Leviticus 4:6 kjv
And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4:6 nkjv
The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4:6 niv
He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4:6 esv
and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4:6 nlt
dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Atonement & Blood's Efficacy | ||
| 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..." | Blood is for atonement. |
| 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." | Blood necessary for purification/forgiveness. |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood..." | Christ's blood as propitiation. |
| Col 1:20 | "and through him to reconcile to himself all things...by making peace by the blood of his cross." | Reconciliation through Christ's blood. |
| Sprinkling & Cleansing | ||
| Lev 14:7 | "He shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed..." | Seven-fold sprinkling for purification. |
| Lev 16:14, 19 | (Day of Atonement rituals) "he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger on the mercy seat..." | Blood sprinkling for Day of Atonement. |
| Ex 24:8 | "And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant...” | Blood sealing covenant, for purification. |
| 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..." | Old Covenant ratified with blood sprinkling. |
| Heb 10:22 | "let us draw near with a true heart...having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience..." | New Covenant: hearts sprinkled by Christ. |
| 1 Pet 1:2 | "...chosen and destined...for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood..." | Believers cleansed by Christ's blood. |
| 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 speaks powerfully. |
| Priest's Role & Christ's Fulfillment | ||
| Lev 4:17 | "And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord..." | Identical command for congregation's sin offering. |
| Heb 4:14 | "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God..." | Christ as our great High Priest. |
| 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, one-time sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest...not through the blood of goats and calves but through his own blood, thus securing eternal redemption." | Christ entered the true sanctuary with His blood. |
| Sanctuary & Veil's Significance | ||
| Ex 26:31-33 | Describes the construction and purpose of the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. | Veil separates God's immediate presence. |
| Lev 16:2 | "...for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat." | Mercy Seat is where God manifests. |
| Heb 6:19 | "...into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain (veil)..." | Hope anchors in the true sanctuary behind veil. |
| Heb 9:3 | "Behind the second curtain (veil) was a tent called the Most Holy Place..." | Veil marks access to the Holy of Holies. |
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom..." | Christ's death opened direct access to God. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain (that is, his body)..." | Christ's body is the torn veil, opening access. |
Leviticus 4 verses
Leviticus 4 6 Meaning
Leviticus 4:6 details a critical ritualistic action performed by the High Priest as part of the sin offering, particularly for his own unintentional sin or that of the whole congregation. It describes dipping his finger in the collected blood of the sacrifice and precisely sprinkling it seven times "before the Lord" at the "front of the veil of the sanctuary." This act signifies the presentation of the atoning blood directly into the holy presence of God, establishing purity and mediating forgiveness for the sin.
Leviticus 4 6 Context
Leviticus Chapter 4 outlines the detailed procedures for the chatta't, the sin offering. This specific verse, Lev 4:6, describes a crucial ritualistic step unique to the sin offering when it is for the unintentional sin of the Anointed Priest (High Priest) (vv. 3-12) or the entire congregation (vv. 13-21). In these two cases, the defilement is so great that the blood, the life-source of the sacrifice and carrier of atonement, must be brought into the Holy Place of the Tabernacle itself. This stands in contrast to the sin offerings for rulers (vv. 22-26) or common individuals (vv. 27-35), where the blood is only applied to the altar of burnt offering outside. The historical context is the early Israelite wilderness wandering, establishing the core worship and atonement protocols for approaching a holy God at the newly consecrated Tabernacle, emphasizing meticulous obedience and the centrality of blood for expiation.
Leviticus 4 6 Word analysis
- And the priest: (Hebrew: wəhak·kō·hēn) Refers to the High Priest, Aaron or his successor, as this specific action is reserved for the most grievous sin offerings affecting the priesthood or the entire community. He is God's designated mediator.
- shall dip: (Hebrew: ṭāḇal) Means to immerse or dip, often indicating full or partial saturation. Here, a specific part (finger) is immersed in the atoning blood, indicating direct physical connection to the life-giving, purifying agent.
- his finger: (Hebrew: ’eṣ·ba‘ōw) The singular finger, signifying a precise, deliberate action rather than a careless splashing. It's an intimate and careful part of the High Priest's action.
- in the blood: (Hebrew: min·had·dām) The dam, the life force of the sacrifice (Lev 17:11). The very essence of the life given in exchange for the sinner's life.
- and sprinkle: (Hebrew: wəhiz·zāh) To scatter or sprinkle, often referring to a fine mist or a deliberate scattering of drops. This action is distinct from merely dabbing. It diffuses the blood, extending its purifying effect.
- some of the blood: (Hebrew: min·had·dām) Not the entire quantity, but a portion, specifically selected for this ritual act. This suggests careful application of a holy substance.
- seven times: (Hebrew: ševa‘ pə‘ā·mîm) The number seven signifies completeness, perfection, and holiness in biblical numerology. Sprinkling seven times indicates a full, perfect, and comprehensive act of purification, removal of sin, or sanctification before God. It emphasizes thoroughness in the atonement process.
- before the Lord: (Hebrew: lip̄·nê Yah·weh) Literally "before the face of Yahweh." This stresses that the action is performed in God's immediate, manifest presence. It is an appeal and presentation directly to the Divine Judge, underscoring the spiritual reality of the atonement.
- in front of the veil: (Hebrew: ’el-pə·nê pārō·ḵeṯ) Refers to the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), where the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat resided, God's dwelling place. Performing the sprinkling here brings the atonement as close as possible to God's presence without actually entering the Holy of Holies (which was only permissible for the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, Lev 16).
- of the sanctuary: (Hebrew: haq·qō·ḏeš) Refers to the Holy Place of the Tabernacle (or Temple). This is the inner part of the tabernacle, where the lampstand, table of showbread, and altar of incense were located. The action of sprinkling blood within this holy area signifies a deeper level of purification needed for the sins of the priest or the entire congregation, indicating defilement of even the sacred space.
Leviticus 4 6 Bonus section
The positioning "in front of the veil" (or "before the veil") is crucial because it indicates a level of severity that brings the ritual inside the sacred dwelling but still outside the Most Holy Place. Only the High Priest, once a year on the Day of Atonement, would take blood behind the veil into the Holy of Holies itself (Lev 16). This hierarchy of blood application—to the altar outside (for common individuals), to the altar of incense and veil inside (for priest/congregation), and to the Mercy Seat behind the veil (Day of Atonement)—demonstrates increasing degrees of sin's defilement and corresponding levels of required purification and intercession, all pointing to the comprehensive purification provided by Christ's singular sacrifice.
Leviticus 4 6 Commentary
Leviticus 4:6 delineates a specific and potent ritual within the Israelite sin offering, revealing profound truths about sin, atonement, and God's holiness. The act of the High Priest dipping his finger in the atoning blood and sprinkling it seven times "before the Lord" at the veil is a powerful symbol. It underscores that sin, especially high-ranking sin or corporate sin, impacts God's holy dwelling place, requiring a direct presentation of blood to appease His holiness. The sevenfold sprinkling points to a complete and perfect cleansing, not merely external but touching upon the deepest defilement.
This precise action mediates forgiveness by bringing the very essence of the substitutionary life (the blood) into God's presence, signifying a request for divine mercy and the fulfillment of God's appointed means for purification. It is a graphic illustration that access to God and restoration of relationship demand the payment of life. Ultimately, this meticulous ritual finds its full meaning and perfect fulfillment in Christ. His blood, shed on the cross and applied in the heavenly sanctuary by Him as our High Priest, truly cleanses all sin (Heb 9:12-14, 10:19-20) and opens a new, living way directly to God's presence without repeated sacrifices. The torn temple veil at Christ's death dramatically proclaimed that the need for a physical, separating curtain, and the elaborate rituals behind it, had been satisfied and transcended by His once-for-all, perfect sacrifice.