Leviticus 4 15

Leviticus 4:15 kjv

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.

Leviticus 4:15 nkjv

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD. Then the bull shall be killed before the LORD.

Leviticus 4:15 niv

The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull's head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD.

Leviticus 4:15 esv

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD.

Leviticus 4:15 nlt

The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull's head and slaughter it before the LORD.

Leviticus 4 verses

Leviticus 4 15 Meaning

Leviticus 4:15 describes a crucial step in the purification offering ritual for an unintentional sin committed by the entire Israelite congregation. It signifies the transfer of the congregation's corporate guilt onto the innocent bullock. The elders, representing the whole community, lay their hands on the animal's head, identifying with it and symbolically imparting the sin. The subsequent slaying of the bullock before the LORD demonstrates that the penalty for sin—death—is justly administered, facilitating atonement for the people's transgression and restoring their right standing before the Holy God.

Leviticus 4 15 Context

Leviticus Chapter 4 outlines the various procedures for the purification offering (often called sin offering) for different categories of unintentional sins committed by specific individuals or the entire community. It highlights God's provision for dealing with sin that arises not from rebellion but from ignorance, negligence, or inadvertence. The overarching theme is the absolute necessity of atonement for sin, even unintentional sin, to maintain the holiness of God's presence among His people and ensure their continued fellowship with Him. Verse 15 specifically addresses the scenario where the "whole congregation of Israel" inadvertently sins. The historical context is the early days of Israel's journey through the wilderness after receiving the Law at Sinai, emphasizing the importance of ritual purity and proper worship in their newly established covenant relationship with God. This ritual serves to cleanse the tabernacle from defilement caused by communal sin. There's an indirect polemic against pagan practices which often lacked a moral framework for unintentional sin or involved human sacrifice, by establishing a divinely appointed system for genuine cleansing through animal substitution.

Leviticus 4 15 Word analysis

• And: Connects this instruction with the preceding description of communal sin (Lev 4:13).
• the elders: זִקְנֵי (ziqnei), plural of zaqen, meaning "old man," but here referring to those holding positions of leadership and authority within the community. They serve as official representatives of the whole congregation, implying the communal acceptance of responsibility.
• of the congregation: הָעֵדָה (ha'edah), referring to the entire assembled community of Israel. This term emphasizes the unity and corporate identity of God's people.
• shall lay: סָמְכוּ (samkhu), from the root samakh, meaning "to lean upon," "to rest upon," "to support." In this ritual context, it denotes a symbolic transfer or identification, signifying that the sin and its guilt are being placed upon the animal.
• their hands: יְדֵיהֶם (yedeihem), specifically highlighting the physical act of laying both hands, which deepens the connection and the solemnity of the transfer of corporate identity and sin.
• upon the head: עַל-רֹאשׁ (al-rosh), pointing to the vital part of the animal where the symbolic transfer occurs. The head often represented the life or identity.
• of the bullock: הַפַּר (happar), a young bull, typically chosen as a purification offering for severe or corporate sins due to its value and strength, signifying the weighty nature of the sin it carried.
• before the LORD: לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (lifnei YHVH), emphasizing that this is a sacred act performed in the divine presence, under God's authority and gaze. It signifies the accountability to God and His role in providing and accepting the atonement.
• and the bullock: וְשָׁחַט אֶת-הַפָּר (weshachat et-happar), explicitly naming the animal again to confirm it as the object of the next action.
• shall be killed: שָׁחַט (shachat), meaning to slaughter, typically by cutting the throat. This act signifies the administration of the death penalty for sin, the forfeiture of life necessary for atonement. The blood release is crucial here, as it's the element used for cleansing.
• before the LORD: Reiteration stresses that the entire sacrificial process, from the transfer of sin to the shedding of blood, is performed in God's holy presence, for His acceptance and approval.

Words-group analysis:

• the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock: This phrase vividly depicts the symbolic action of identification and imputation. The chosen leaders, as proxies for the entire nation, transfer the communal guilt onto the sacrificial animal. This act binds the people to the sacrifice, making the animal a legitimate substitute for their sin.
• before the LORD: This recurring phrase throughout the verse underscores the solemn, divine context of the ritual. Every action is performed under God's watchful eye, implying that He is both the offended party and the One who mercifully provides the means of reconciliation through the offering. It reinforces the theological truth that true atonement is granted by God.
• and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD: This indicates the culmination of the transfer process, leading to the necessary consequence of sin: death. The act of ritual slaughter, also "before the LORD," is the very core of the atonement, providing the blood, without which, remission of sin is impossible according to biblical teaching. It foreshadows the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice.

Leviticus 4 15 Bonus section

The ritual prescribed in Leviticus 4:15, particularly the elders laying their hands, serves not only as a theological statement about atonement but also as a pedagogical tool. It visually taught the Israelites the gravity of sin, even corporate and unintentional sin, and the divine provision for dealing with it. This public display of identification with the substitute, followed by its death, ingrained the principles of imputation and substitution into their collective consciousness. The choice of a costly bullock for the congregation's sin also speaks to the high value placed on the sanctity of the community and the holiness required of God's people as a whole.

Leviticus 4 15 Commentary

Leviticus 4:15 outlines the solemn process for dealing with a grave issue: the sin of the entire congregation. The "laying on of hands" by the elders is a profoundly symbolic act. It’s not just a physical touch; it’s an act of public acknowledgment and corporate identification, representing the transfer of the community's collective guilt onto the innocent bullock. The bullock becomes a substitute, carrying the sin of the people. This ritual emphasizes the high cost of sin, even unintentional sin, before a holy God. The subsequent killing of the bullock signifies that the consequence of sin is death, and the life of the innocent substitute is offered to pay that penalty. Performing the entire ritual "before the LORD" underscores God's absolute sovereignty, His just nature in demanding payment for sin, and His grace in providing the means of atonement. This foreshadows Christ's sacrifice, where He, as the perfect substitute, took the collective sins of humanity upon Himself, enduring death so that humanity might receive forgiveness and reconciliation with God.