base, Blood, Bottom, Drained, Drops, Foundation, Offering, Rest, Sin, Sin-offering, Sprinkle, Sprinkled, Wall, Wrung

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Leviticus 5:9

7454 sprinkling

Leviticus 5:1-13

7444 sin offering

Library

An Unalterable Law
EVERYWHERE under the old figurative dispensation, blood was sure to greet your eyes. It was the one most prominent thing under the Jewish economy, scarcely a ceremony was observed without it. You could not enter into any part of the tabernacle, but you saw traces of the blood-sprinkling. Sometimes there were bowls of blood cast at the foot of the altar. The place looked so like a shambles, that to visit it must have been far from attractive to the natural taste, and to delight in it, a man had need …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 60: 1914

List of Abbreviations Used in Reference to Rabbinic Writings Quoted in this Work.
THE Mishnah is always quoted according to Tractate, Chapter (Pereq) and Paragraph (Mishnah), the Chapter being marked in Roman, the paragraph in ordinary Numerals. Thus Ber. ii. 4 means the Mishnic Tractate Berakhoth, second Chapter, fourth Paragraph. The Jerusalem Talmud is distinguished by the abbreviation Jer. before the name of the Tractate. Thus, Jer. Ber. is the Jer. Gemara, or Talmud, of the Tractate Berakhoth. The edition, from which quotations are made, is that commonly used, Krotoschin, …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Sanctification.
VI. Objections answered. I will consider those passages of scripture which are by some supposed to contradict the doctrine we have been considering. 1 Kings viii. 46: "If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near," etc. On this passage, I remark:-- 1. That this sentiment in nearly the same language, is repeated in 2 Chron. vi. 26, and in Eccl. …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Entire Sanctification
By Dr. Adam Clarke The word "sanctify" has two meanings. 1. It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service. 2. It signifies to make holy or pure. Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do in us! and yet all that he has done for us is in reference to what he is to do in us. He was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; ascended to heaven, and there …
Adam Clarke—Entire Sanctification

Christ a Complete Saviour:
OR, THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST, AND WHO ARE PRIVILEGED IN IT. BY JOHN BUNYAN Advertisement by the Editor. However strange it may appear, it is a solemn fact, that the heart of man, unless prepared by a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, rejects Christ as a complete Saviour. The pride of human nature will not suffer it to fall, as helpless and utterly undone, into the arms of Divine mercy. Man prefers a partial Saviour; one who had done so much, that, with the sinner's aid, the work might be …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Earliest Christian Preaching
1. THUS far we have confined ourselves to the words of Jesus. The divine necessity of His death, indicated in the Old Testament and forming the basis of all His teaching regarding it, is the primary truth; the nature of that necessity begins to be revealed as the death is set in relation to the ransoming of many, and to the institution of a new covenant -- that is, a new religion, having as its fundamental blessing the forgiveness of sins. I do not think this view of our Lord's mind as to His own …
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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