Sacrifices for Sin
(Leviticus 6.24-30)1 The Lord told Moses 2 to say to the community of Israel:
Offer a sacrifice to ask forgiveness when you sin by accidentally doing something I have told you not to do.
When the High Priest Sins
The Lord said:
3 When the high priest sins, he makes everyone else guilty too. And so, he must sacrifice a young bull that has nothing wrong with it. 4 The priest will lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent, lay his hand on its head, and kill it there. 5 He will take a bowl of the blood inside the tent, 6 dip a finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times toward the sacred chest behind the curtain. 7 Then, in my presence, he will smear some of the blood on each of the four corners of the incense altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the bronze altar near the entrance to the tent.
8-10 The priest will remove the fat from the bull, just as he does when he sacrifices a bull to ask my blessing. This includes the fat on the insides, as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. He will then send it all up in smoke.
11-12 The skin and flesh of the bull, together with its legs, insides, and the food still in its stomach, are to be taken outside the camp and burned on a wood fire near the ash heap.
When the Whole Nation Sins
The Lord said:
13 When the nation of Israel disobeys me without meaning to, the whole nation is still guilty. 14 Once you realize what has happened, you must sacrifice a young bull to ask my forgiveness. Lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent, 15 where your tribal leaders will lay their hands on its head, before having it killed in my presence.
16 The priest will take a bowl of the animal's blood inside the sacred tent, 17 dip a finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times toward the sacred chest behind the curtain. 18 Then, in my presence, he must smear some of the blood on each of the four corners of the incense altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the bronze altar near the entrance to the tent. 19-21 After this, the priest will remove the fat from the bull and send it up in smoke on the altar. Finally, he will burn its remains outside the camp, just as he did with the other bull. By this sacrifice the sin of the whole nation will be forgiven.
When a Tribal Leader Sins
The Lord God said:
22 Any tribal leader who disobeys me without knowing it is still guilty. 23 As soon as the leader realizes what has happened, he must sacrifice a goat that has nothing wrong with it. 24 This is a sacrifice for sin. So he will lay his hand on the animal's head, before having it killed in my presence at the north side of the bronze altar. 25 The priest will dip a finger in the blood, smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar, and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar. 26 Then he must send all of the fat up in smoke, just as he does when a sacrifice is offered to ask my blessing. By this sacrifice the leader's sin will be forgiven.
When Ordinary People Sin
The Lord said:
27 When any of you ordinary people disobey me without meaning to, you are still guilty. 28 As soon as you realize what you have done, you must sacrifice a female goat that has nothing wrong with it. 29 Lead the goat to the north side of the bronze altar and lay your hand on its head, before having it killed. 30 Then a priest will dip a finger in the blood; he will smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar. 31 After this, the priest will remove all of the fat, just as he does when an animal is sacrificed to ask my blessing. The priest will then send the fat up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. This animal is sacrificed so that I will forgive you ordinary people when you sin.
32 If you offer a lamb instead of a goat as a sacrifice for sin, it must be a female that has nothing wrong with it. 33 Lead the lamb to the altar and lay your hand on its head, before having it killed. 34 The priest will dip a finger in the blood, smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar, and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar. 35 After this, all of the fat must be removed, just as when an animal is sacrificed to ask my blessing. Then the priest will send it up in smoke to me, together with a food offering, and your sin will be forgiven.
1 Moreouer the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 2 Speake vnto the children of Israel, saying, If any shall sinne through ignorance, in any of the commandementes of the Lord, (which ought not to be done) but shall doe contrary to any of them, 3 If the Priest that is anointed doe sinne (according to the sinne of the people) then shall he offer, for his sinne which hee hath sinned, a yong bullocke without blemish vnto the Lord for a sinne offring, 4 And hee shall bring the bullocke vnto the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Lord, and shall put his hande vpon the bullocks head, and kill the bullocke before the Lord. 5 And the Priest that is anointed shall take of the bullocks blood, and bring it into the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 6 Then the Priest shall dippe his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seuen times before the Lord, before the vaile of the Sanctuarie. 7 The Priest also shall put some of the blood before the Lord, vpon the hornes of the altar of sweete incense, which is in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, then shall hee powre all the rest of the blood of the bullocke at the foote of the altar of burnt offring, which is at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 8 And hee shall take away all the fat of the bullocke for the sinne offring: to wit, the fat that couereth the inwardes, and all the fatte that is about the inwardes. 9 He shall take away also the two kidneis, and the fat that is vpon them, and vpon the flankes, and the kall vpon the liuer with the kidneis, 10 As it was taken away from the bullock of the peace offrings, and the Priest shall burne them vpon the altar of burnt offring. 11 But the skinne of the bullocke, and all his flesh, with his heade, and his legs, and his inwardes, and his dung shall he beare out. 12 So he shall cary the whole bullocke out of the host vnto a cleane place, where the ashes are powred, and shall burne him on ye wood in the fire: where ye ashes are cast out, shall he be burnt. 13 And if the whole Congregation of Israel shall sinne through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the multitude, and haue done against any of the commandements of the Lord which should not be done, and haue offended: 14 When the sinne which they haue committed shalbe knowen, then the Congregation shall offer a yong bullocke for the sinne, and bring him before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 15 And the Elders of the Congregation shall put their handes vpon the head of the bullocke before the Lord, and he shall kill the bullocke before the Lord. 16 Then the Priest that is anointed, shall bring of the bullockes blood into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 17 And the Priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seuen times before the Lord, euen before the vaile. 18 Also he shall put some of ye blood vpon the hornes of the altar, which is before the Lord, that is in the Tabernacle of the Congregation: then shall he powre all the rest, of the blood at ye foote of the altar of burnt offring, which is at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burne it vpon the altar. 20 And the Priest shall doe with this bullocke, as he did with the bullocke for his sinne: so shall he do with this: so the Priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shalbe forgiuen them. 21 For he shall carie the bullocke without the hoste, and burne him as he burned the first bullock: for it is an offring for the sinne of the Congregation. 22 When a ruler shall sinne, and do through ignorance against any of the commandements of the Lord his God, which should not be done, and shall offend, 23 If one shewe vnto him his sinne, which he hath committed, the shall he bring for his offring an hee goat without blemish, 24 And shall lay his hand vpon the heade of the he goate, and kill it in the place where he should kill the burnt offring before the Lord: for it is a sinne offring. 25 Then the Priest shall take of the blood of the sinne offring with his finger, and put it vpon the hornes of the burnt offring altar, and shall powre the rest of his blood at the foote of the burnt offring altar, 26 And shall burne all his fat vpon the altar, as the fat of the peace offring: so the Priest shall make an atonement for him, concerning his sinne, and it shalbe forgiuen him. 27 Likewise if any of the people of ye lande shall sinne through ignoraunce in doing against any of the commandements of the Lord, which should not be done, and shall offend, 28 If one shewe him his sinne which he hath committed, then he shall bring for his offring, a shee goate without blemish for his sinne which he hath committed, 29 And he shall lay his hand vpon the head of the sinne offring, and slay the sinne offring in the place of burnt offring. 30 Then the Priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it vpon the hornes of the burnt offring altar, and powre all the rest of the blood thereof at the foote of the altar, 31 And shall take away all his fat, as the fat of the peace offringes is taken away, and the Priest shall burne it vpon the altar for a sweete sauour vnto the Lord, and the Priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shalbe forgiuen him. 32 And if he bring a lambe for his sinne offring, he shall bring a female without blemish, 33 And shall lay his hand vpon the head of the sinne offring, and hee shall slay it for a sinne offring in the place where hee shoulde kill the burnt offring. 34 Then the Priest shall take of the blood of the sinne offring with his finger, and put it vpon the hornes of the burnt offring altar, and shall powre al the rest of the blood thereof at the foote of the altar. 35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fatte of the lambe of the peace offrings is taken away: then the Priest shall burne it vpon the altar with the oblations of the Lord made by fire, and the Priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sinne that he hath committed, and it shalbe forgiuen him.