Leviticus 19:22 kjv
And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.
Leviticus 19:22 nkjv
The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed. And the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.
Leviticus 19:22 niv
With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.
Leviticus 19:22 esv
And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven for the sin that he has committed.
Leviticus 19:22 nlt
The priest will then purify him before the LORD with the ram of the guilt offering, and the man's sin will be forgiven.
Leviticus 19 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 4:20 | "Thus the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven." | General principle of priestly atonement |
| Lev 5:15-16 | "...he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish..." | Specifies ram for trespass offering |
| Lev 6:7 | "...the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD..." | Forgiveness through trespass offering for specific sins |
| Num 5:7 | "...he shall confess his sin which he has committed. He shall make full restitution..." | Confession and restitution for trespass |
| Num 15:28 | "And the priest shall make atonement for the person who commits an error..." | Priestly role in unintentional sin |
| Psa 103:3 | "...who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases..." | God's role as ultimate forgiver |
| Isa 53:10 | "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt (אשם – asham)..." | Messiah as the ultimate guilt offering |
| Jer 31:34 | "...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." | God's promised forgiveness in the new covenant |
| Mic 7:18 | "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression..." | God's unique nature as a forgiving God |
| Zec 3:4 | "...‘Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure garments.’" | Symbolic removal of sin and renewal |
| Mat 26:28 | "for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." | Christ's blood for New Covenant forgiveness |
| Luke 24:47 | "...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations..." | Forgiveness preached in Christ's name |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith..." | Christ as the ultimate propitiation (atonement) |
| Rom 4:7-8 | "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered..." | Forgiveness as blessing, echoing covering of sin |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." | Christ bearing sin for our righteousness |
| Eph 1:7 | "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses..." | Redemption and forgiveness through Christ's blood |
| Col 1:14 | "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." | Direct link of redemption to forgiveness of sins |
| Heb 9:12 | "...He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." | Christ's superior, once-for-all sacrifice |
| Heb 10:4 | "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." | Limits of the Old Testament sacrifices |
| Heb 10:17 | "‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’" | Fulfillment of Jer 31:34 through Christ |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree..." | Christ bearing sins on the cross |
| 1 John 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." | Confession leading to forgiveness |
| 1 John 2:2 | "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." | Christ as ultimate propitiation for all |
Leviticus 19 verses
Leviticus 19 22 Meaning
Leviticus 19:22 details the ritual action required for specific sins in ancient Israel. It explains that a priest would perform atonement for an individual using a ram designated as a trespass (or guilt) offering, presented before the LORD. This prescribed action for committed sin results in the individual's sin being forgiven by God.
Leviticus 19 22 Context
Leviticus chapter 19 is often called the "Holiness Code," serving as an expansion of the Ten Commandments and embodying God's expectation for His covenant people to live a holy life. This chapter emphasizes the practical outworking of holiness in various aspects of daily life—ethical, social, and ritual—as a reflection of God's own holiness (Lev 19:2, "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."). Verse 22 specifically addresses the atonement process for sins requiring a trespass or guilt offering (asham), often concerning a breach against the LORD's holy things or unintentional harm to a neighbor for which restitution was also typically required. The immediate preceding verses (19-21) deal with specific agricultural and marital regulations, emphasizing order and avoiding mixtures, then transitioning to regulations for sexual relations with an enslaved woman designated for another man, a situation that would require this trespass offering for the involved male. The historical context is Israel at Mount Sinai, receiving divine law from God to establish a covenant society distinct from the surrounding pagan nations.
Leviticus 19 22 Word analysis
- And the priest: The designated human intermediary within the Mosaic covenant system, authorized by God to perform sacred rites and bring about atonement. This highlights the mediatorial role necessary for man to approach a holy God.
- shall make atonement: Hebrew: כָּפַר (kaphar), meaning "to cover," "to purge," "to expiate," "to reconcile." This is a divine action, brought about through human agency (the priest) and prescribed means (sacrifice). It's not about making God willing, but about providing a means for human guilt to be addressed so God's justice and mercy can meet.
- for him: Refers to the specific individual who committed the sin. This highlights personal responsibility and the individual nature of sin's consequence and the need for personal forgiveness.
- with the ram: A male sheep, specifically identified as the required animal for the trespass offering. A ram signified value and suitability for sacrifice.
- of the trespass offering: Hebrew: אָשָׁם (ʾasham). This designates a specific category of sacrifice, known as the guilt offering. It was typically required for sins that involved some form of restitution or damage (e.g., desecrating holy things, unintentional deceit, or certain property violations). The asham aimed to satisfy God's offended holiness and repair relational breaches, distinct from the chatta't (sin offering) which was for general sin.
- before the LORD: Hebrew: לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (lifney YHWH). This phrase signifies the sacrifice taking place at the tabernacle/temple, the localized presence of God. It underscores that atonement is enacted in God's presence, requiring His divine acceptance.
- for his sin: The specific transgression or wrongdoing committed by the individual. Sin requires specific, God-ordained remedy.
- which he has committed: Emphasizes the personal act and culpability of the individual.
- and the sin which he has committed: Repetition for emphasis, reinforcing that the very sin is addressed.
- shall be forgiven him: Hebrew: סָלַח (salach). This means "to pardon" or "to grant remission." This is a divine act of mercy and grace, the ultimate outcome of the atonement process. Forgiveness indicates the removal of guilt and restoration of fellowship with God.
Leviticus 19 22 Bonus section
- Typological Significance: The trespass offering, particularly as linked to a "ram" and resulting in "forgiveness," stands as a strong type (a foreshadowing figure) of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:10 refers to the suffering Messiah's life as a "guilt offering" (asham), connecting His sacrificial death directly to this category of offering that brought full satisfaction for wrongdoing and consequent forgiveness.
- Holiness Principle: The instruction within the Holiness Code (Leviticus 19) reinforces that sin directly affects an individual's holiness and relationship with a holy God. The prescribed atonement is not merely a legal transaction but a restoration to a state of ritual and moral cleanness that enables continued fellowship with the LORD who commands holiness.
- God's Justice and Mercy: This verse demonstrates God's perfect balance of justice and mercy. Justice demands a penalty for sin ("for his sin which he has committed"), but His mercy provides the means of atonement ("make atonement for him") and grants forgiveness ("shall be forgiven him"). This pre-Christian system set the stage for understanding the depth of divine grace in providing Christ as the full satisfaction for all sin.
- Divine Initiative: While the ritual involved human action (priest, offerer), the power of atonement and forgiveness always rested with God. The act was performed "before the LORD" and forgiveness was "granted him" by the LORD, indicating God's sovereign authority over sin and reconciliation.
Leviticus 19 22 Commentary
Leviticus 19:22 is a foundational statement within the Old Covenant concerning the divine provision for human sin. It vividly illustrates God's way of addressing the breach between a holy God and sinful humanity through a priestly-mediated, divinely-prescribed sacrifice. The process is clear: a specific sacrifice (the ram of the asham or guilt offering), facilitated by an authorized mediator (the priest), is presented in the sacred space (before the LORD) for a committed transgression. The guaranteed outcome is forgiveness, a divine pardon.
This verse underlines the principle that sin creates guilt and requires atonement—a covering or purging—which is always initiated and provided for by God Himself, not earned by human merit. While the animal sacrifice symbolically "covers" sin, it always points to the ultimate and full satisfaction that God truly provides. This Mosaic system, with its priests, altars, and sacrifices, foreshadowed a greater reality: the coming of Jesus Christ. As the ultimate High Priest and the perfect Lamb, He made a single, efficacious sacrifice of Himself on the cross (Heb 9:11-14). His death served as the perfect kaphar (atonement/propitiation) and the supreme asham (guilt offering), addressing not only specific trespasses but the entirety of human sin (Rom 3:25; 1 Jn 2:2; Isa 53:10). Through faith in His sacrifice, believers now receive complete forgiveness and are fully reconciled to God (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). This Old Covenant rite thus serves as a powerful pointer to the finished work of Christ, through whom forgiveness is fully realized and everlasting.