Leviticus 4 25

Leviticus 4:25 kjv

And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:25 nkjv

The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:25 niv

Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

Leviticus 4:25 esv

Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:25 nlt

Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

Leviticus 4 verses

Leviticus 4 25 Meaning

Leviticus 4:25 describes a specific action performed by the priest in the ritual of the sin offering, applicable to an unintentional sin committed by a leader or a common person. After the animal (a male goat or female goat/lamb, depending on the individual) is slaughtered, the priest is to take a portion of its blood with his finger and carefully apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, which stood outside the Tabernacle. Following this, the remaining blood from the sacrifice is to be poured out reverently at the base of the same altar. This intricate ritual served as the divinely appointed means of atonement, providing cleansing and forgiveness for the specific unintentional sin.

Leviticus 4 25 Context

Leviticus Chapter 4 details the regulations for the chatta't, or "sin offering," which was specifically designed to atone for unintentional sins committed against God's commandments. This chapter meticulously differentiates the rituals based on the status of the individual or group who sinned: an anointed priest (4:3-12), the whole congregation (4:13-21), a leader (4:22-26), or a common person (4:27-35). Verse 25 falls within the instructions for a leader (4:22-26) and aligns precisely with those for a common person (4:27-31, 4:32-35), where the blood ritual involves the altar of burnt offering (the large bronze altar outside the tent).

Historically and culturally, the Tabernacle system was central to Israelite worship. Sacrifices were the divinely appointed means for maintaining a holy relationship with a holy God in a community frequently encountering defilement. The precision of these rituals, down to the specific application of blood, underscores the seriousness of sin (even unintentional sin) and the specific, non-arbitrary nature of God's prescribed path to atonement. Unlike surrounding pagan cultures which often offered sacrifices to appease volatile deities through uncontrolled and often barbaric means, Israel's system was a meticulously ordered revelation of God's character, highlighting His demand for holiness, the sanctity of life (blood), and the necessity of mediation for reconciliation. This order and specific instruction also served as a subtle polemic, showcasing the unique divine origin and nature of Israel's worship contrasted with the often chaotic and corrupt practices of contemporary idolatry.

Leviticus 4 25 Word analysis

• וְלָקַח (ve-lakach) - "Then he shall take": Implies a prescribed, immediate action following the slaughter. It is the priest, not the offerer, who handles the sacred blood, highlighting the mediatorial role of the priesthood in connecting the sinner to God for atonement.
• הַכֹּהֵן (ha-kohen) - "the priest": Refers to the acting high priest or one of his sons (Levitical priesthood), emphasizing that this ritual could only be performed by divinely appointed, consecrated individuals. Their holy status allowed them to handle sacred elements and effect atonement on behalf of the people.
• מִדַּם (mi-dam) - "some of the blood": Signifies that not all the blood was applied directly by the finger to the horns, but a sufficient representative portion was used for this precise, symbolic act. The blood itself, symbolizing life (Lev 17:11), was the essential atoning agent.
• הַחַטָּאת (ha-chattat) - "the sin offering": Specifies the type of sacrifice. The "chatta't" (root means "to miss the mark") addresses sins of impurity and unwitting transgression, differing from offerings like the burnt offering (general devotion) or peace offering (communion).
• בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ (be-etzba'o) - "with his finger": Indicates a precise, controlled, and personal application, not a random splashing. This intimacy suggests the specificity of the atonement for the individual sin and the careful handling of sacred substances.
• וְנָתַן (ve-natan) - "and he shall put/apply": Direct action of placing the blood. The act is intentional and deliberate, not a casual smear.
• עַל קַרְנֹת (al karnot) - "on the horns": The horns were raised projections at each corner of the altar, symbolizing strength, power, and often refuge or sanctuary (1 Kin 1:50-51). Applying blood to the horns meant bringing the efficacy of the atonement to the very symbol of God's might and presence at the altar, essentially consecrating the offering's life to God and effecting cleansing there.
• מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה (mizbe'ach ha-olah) - "the altar of burnt offering": This was the large bronze altar in the outer courtyard where daily sacrifices were consumed by fire. Its purpose was for approaching God with sacrifices that made atonement. For a leader or common person, the blood ritual was on this outer altar, indicating that their sin primarily affected the community or themselves, not necessarily defiling the most holy parts of the sanctuary as a high priest's or congregation's sin would (where blood was brought to the inner incense altar).
• וְאֶת כָּל־דָּמוֹ (ve-et kol-damo) - "and all its blood": Refers to the substantial remaining portion of the sacrificial animal's blood, indicating a complete giving over.
• יִשְׁפֹּךְ (yishpakh) - "he shall pour out": The action of emptying the remaining blood. This signifies the full disposition of the life-force, dedicating it entirely to God. It ensures all the vital element of the animal is returned to consecrated ground.
• אֶל־יְסוֹד (el yesod) - "at the base/foot": The foundation of the altar. Pouring the blood here suggests its complete surrender back to God, purifying and sanctifying the ground surrounding the altar. It prevented irreverent disposal and indicated that the entire life essence, having served its atoning purpose, was offered wholly to God, seeping into the earth made holy by His presence.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The priest shall take some of the blood... with his finger and put it on the horns": This sequence emphasizes precision, priestly mediation, and the sacred application of the life-giving (atoning) blood to the most potent symbolic part of the altar. It signifies the appropriation of the offering's efficacy to cover the sin before God.
• "the altar of burnt offering": Specifies the outdoor, bronze altar where animals were entirely consumed by fire, distinguishing it from the smaller, golden incense altar inside the Holy Place. This clarifies the scope of the sin's defilement, which necessitated atonement on the general access point to God.
• "and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar": This action signifies the full and complete giving over of the animal's life (represented by its blood) to God. It also points to the proper disposal of the sacred element, ensuring that it is fully consecrated and nothing is left unsanctified or profaned. This complete surrender further validates the atoning power applied through the sacrifice.

Leviticus 4 25 Bonus section

The careful distinction between where the blood was applied for different types of unintentional sin (inner altar for high priest/congregation, outer altar for leader/common person) highlights a foundational principle: the gravity of sin, even if unintentional, directly relates to the proximity to holiness that it defiles. A sin by the high priest or the entire congregation affected the Tabernacle's most holy parts, requiring blood to be brought into the Holy Place. Conversely, a sin by a leader or common person primarily impacted the community or individual and required atonement at the outer altar. This underscores God's meticulous holiness and the far-reaching implications of sin, demonstrating that even unconscious acts required divine covering through sacrificial life. It also illustrates God's grace, providing a clear path to forgiveness for shortcomings, anticipating the grace freely available through Christ.

Leviticus 4 25 Commentary

Leviticus 4:25 details a vital, precise step in the Old Testament sin offering ritual for leaders and common people, emphasizing the role of blood in atonement. The act of the priest applying blood to the horns of the bronze altar signifies the power and efficacy of the life given for the sin, bringing cleansing directly to the point of access and communion with God. The horns represent strength and sacredness, underscoring that sin is confronted at the very power-center of God's presence in worship. Pouring the remaining blood at the altar's base further emphasizes the full devotion and dedication of the offering's life-force to God, returning it to the holy ground in an act of consecration and purification. This meticulous ritual was not merely symbolic; it was God's prescribed means of covering sin and maintaining fellowship with His people. Every detail, from the priest's finger to the location of the blood's application, prefigures the perfect and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. His one-time shedding of His own blood on the altar of the cross provides the true, everlasting atonement and cleansing for all sin, accomplishing what animal sacrifices could only anticipate, thereby perfectly fulfilling and superseding this Old Testament practice.