Leviticus 5:9 kjv
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
Leviticus 5:9 nkjv
Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.
Leviticus 5:9 niv
and is to splash some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar; the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.
Leviticus 5:9 esv
and he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.
Leviticus 5:9 nlt
Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the sides of the altar, and the rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering for sin.
Leviticus 5 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 4:7 | "And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar..." | Blood application to altar (horns for severe sins). |
| Lev 4:25 | "And the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger... " | Individual sin offering blood application. |
| Lev 4:30 | "And the priest shall take some of the blood of it with his finger..." | Blood ritual for another sin offering. |
| Lev 6:25 | "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering..." | General law concerning the sin offering. |
| Lev 7:7 | "As is the sin offering, so is the guilt offering; there is one law for them." | Equates laws for sin and guilt offerings. |
| Lev 17:11 | "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you..." | Blood as the means for atonement. |
| Num 15:27-28 | "If one person sins unintentionally... the priest shall make atonement..." | Sin offering for unintentional individual sins. |
| Eze 45:17 | "...it shall be his duty to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings... and for sin offerings..." | Ruler's duty to provide for sin offerings. |
| Ex 29:12 | "You shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar..." | Blood on altar during consecration. |
| Lev 8:15 | "And he killed it, and Moses took the blood...and sprinkled it against the altar..." | Blood sprinkling for altar consecration. |
| Lev 1:15 | "...and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar." | Blood procedure for bird burnt offering. |
| Lev 5:7-8 | "...then he shall bring two turtledoves...one for a sin offering..." | Contextual procedure for the bird sin offering. |
| Lev 14:25 | "Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering..." | Blood use in purification rituals. |
| Heb 9:14 | "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered..." | Christ's blood is superior and cleansing. |
| 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." | Principle of blood for atonement. |
| Heb 10:4 | "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." | Limitations of animal sacrifices. |
| Heb 10:10 | "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." | Christ's one-time perfect sacrifice. |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." | Christ as the ultimate propitiation. |
| Eph 1:7 | "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses..." | Redemption found in Christ's blood. |
| Col 1:20 | "and through him to reconcile to himself all things... making peace by the blood of his cross." | Reconciliation through Christ's blood. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "knowing that you were ransomed...with the precious blood of Christ..." | Redemption secured by Christ's blood. |
| Rev 1:5 | "and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness...and who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood..." | Cleansing and freedom from sin 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 speaking a superior message. |
Leviticus 5 verses
Leviticus 5 9 Meaning
Leviticus 5:9 describes the prescribed ritual for handling the blood of the sin offering for an individual's unintentional sin. It instructs the officiating priest to sprinkle a portion of the sacrificial animal's blood on the side of the altar of burnt offering. The remaining blood is then to be thoroughly drained out at the altar's base. This two-fold action with the blood—application and drainage—emphasizes the atonement for the sin and the purification of both the worshiper and the sanctuary, reaffirming the offering's specific purpose as a "sin offering."
Leviticus 5 9 Context
Leviticus 5 forms a crucial part of the Laws of Sacrifice (Leviticus chapters 1-7). Specifically, Leviticus 5 addresses a category of "trespass or sin for which he is answerable" (unintentional sins, or those discovered later), requiring a sin offering. These include cases such as failing to testify as a witness, touching an unclean thing unknowingly, making a rash vow, or deceiving in a transaction (though the latter cases often combine with a guilt offering in later verses). Verses 7-10 detail the offering for those who cannot afford a lamb, allowing for two turtledoves or two pigeons. Leviticus 5:9 is precisely the instruction for the blood of the sin offering in this context, specifically regarding one of the birds offered for sin. Historically, these meticulous laws established the sacrificial system in ancient Israel as central to their covenant relationship with God, maintaining the purity of the tabernacle/temple and the people's standing before a holy God.
Leviticus 5 9 Word analysis
And he shall sprinkle: (וְהִזָּה - ve-hizzah). From the verb nazah (נָזָה), meaning "to sprinkle" or "to spatter." This is a precise ritual act, signifying purification and transference. It implies a directed application, not merely pouring.
some of the blood: The Hebrew word (מִן - min, "from, of") preceding "blood" indicates a portion rather than the entirety, distinguishing it from the remaining blood to be drained. Blood is the medium of atonement and represents life itself.
of the sin offering: (הַחַטָּאת - ha-khaṭṭa't). Khaṭṭa't denotes an offering for sin, impurity, or purification. Its primary purpose is to cleanse ritual defilement and make atonement for unintentional offenses, thereby restoring fellowship.
on the side: (עַל קִיר - 'al qir). Qir refers to a "wall" or "side." This is the external part of the altar of burnt offering in the Tabernacle courtyard. It differs from applying blood to the horns of the altar, which was for more grievous or corporate sins (e.g., Lev 4:7, 18).
of the altar: (הַמִּזְבֵּחַ - ha-mizbeakh). This is the bronze altar for burnt offerings in the courtyard, where most sacrifices were offered. It served as the central point for mediating between God and man through sacrifice.
and the rest: The remaining blood, after the portion for sprinkling has been used. This shows all the blood (life) is consecrated.
of the blood: Reiteration for emphasis on the same substance, handled differently.
shall be drained out: (יִמָּצֵה - yimaṣṣeh). From the verb maṣaṣ (מָצַץ), "to squeeze," "to press out," or "to drain thoroughly." This suggests a complete extraction and disposal of the remaining blood, signifying that the life given in atonement is fully surrendered.
at the base: (אֶל יְסוֹד - el yesod). Yesod means "foundation" or "base." This refers to the lowest part of the altar structure. The draining of blood here often symbolizes the disposal of the effects of sin, conceptually flowing away.
it is a sin offering: (חַטָּאת הִיא - khaṭṭa't hi'). A declarative statement affirming the nature and purpose of the sacrifice. It ensures no confusion about its function for expiation and purification.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "sprinkle some of the blood...on the side of the altar, and the rest...shall be drained out at the base of the altar": This distinction in handling the blood highlights its multi-faceted ritual significance. Sprinkling on the altar's side indicates the transfer of the sin's defilement onto the sacred object, thereby cleansing both the offerer and the defiled sanctuary. Draining at the base represents the full yielding of life for atonement and the thorough disposal of sin's residue from the holy area. The specific locations (side vs. base) indicate particular aspects of purification and propitiation for various levels of sin or different components of the sin offering ritual.
- "it is a sin offering": This concluding phrase emphatically defines the nature and purpose of the blood ritual just described. It underlines that these precise actions are indispensable for the specific expiation and purification provided by the khaṭṭa't, reinforcing its atoning function before God.
Leviticus 5 9 Bonus section
The specific method of blood disposal, including sprinkling and draining, distinguishes different types of offerings and the severity of sins. While the "horns of the altar" were associated with high priest or community sins, the "side" and "base" as seen here were typical for individual sin offerings of lesser gravity or for the common person's unwitting sin. The precision of these instructions emphasizes God's perfect justice and His ordained pathway for humanity to approach His holiness, even in sin. These Old Testament sacrifices, including the detailed blood rites, vividly foreshadowed the shedding of Christ's blood—a perfect, complete, and unrepeatable sacrifice that cleanses believers eternally from all sin, reconciling them to God and removing the stain that animal sacrifices could only temporarily cover (Heb 9:11-14; 10:1-18).
Leviticus 5 9 Commentary
Leviticus 5:9 meticulously details the solemn disposal of the atoning blood for unintentional sins, particularly from the bird offerings described immediately prior. The twin actions—sprinkling on the altar's side and draining at its base—are crucial. Sprinkling on the altar denotes the ritual purification and the transference of sin's defilement, requiring the very instrument of divine interaction (the altar) to bear the impact of sin for the sake of cleansing. It signifies the cleansing of God's sanctuary, which is defiled by the sins of the people. Draining the remaining blood at the base represents the complete surrender of the animal's life and the symbolic pouring out of sin's defilement away from the holy space. This complete dedication and meticulous handling underscore the sanctity of life, the gravity of sin (even unintentional), and God's demand for thorough atonement. While animal sacrifices could not ultimately take away sin, they served as temporary coverings and powerful teaching tools, illustrating the essential principle that sin requires a life to be given, and that cleansing before a holy God is a costly, specific process. This practice ultimately points to the superior, eternal atonement wrought by Jesus Christ, whose own blood was truly poured out (Matt 26:28) and applied (Heb 12:24) once for all for the perfect remission of sins, fulfilling all the shadows of the Old Covenant rituals.