Leviticus 4 7

Leviticus 4:7 kjv

And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 4:7 nkjv

And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood of the bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

Leviticus 4:7 niv

The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull's blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:7 esv

And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the LORD that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:7 nlt

The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD's presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Leviticus 4 verses

Leviticus 4 7 Meaning

Leviticus 4:7 details the ritual handling of the blood from a sin offering, specifically for the high priest or the whole congregation whose unintentional sin caused defilement of the sanctuary. This act serves a twofold purpose of cleansing and expiation. The priest applies a portion of the blood to the horns of the Altar of Incense, situated in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, signifying the purification of the sacred space that was defiled by the magnitude of the sin. This acknowledges sin's defiling effect on God's dwelling. Subsequently, all the remaining blood is poured out at the base of the Altar of Burnt Offering in the outer court, which represents the complete disposal and removal of the sin's guilt and its effects, symbolizing thorough atonement for the transgression before God.

Leviticus 4 7 Context

Leviticus chapter 4 institutes the laws of the chatta't, or sin offering, for unintentional sins, providing specific rituals depending on the status of the transgressor. Verse 7 specifically outlines the ritual for the High Priest (vv. 3-12) or the entire congregation (vv. 13-21) when their unintentional sin is discovered. For these specific high-level offenses, the blood is treated uniquely, being brought inside the Tent of Meeting (Holy Place) for application. This contrasts sharply with offerings for a ruler or common individual (vv. 22-35), where the blood remains outside, applied only to the Altar of Burnt Offering in the outer court. This distinction highlights the significant impact that the sin of a high priest or the whole community had on the sanctity and purity of God's dwelling place. The elaborate detail emphasizes that such sins caused deeper defilement of the sacred space itself, necessitating a ritual that extended further into the Tabernacle's holy areas to achieve complete cleansing and restoration of God's holy presence among His people. This underscores the severity of sin and the comprehensive nature of atonement required under the Mosaic Covenant.

Leviticus 4 7 Word analysis

• And the priest (וְהֵבִיא הַכֹּהֵן - vehevi hakkohen, Lit. "and he shall bring, the priest"): Refers primarily to the anointed High Priest in this context (Lev 4:3) or a priest assigned the role. The priest is the divinely appointed mediator, uniquely authorized to handle the sacred elements and perform rituals that atone for sin, symbolizing his role in reconciling the people with a holy God.
• shall put some of the blood (נָתַן מִן הַדָּם - natan min hadam, Lit. "he shall put/give of the blood"): This specifies a precise action and quantity.
  • put (נָתַן - natan): Signifies a deliberate and ritualistic application.
  • some of the blood (מִן הַדָּם - min hadam): "Min" indicates a partial use, a specific portion set aside for a particular cleansing, distinct from the complete disposal.
  • blood (הַדָּם - hadam): The vital essence of the creature, declared by God as the exclusive means of atonement ("for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls" Lev 17:11). It embodies the vicarious sacrifice and cleansing power.
• on the horns (עַל קַרְנוֹת - 'al qarnot): The horn-shaped projections on each corner of the altar. Horns symbolized strength, power, and dignity in ancient cultures. Applying blood to them represented the powerful, definitive application of atonement to the most prominent and potent parts of the sacred altars. They were often points of refuge or where binding for sacrifice occurred.
• of the altar of sweet incense (מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת - mizbach haqqetoret, Lit. "altar of the incense"): Also known as the Golden Altar, this was a smaller, wooden altar overlaid with gold, situated in the Holy Place, immediately before the veil separating it from the Most Holy Place (Exod 30:1-10). Its primary function was the burning of incense, representing the prayers of the saints (Pss 141:2; Rev 8:3-4). Applying blood here indicates the cleansing of the sacred space closest to God's presence, signifying purification for sin's defilement on communion with God.
• before the LORD (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - lifnei YHWH): Literally "in the face of Yahweh." This phrase emphasizes that the ritual occurs in the direct, conscious presence of God, lending supreme solemnity and divine acknowledgment to the act of atonement and cleansing. The Altar of Incense itself was positioned strategically before the veil, closest to the Ark of the Covenant, symbolic of God's throne.
• which is in the tabernacle of meeting (אֲשֶׁר בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - asher be'ohel mo'ed):
  • tabernacle of meeting (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - ohel mo'ed): The Tent of Meeting, the portable sanctuary where God manifested His presence and met with His people (Exod 25:22). This precisely locates the Altar of Incense within the holy tent structure, specifically its first compartment, the Holy Place.
• and all the rest of the blood (וְאֵת כָּל הַדָּם הַנּוֹתָר - ve'et kol hadam hannotar, Lit. "and all the remaining blood"): This distinct phrase indicates the disposal of the entire remainder of the sacred substance. It highlights the completeness of the process, ensuring all aspects of the sin's payment are handled appropriately, contrasting with the limited "some" applied earlier.
• he shall pour out (יִשְׁפּךְ - yishpoch): This action implies a full and complete drainage. It's a method of solemn disposal for a sacred, yet defiling, substance. Pouring out symbolized the definitive cessation of the blood's active life, returning it to the ground, and indicating that its work of atonement was finished and the penalty exacted.
• at the base (אֶל יְסוֹד - 'el yesod): The foundation or lowest part of the altar. This ensures the blood is completely contained and drained away from human contact and other ritual use, emphasizing the finality of the disposal of the sin-bearing element.
• of the altar of burnt offering (מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה - mizbach ha'olah): The larger, brazen (bronze) altar located in the outer court of the Tabernacle, near the entrance (Exod 27:1-8). This was the primary altar for all animal sacrifices, especially burnt offerings where the entire animal was consumed, symbolizing total dedication and full atonement. Pouring the residual blood here acknowledges that the ultimate place for the full consequence of sin's atonement and disposal was at this central altar of sacrifice.
• which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting (אֲשֶׁר פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - asher petach ohel mo'ed):
  • at the door (פֶּתַח - petach): The entrance. This specifies the location of the Brazen Altar—in the outer courtyard, just at the gateway to the sacred precinct of the Tabernacle. This was the initial point of contact for anyone approaching God's presence, reinforcing the idea that fundamental atonement begins here.

Leviticus 4 7 Bonus section

The Levitical instructions regarding the distinct treatment of blood for specific sin offerings (like the one described in Lev 4:7) serve to impress upon Israel the gravity of sin, particularly based on one's standing in the community and the subsequent degree of defilement to God's sacred space. The two altars mentioned—the Golden Altar of Incense (internal, closer to the Most Holy Place) and the Brazen Altar of Burnt Offering (external, in the courtyard)—represent different aspects of God's dealing with sin. The Altar of Incense's defilement signifies that sin impacted the very prayers and fellowship offered to God. Its cleansing purified the pathway for divine-human communion. The Brazen Altar was where the basic act of atonement happened, covering the sin itself. This intricate detail teaches that sin's defilement is multi-layered, affecting both our standing before God (addressed at the outer altar) and our intimacy with Him in fellowship (addressed at the inner altar). This dual cleansing points beautifully to Christ, who, by His single sacrifice, not only bears the full wrath for our sin on the cross (our "outer altar") but also grants us bold and living access into God's holiest presence through His ascended Priesthood (our "inner altar"), enabling purified prayer and worship. The "horns" receiving the blood further signify the powerful, effective, and unshakeable nature of the atonement being applied to sacred objects.

Leviticus 4 7 Commentary

Leviticus 4:7 offers a profound illustration of God's meticulous instructions for handling sin and maintaining holiness within the Tabernacle, His dwelling place among sinful humanity. The specific treatment of blood for the High Priest's or the congregation's unintentional sin distinguishes these from offerings for lesser offenses, requiring the blood to be brought into the Holy Place. The act of placing blood on the horns of the Altar of Incense signifies the purification of the sanctuary itself, which was considered defiled by such grave sin. Since this inner altar was central to prayers and communion with God, its cleansing underscored that sin corrupted Israel's fellowship with God, even touching the very prayers ascending to Him.

Subsequently, the pouring of the remaining blood at the base of the outer Altar of Burnt Offering highlights the comprehensive nature of atonement. While the inner application purifies the holy space, the outer disposal removes the sin's penalty and defilement completely. This dual action, carefully prescribed by divine law, not only physically cleansed but ritually purged both the people's conscience (through atonement at the outer altar) and the holiness of God's presence among them (through purification of the inner sanctuary). Ultimately, these intricate rituals pointed forward to the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His precious blood, offered as a High Priest, served as the definitive propitiation for all sin (Rom 3:25), cleansing not merely a physical sanctuary but the conscience of believers (Heb 9:14), and granting direct access into God's very presence, fulfilling the deepest spiritual truths veiled in these Old Testament shadows (Heb 9:11-14, 10:19-22).