Leviticus 4 24

Leviticus 4:24 kjv

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 4:24 nkjv

And he shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it at the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD. It is a sin offering.

Leviticus 4:24 niv

He is to lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering.

Leviticus 4:24 esv

and shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 4:24 nlt

He must lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered before the LORD. This is an offering for his sin.

Leviticus 4 verses

Leviticus 4 24 Meaning

Leviticus 4:24 describes the specific procedure for a ruler (or leader, nasi) to make atonement for an unintentional sin. The core meaning conveys that even leaders are subject to God’s law and must seek ritual purification for their transgressions. The act involves the leader personally bringing a specific animal, physically transferring guilt onto it through the laying of hands, and then the animal's sacrifice as a substitute to atone for the sin before the Lord, thus restoring the leader and the community to a right relationship with a holy God.

Leviticus 4 24 Context

Leviticus 4 provides detailed instructions for the chatta't or "sin offering." This particular sacrifice was designated for unintentional sins, often committed out of ignorance or carelessness, not defiance (sins of omission or accidental trespasses). It demonstrates God's provision for restoration even when His people inadvertently violate His holy standards.

Chapter 4 distinguishes between different groups and their corresponding sin offerings:

• Verses 3-12: For the high priest.
• Verses 13-21: For the entire congregation.
• Verses 22-26: For a ruler (nasi).
• Verses 27-35: For a common individual.

Each group had a specific animal sacrifice designated for their sin, reflecting their varying levels of responsibility and influence within the covenant community. For a leader, a male goat was prescribed. The overarching historical context is that of Israel camped around the Tabernacle in the wilderness, learning how to approach and live in the presence of a holy God through prescribed rituals and sacrifices, essential for maintaining purity and communion. This system was vital because any sin, even unintentional, rendered a person or community unclean and estranged from God’s holy presence. While other ancient Near Eastern cultures had sacrifices, Israel's system was distinct in its emphasis on atonement for unintentional sin and its clear linkage to a covenant-keeping, holy God.

Leviticus 4 24 Word analysis

• And: waw (וְ) - A simple conjunctive, connecting this specific case of the ruler's sin offering to the preceding instructions.
• he: Refers to the "leader" or "ruler" (nasi', נָשִׂיא) mentioned in verse 22. This term denotes a tribal head, prince, or one holding significant authority. Their sin has a broader impact on the community.
• shall bring: we-hiqrîb (וְהִקְרִיב) - Hiphil imperfect of qarab (קָרַב), meaning "to bring near, to cause to approach." It indicates the active role of the offerer in presenting the sacrifice. This is not passively receiving; the leader brings his own offering.
• his offering: qorbānô (קָרְבָּנֹו) - From the root qarab (to come near). This term is used broadly for various types of sacrifices, literally "that which is brought near." It emphasizes that the offering belongs to the individual presenting it.
• a kid: səʿîr (שְׂעִיר) - Literally "hairy," referring to a young goat, often specifically a male. This is the designated animal for a leader's sin offering, different from a bull for the high priest or congregation, or a female goat for a common person. It signifies an animal of value but not the highest cost, aligning with the leader's standing.
• of the goats: ʿizzîm (עִזִּים) - Plural of ʿez (עֵז), "goat." Specifies the species.
• a male: zāḵār (זָכָר) - Explicitly states the gender, ensuring the correct animal is chosen. This specificity reinforces divine precision in the sacrificial system.
• without blemish: tāmîm (תָּמִים) - "Complete, perfect, unblemished, whole." A fundamental requirement for all offerings (Lev 1:3). This underscores that only perfection can atone for imperfection, pointing typologically to Christ's flawlessness (1 Pet 1:19).
• and he shall lay his hand: wə-sāmaḵ yadô (וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ) - Samak (סָמַךְ) means "to lean upon, to rest upon, to support." This act symbolizes the transfer of the offerer's sin and guilt onto the animal. It represents identification and substitution, where the animal becomes the representative bearer of the sin. While not explicitly confession in Lev 4, the ritual implicitly requires an acknowledgment of sin.
• on the head: ʿal ro'š (עַל רֹאשׁ) - The head is symbolically the seat of life or identity. Laying hands on the head intensifies the identification and transfer.
• of the goat: Reinforces the subject of the symbolic transfer.
• and kill it: wə-šāḥaṭ (וְשָׁחַט) - "To slaughter." The offerer is typically the one who slaughters the animal, not the priest (though in some contexts the priest could, especially later in the temple period). This direct involvement underscores the seriousness of sin and the personal cost of atonement.
• in the place: bi-mqôm (בִּמְקֹום) - Refers to the designated physical area.
• where they kill the burnt offering: ʾăšer yišḥăṭû ʾeṯ hāʿōlâ (אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הָעֹלָה) - This place was traditionally the north side of the altar in the Tabernacle courtyard (Lev 1:11). The burnt offering (ʿolâ, "that which goes up") represented complete devotion and atonement in a general sense. Killing the sin offering in the same location highlights its grave importance and association with general atonement for holiness.
• before: li-p̄nê (לִפְנֵי) - "In the presence of." Emphasizes that the entire ritual is observed by and done in the sight of God, highlighting His holiness and active involvement.
• the LORD: YHWH (יְהוָה) - The personal, covenant name of God. This sacrifice is not for general spiritual purification, but specifically to address the holy God who is in covenant with Israel.
• it is: hûʾ (הוּא) - A pronoun "he/it" acting as "it is."
• a sin offering: ḥaṭṭāʾṯ (חַטָּאת) - The most significant term. Derived from the root ḥāṭāʾ (חָטָא) meaning "to miss the mark, to err." The term here refers to the specific sacrifice designed to deal with sin, making atonement for the sinner. It distinguishes it from other types of offerings (burnt, peace, grain).

Leviticus 4 24 Bonus section

• Distinction in Sin: Leviticus 4 deals specifically with unintentional sins (bi-shgâgâh, "through error, oversight"). Sins committed with a "high hand" (be-yād rāmâh, Numbers 15:30-31), indicating defiant and deliberate transgression, typically had no sacrifice available under the Mosaic covenant and often resulted in being "cut off" from the community. This distinction highlights God's justice and His patience with human weakness while maintaining His standards of holiness.
• Typology of the Nasi Offering: The graduated scale of sin offerings (high priest's bull, congregation's bull, ruler's male goat, common person's female goat/lamb/doves) demonstrates a divine recognition of social and spiritual responsibility. The ruler's sin was considered significant enough to require a male goat because their actions had wider implications for the people they led, yet not as damaging as the high priest or the whole congregation.
• Divine Initiative: It is important to note that the sin offering was not a human innovation but a divine command, part of God's covenant provisions. God Himself prescribed these rituals as a means for His people to dwell in His holy presence despite their sin, showing His mercy and desire for relationship.

Leviticus 4 24 Commentary

Leviticus 4:24 meticulously details the process for a leader to seek atonement for unintentional sin. The specific choice of a male goat (səʿîr) underlines that while leaders are significant, their atonement is distinct from the more costly bull required for the high priest or the entire congregation, yet more substantial than a lamb for a common person. The repeated requirement for an "unblemished" animal underscores the theological truth that only that which is perfect can bridge the gap created by sin, foreshadowing Christ, the perfect lamb of God.

The pivotal ritual is the laying of hands (samak yad) on the animal's head, which symbolizes the transfer of guilt and impurity from the sinner to the sacrificial substitute. This physical act made the leader complicit in the offering, directly participating in the shedding of innocent blood for their transgression. The subsequent killing of the goat by the offerer in the designated holy space—the place where burnt offerings were slain before the Lord—reinforces the gravity of sin and the need for a divinely ordained, bloody sacrifice for its propitiation. The very phrase "it is a sin offering" (ḥaṭṭāʾṯ hûʾ) clarifies the specific purpose of the animal: to atone for sin, enabling the restoration of the relationship with the holy God of the covenant. This ritual powerfully illustrates God's grace in providing a means of atonement, His absolute holiness demanding satisfaction for sin, and the principle of substitutionary sacrifice which finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who offered Himself "without blemish" as the final sin offering (Heb 9:14, 28; 2 Cor 5:21). The Old Testament ritual provided temporary cleansing, while Christ’s sacrifice provided permanent and perfect forgiveness.