Leviticus 4 34

Leviticus 4:34 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 all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:

Leviticus 4:34 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 all the remaining blood at the base of the altar.

Leviticus 4:34 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 4:34 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 all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.

Leviticus 4:34 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 34 Meaning

Leviticus 4:34 outlines the specific ritual actions the priest was to perform with the blood of the sin offering (chatta't) for an individual leader or a common person who had committed an unintentional sin. A portion of the offering's sacred blood was to be applied directly onto the horns of the altar of burnt offering, signifying the application of atonement and purification for the defilement caused by sin. The remaining, majority portion of the blood was then to be meticulously poured out at the base of the altar, ensuring its consecrated disposal and emphasizing the completeness of the blood's sacred work within the holy tabernacle precincts.

Leviticus 4 34 Context

Leviticus Chapter 4 details the rituals for the chatta't (sin offering), specifically for unintentional sins or impurities that require purification. The chapter carefully distinguishes the procedural requirements based on the status of the offender: the high priest, the entire congregation, a leader, or a common person. Verse 34 specifies the blood ritual for a "leader" (as found in vv. 22-26) or a "common person" (as found in vv. 27-35), building on the preceding verses that describe the presentation, slaying, and particular handling of the animal sacrifice. Historically, these rituals were critical in ancient Israel, providing the divinely prescribed means for maintaining covenant relationship with a holy God in the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple), where sin could defile the sacred space and break fellowship. This intricate system highlighted God's holiness, sin's defilement, and His provision for atonement through sacrificial substitution and the life-blood.

Leviticus 4 34 Word analysis

• And the priest (וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן - v'lakach hakkohen):

  • וְלָקַח (v'lakach - and he shall take): Indicates an ongoing, divinely commanded action. It stresses the active role of the priest.
  • הַכֹּהֵן (hakkohen - the priest): Refers to the male descendant of Aaron who was ritually qualified and consecrated for Temple service. The priest served as God's designated mediator, emphasizing that access to atonement was not direct but through a prescribed channel, upholding God's order and holiness. His specific actions in handling the blood highlight the sacredness and precision of the atonement process.

• shall take some of the blood (מִדַּם הַֽחַטָּאת - middam hachattat):

  • מִדַּם (middam - some of the blood): The Hebrew preposition min ("from/some of") indicates that not all the blood was applied to the horns, but only a portion. The life principle for atonement is concentrated in the blood itself (Lev 17:11).
  • הַֽחַטָּאת (hachattat - of the sin offering): Literally means "the sin," but refers to the sacrifice for sin, particularly for unintentional transgressions or ceremonial impurity. This offering focused on cleansing, purification, and de-sinning, thereby removing defilement and making atonement. It provided ritual purgation of both the offender and the sanctuary that sin had touched.

• with his finger (בְּאֶצְבָּעֹו - b'etzba'o):

  • בְּאֶצְבָּעֹו (b'etzba'o - with his finger): Specifies a direct, intimate, and precise method of application, suggesting careful handling and avoiding excessive or wasteful spillage of the sacred blood. It emphasizes the personal involvement of the priest in the specific ritual action.

• and put it upon the horns (וְנָתַן֙ עַל־קַרְנֹ֣ות - v'natan 'al-qarnot):

  • וְנָתַן (v'natan - and he shall put): Signifies the direct, intentional placement of the blood.
  • עַל־קַרְנֹ֣ות ( 'al-qarnot - upon the horns): "Horns" (singular: keren) represent strength, power, refuge, and prominence in ancient Near Eastern thought. The four horns of the altar of burnt offering (one at each corner) were the most sacred and potent parts of the altar, symbolizing the altar's reach and effectiveness in atonement. Blood applied here signified that the altar itself was ritually cleansed or that the full atoning power of the blood was concentrated at the place where sin met God's judgment and grace. It marked the purification of the site and, through it, the person or object being purified.

• of the altar of burnt offering (מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה - mizbeach ha'olah):

  • מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה (mizbeach ha'olah - altar of burnt offering): This was the large, outdoor altar in the Tabernacle/Temple courtyard, where whole burnt offerings were consumed by fire. It was the primary place for reconciliation with God and the first point of contact for worshipers. Application of blood to its horns connected the sin offering directly to this primary place of communion and atonement for the average Israelite.

• and shall pour out all the rest of the blood (וְאֶת־כָּל־דָּמָהּ֙ יִשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ - v'et kol-damah yishpokh):

  • וְאֶת... יִשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ (v'et...yishpokh - and he shall pour out): An act of completion and ritual disposal. This was not a wasteful act but a precise directive for reverent management of the sacred blood.
  • כָּל־דָּמָהּ֙ (kol-damah - all its blood / all the rest of the blood): Indicates the complete handling and consumption of the animal's life fluid after the required atonement application. This prevents profanation, unauthorized use, or careless waste of the holy blood.

• at the bottom of the altar (אֶל־יְסֹוד הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ - 'el-yesod hammizbe'ach):

  • אֶל־יְסֹוד הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ ('el-yesod hammizbe'ach - to the foundation/bottom of the altar): The foundation or base of the altar was part of the consecrated sacred space. Pouring the remaining blood here allowed it to seep into the holy ground, ensuring it returned to God from whom life (and blood) originated, and prevented its unauthorized use or becoming a defiling waste product. It completes the offering's cycle of holiness within God's sanctuary.

• "some of the blood of the sin offering" (מִדַּם הַֽחַטָּאת - middam hachattat): This phrase underscores the principle that the efficacy of the offering lay in its sacred blood. The blood represents life and is uniquely potent for atonement, distinct from other parts of the sacrifice. Its application speaks to a divine ordinance for covering sins and purifying impurities that separate individuals from God's presence.

• "horns of the altar of burnt offering" (קַרְנֹ֣ות מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה - qarnot mizbeach ha'olah): This pairing highlights the specific point of atonement and reconciliation. The "horns" amplify the altar's symbolic power and represent the concentrated point of divine grace and power available to those seeking forgiveness. It distinguishes this from sacrifices where blood was brought inside the Holy Place (e.g., for the high priest or whole congregation's sin), demonstrating varying degrees of required purification for different categories of sin or sinner.

• "pour out all the rest of the blood at the bottom of the altar" (וְאֶת־כָּל־דָּמָהּ֙ יִשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ אֶל־יְסֹ֣וד הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ - v'et kol-damah yishpokh 'el-yesod hammizbe'ach): This concluding action ensures the proper, sacred disposal of every part of the offering's blood. It symbolizes completeness and the reverent handling of divine things. It prevented misuse of the blood for other purposes, reinforcing the concept that "the blood is the life" and thus belongs to God, meant solely for the purpose of atonement prescribed by Him. This precision contrasts starkly with arbitrary or defiling blood practices in pagan worship, thereby serving as an implicit polemic.

Leviticus 4 34 Bonus section

The distinction in the placement of the blood from the sin offering is notable in Leviticus 4. For the high priest or the whole congregation (Lev 4:5-7, 16-18), the blood was sprinkled seven times before the veil and applied to the horns of the altar of incense inside the Holy Place. This implied a more pervasive defilement that reached deeper into the sanctuary. However, for a leader or common person (as in Lev 4:25, 30, 34), the blood was applied only to the horns of the altar of burnt offering in the outer courtyard. This difference illustrates that while all sin requires atonement, the extent of defilement to the sanctuary and the required ritual purgation varied based on the individual's role and potential for wider impact on the community. The chatta't offering's unique focus on "de-sinning" or "purifying" is critical; it cleansed not just the person but also ritually purified the sacred space, removing the accumulated effects of sin.

Leviticus 4 34 Commentary

Leviticus 4:34 succinctly describes a pivotal moment in the chatta't (sin offering) ritual for an individual's unintentional sin. The act of the priest applying a portion of the sacrificial animal's blood to the horns of the burnt offering altar was not arbitrary but deeply symbolic. It conveyed that sin, even when unintentional, defiled both the individual and, implicitly, the tabernacle where God dwelt. The blood, containing the animal's life, served as a divine appointment for atonement (Lev 17:11), acting as a ritual "purification" that removed the defilement of sin, making fellowship with a holy God possible again.

The horns, representing power and sanctuary, were the ideal point of application, signifying the encompassing power of the blood to atone and purify. The careful application by "his finger" highlights the precision required in divine service. Pouring the remaining blood at the altar's base was equally significant, ensuring no part of the sacred, atoning blood was wasted or misused, re-consecrating it back into holy ground. This rigorous adherence to divine command underscores the gravity of sin, the necessity of God's provision for forgiveness, and the absolute holiness required in approaching Him. These Old Testament sacrifices, though temporary, powerfully prefigured the ultimate, singular, and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His shed blood, poured out on the "altar" of the cross, is the definitive and eternal atonement, providing cleansing, purification, and direct access to God that the Levitical system only anticipated (Heb 9:11-14, 10:1-18).