Leviticus 4:17 kjv
And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
Leviticus 4:17 nkjv
Then the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil.
Leviticus 4:17 niv
He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it before the LORD seven times in front of the curtain.
Leviticus 4:17 esv
and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil.
Leviticus 4:17 nlt
dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain.
Leviticus 4 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 4:6 | "And the priest shall dip his finger... sprinkle some of the blood... seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil..." | Same action for priest's personal sin. |
| Lev 4:13-14 | "If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally... the assembly shall offer a young bull..." | Context for the congregational sin offering. |
| Lev 4:20 | "Thus the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven." | Atonement leads to forgiveness. |
| Lev 16:14 | "He shall take some of the blood... sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat eastward..." | Day of Atonement; blood brought into Most Holy Place. |
| Lev 16:19 | "Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times..." | Day of Atonement; sprinkling to cleanse the altar. |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement..." | Defines blood's role in atonement. |
| Ex 24:6-8 | "And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins... half of the blood he threw on the altar... then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people..." | Blood used to seal the covenant. |
| Lev 14:7 | "Then he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from leprosy..." | Seven-fold sprinkling for ritual cleansing. |
| Num 19:4 | "Then Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times." | Seven-fold sprinkling for purification from defilement. |
| Ex 26:33 | "And you shall hang the veil from the clasps... veil shall make a distinction... between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place." | Describes the purpose and placement of the veil. |
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom..." | Veil torn, symbolizing new access to God. |
| Heb 4:14-16 | "Since then we have a great high priest... Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace..." | Christ as the ultimate High Priest offering direct access. |
| Heb 7:27 | "He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people..." | Christ's perfect, singular sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:7-8 | "But into the second part the high priest alone goes once a year, not without blood... the way into the Holy Places was not yet opened..." | Access behind the veil was limited in the Old Covenant. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest... 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..." | Christ's entry with His own blood for eternal redemption. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | "For if the blood of goats and bulls... sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ... purify our conscience..." | Superiority of Christ's blood over animal blood. |
| Heb 9:19-21 | "For when every commandment had been declared... he took the blood... and sprinkled... both the book itself and all the people... and in the same way he sprinkled... the tent and all the vessels..." | Blood sprinkling used to ratify covenant and cleanse Tabernacle. |
| Heb 9:22 | "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." | General principle of atonement requiring blood. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)..." | Christ's flesh is the new veil allowing access to God. |
| Heb 12:24 | "and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." | Christ's blood provides a more powerful and effective purification. |
| 1 Pet 1:2 | "...elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood..." | Believers are purified by the sprinkling of Christ's blood. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "knowing that you were ransomed... not with perishable things... but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." | Redemption through Christ's perfect, precious blood. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | "But if we walk in the light... we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." | Continual cleansing from sin by Christ's blood. |
| Rev 1:5 | "...and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness... who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood..." | Christ's blood sets believers free from sins. |
Leviticus 4 verses
Leviticus 4 17 Meaning
Leviticus 4:17 describes a specific step in the ritual for the sin offering of the whole congregation, detailing how the high priest performs a crucial act of atonement. The priest, after slaughtering the bull for the sin of the congregation, is commanded to dip his finger in its blood and ritually sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, specifically in front of the veil of the sanctuary. This act visually represented the purification and propitiation for the congregation's unintentional sin, bringing the effects of the sacrifice into the very presence of God and preparing the way for forgiveness.
Leviticus 4 17 Context
Leviticus chapter 4 meticulously details the laws concerning various sin offerings. These sacrifices were prescribed for unintentional sins committed by different categories of people: the anointed priest (vv. 3-12), the whole congregation (vv. 13-21), a ruler (vv. 22-26), and an individual (vv. 27-35). Verse 17 is specifically part of the elaborate ritual for the sin offering when the entire community, either unknowingly or unintentionally, commits a sin that would incur guilt if known (vv. 13-21).
Historically and culturally, these rituals were central to the religious life of ancient Israel, centered around the Tabernacle, God's portable dwelling place among His people. The careful delineation of offerings emphasized God's holiness and the serious nature of sin, even unintentional sin. The Tabernacle, with its specific divisions (Outer Court, Holy Place, Most Holy Place), symbolized degrees of divine presence and access. The "veil of the sanctuary" (the second veil, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place) marked the barrier to God's immediate presence, which only the High Priest could approach, and that too, only on the Day of Atonement, or indirectly through specific rituals like this congregational sin offering. This ritual was not merely a magical rite but a divinely ordained means for the people to seek and receive atonement and reconciliation with a holy God. This stands in stark contrast to contemporary pagan beliefs and practices where blood was often used in chaotic rituals for divination, sorcery, or to appease arbitrary deities; here, blood's purpose is specifically atonement for sin as directed by God for reconciliation and purification within a structured, holy framework.
Leviticus 4 17 Word analysis
- And the priest: "The priest" (כֹּהֵן, kohen) refers to the anointed high priest, who held a unique mediatorial role for the entire nation before God. This emphasizes that atonement could only be administered by God's appointed representative, not by any ordinary Israelite, highlighting the divine order and sanctity of the process.
- shall dip his finger: "Dip" (טָבַל, taval) signifies a specific and intentional act of touching and taking up the blood directly. "Finger" (אֶצְבַּע, etzba) implies precision and direct contact with the most essential element of the sacrifice, ensuring ritual purity and a focused application rather than a casual pouring or splashing.
- in the blood: "Blood" (דָּם, dam) is the vital element. In ancient Israelite theology, the blood represented the life force (Lev 17:11). Its application signified a substitutionary atonement—the life of the innocent offering was given in place of the sinner's life to cover their guilt, acknowledging the gravity of sin against a holy God.
- and sprinkle it: "Sprinkle" (נָזָה, nazah) is a ritual act distinct from pouring or daubing. It connotes cleansing, purification, and consecration. This action ritually applies the life-giving, sin-atoning efficacy of the blood, bringing its effect into the presence of God for expiation.
- seven times: "Seven" (שֶׁבַע, sheva) universally symbolizes completeness, perfection, and divine fullness in biblical numerology. Sprinkling "seven times" underscores the thoroughness, effectiveness, and divine acceptance of the atonement offered. It denotes a perfect and complete application of purification.
- before the Lord: "Before the Lord" (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifney YHWH) emphasizes that this entire ritual action is performed in the immediate, conscious presence of God Himself, demonstrating its divine authority and validation. The act is directed toward God for His acceptance and recognition.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it: This phrase describes the physical, tactile, and intentional engagement of God's appointed mediator with the life-giving, atonement-making essence of the sacrifice. It signifies a consecrated act of applying the very substance of propitiation.
- seven times before the Lord: This combines the symbolic number of perfection and divine approval with the direct orientation towards God's presence. It indicates that the atonement performed is not only thorough but also completely acceptable and effectual in God's sight, bringing the full measure of divine cleansing.
- in front of the veil of the sanctuary: This specifies the precise, highly sacred location for the sprinkling. The "veil of the sanctuary" (פָּרֹכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, parochet haQodesh) was the thick curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies), where God's very presence, represented by the Ark of the Covenant, dwelt. Placing the blood here signifies that the atonement is brought as close as possible to God's throne, acknowledging the offense against Him and seeking direct reconciliation, yet respecting the boundary of His absolute holiness. It implies that while full access to God was not yet granted (as signified by the veil itself), the atoning power of the blood reached His dwelling.
Leviticus 4 17 Bonus section
The precision of this ritual highlights God's demand for holiness and His provision for fallen humanity within the Old Covenant. It served as an object lesson for Israel, teaching them the profound truth that sin required a life to be given in substitution and that access to God was conditioned upon such divine provision. The specific direction of the sprinkling—towards the veil, the very barrier to God's throne—emphasized the need for propitiation to enable interaction with a holy God. This carefully orchestrated liturgy showcased God's character: His uncompromising holiness that demands a penalty for sin, and His abundant mercy that provides a way for forgiveness and reconciliation through the shedding of blood. It subtly prepares the way for the profound New Testament revelation of Christ, whose own body is portrayed as the "new and living way through the curtain," His perfect flesh replacing the symbolic veil and His blood offering ultimate and complete atonement that surpasses all animal sacrifices.
Leviticus 4 17 Commentary
Leviticus 4:17 presents a pivotal aspect of the sin offering for the entire Israelite community, revealing foundational principles of atonement. The high priest's meticulous act of sprinkling blood seven times before the veil powerfully demonstrates that unintentional corporate sin, while perhaps not carrying the same moral culpability as deliberate transgression, still incurs guilt before a holy God and necessitates a prescribed process for reconciliation. The life of the animal, embodied in its blood, was presented as a substitute, carrying the consequences of the sin to be removed through this ritual application. The specificity of the "seven times" underscores the divinely ordained perfection and efficacy of the offering, affirming God's acceptance and the completeness of the expiation within the Old Covenant framework. The placement "in front of the veil" symbolically points to the sanctity of God's immediate presence in the Holy of Holies, indicating that the atoning work reached God directly, albeit through a physical barrier that reflected the provisional nature of this covenant. This ritual laid the groundwork for understanding the ultimate, perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His shed blood, unlike the blood of animals, fully purifies sins and, by the tearing of the temple veil, provides direct, eternal access to God's presence, fulfilling what the Levitical rituals imperfectly foreshadowed.