Leviticus 4 14

Leviticus 4:14 kjv

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 4:14 nkjv

when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting.

Leviticus 4:14 niv

and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:14 esv

when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:14 nlt

When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle.

Leviticus 4 verses

Leviticus 4 14 Meaning

(as heading h2)This verse describes a critical step in the purification offering for the entire congregation when it inadvertently commits a sin. It mandates that the elders, acting as representatives of the community, physically identify with the sin-bearing bull by laying their hands upon its head. This ritual transfer signifies that the community's guilt is being placed upon the animal. Following this, the bull is to be slaughtered in the solemn presence of the Lord, symbolizing that the penalty for the congregation's sin (death) is paid through the life of the innocent substitute, thereby securing atonement.

Leviticus 4 14 Context

(as heading h2)Leviticus chapter 4 details the Torah (instruction) for the purification offering, also known as the "sin offering" (chatta't). This offering was specifically prescribed for unintentional sins, sins committed in ignorance, or sins resulting from carelessness. The immediate context of verse 14 falls within the section describing the sin offering for "the whole congregation of Israel" (Lev 4:13) when they collectively sin unwittingly. This contrasts with earlier sections of the chapter which specify offerings for individual priests, leaders, or common people. Historically and culturally, such regulations ensured the purity of the Israelite camp and Tabernacle, which housed the presence of a holy God, allowing God to dwell among His people. These intricate rituals established a framework for addressing defilement and restoring fellowship, reinforcing the sanctity required in God's presence, unlike the arbitrary and often brutal practices found in contemporary pagan religions.

Leviticus 4 14 Word analysis

(as heading h2)

• and the elders (וְזִקְנֵי, vəziqnei): The Hebrew word zaqen (זקן) means "old," but in this context, it refers to respected and recognized leaders of the community, not merely old individuals. Their participation emphasizes that the sin is a collective congregational offense, and the community's representatives acknowledge it.
• of the congregation (הָעֵדָה, ha'edah): Hebrew edah signifies the entire assembly or community of Israel. This specifies that the sin requiring this offering affects the whole body of God's people, distinguishing it from individual or leadership sins requiring different procedures.
• shall lay their hands (וְסָמְכוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם, vəsāməḵû ʾeṯ-yəḏêhem): The verb samakh (סמך) means "to lean," "to rest," or "to support." In ritualistic contexts, particularly with sacrifices, it denotes a symbolic transfer of ownership, identification, or, most critically here, the transference of sin and guilt from the offerer (or community) to the animal. It embodies corporate identification with the substitute.
• on the head (עַל־רֹאשׁ, ʿal-rōʾš): The head symbolizes the entire being. Laying hands on the head of the animal signifies that the entirety of the bull's life and being is offered as the substitute for the full extent of the congregation's corporate sin.
• of the bull (הַפָּר, hapar): Hebrew par refers to a young bull. This was a valuable and substantial animal, signifying the gravity of a corporate sin and the costliness required for its atonement. The size and type of animal for the sin offering varied based on the status of the offender, with the congregation requiring the largest and most expensive.
• before the Lord (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifnê YHVH): This phrase emphasizes that the entire sacrificial act occurs in the holy presence of God, signifying solemnity, divine observation, and that atonement is sought and granted directly by God. It indicates that the worship, the confession, and the purification are divinely acknowledged and accepted.
• and the bull shall be killed (וְשָׁחַט אֶת־הַפָּר, vəshāḥaṭ ʾeṯ-hapār): The verb shachat (שחט) means "to slaughter" or "to sacrifice." This is the climactic moment, where the death of the innocent substitute demonstrates the wages of sin (Rom 6:23) and effects the legal and spiritual purification. Blood sacrifice was the only way for atonement according to Mosaic Law (Lev 17:11).
• before the Lord (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifnê YHVH): The repetition reinforces the sacredness and divine validation of the sacrificial act, emphasizing that it is performed as an act of worship and obedience directed solely towards God, witnessed by Him, and made effective by Him.

Leviticus 4 14 Bonus section

(as heading h2)

• Unintentional Sin: It's important to note the specific category of "unintentional" sin addressed here, which is distinct from "high-handed" or defiant sins that often carried direct capital punishment or expulsion from the community, for which no atonement by sacrifice was provided in the Mosaic Law. This law highlights God's grace in providing a pathway for restoration for sins not committed with malicious intent.
• Cost of Corporate Sin: The requirement of a bull for the congregation's sin offering (Lev 4:14) signifies the significant gravity and broad impact of collective sin, compared to smaller offerings for individuals. This underscores the costly implications of sin when it permeates a community or leadership.
• Divine Initiative: The entire sacrificial system was God-given. It wasn't human invention but a divine provision to maintain fellowship with His people despite their sin. This highlights God's merciful initiative in bridging the gap caused by human failure.
• Progression of Purification: In Lev 4, the details of the ritual, including how the blood was handled (e.g., blood from the congregational sin offering was sprinkled before the veil and applied to the horns of the altar of incense inside the holy place, unlike individual offerings whose blood was poured at the base of the outer altar), indicate a greater degree of defilement or severity when a corporate sin impacted the holiness of the sanctuary directly.

Leviticus 4 14 Commentary

(as heading h2)Leviticus 4:14 highlights the process for atonement when the entire community of Israel committed an unintentional sin. The act of the elders, as communal representatives, laying their hands on the bull's head was a solemn transfer of the corporate guilt, symbolizing their acknowledgment and identification with the sin. The subsequent slaying of the bull "before the Lord" underscored that sin carried the penalty of death, which was borne by the innocent animal substitute. This rigorous process emphasized God's holiness, the gravity of sin—even unintentional communal sin—and the non-negotiable requirement for costly atonement. It typologically prefigures Jesus Christ, the ultimate spotless Lamb, upon whom all our corporate and individual sins were laid (Isa 53:6; 2 Cor 5:21), whose singular and perfect sacrifice paid the debt of sin for all who identify with Him by faith, accomplishing what the repeated sacrifices of bulls could not (Heb 10:4, 10-14). This verse reinforces the principle of corporate responsibility before God and the foundational biblical truth that purification and fellowship with a holy God are only possible through substitutionary sacrifice.