Leviticus 4:27-35

Is forgiveness also provided for an ordinary Israelite?

Berean Standard Bible

27 And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt. 28 When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for that sin. 29 He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 30 Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, 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. 31 Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. 32 If, however, he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he must bring an unblemished female. 33 And he is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 34 Then the priest is to 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 out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 35 And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

What is the context?

The final cases concern a common person who becomes aware of an unintentional violation. An unblemished female goat or lamb is brought, with hand placement, slaughter, blood on the outer altar’s horns, and the burning of the fat.

Each form ends in the promise of forgiveness through atonement. The change of animal does not make the ordinary person’s wrongdoing unreal or place forgiveness beyond reach. The next chapter will name particular cases and further provisions for people with fewer resources.

How is this passage commonly understood?

The USCCB notes read this as the last category in the chapter’s ordered cases. The blood remains at the outer altar, unlike the priest’s and congregation’s cases. The shared promise of forgiveness stands beside those differences; neither social status nor animal sex establishes a different human worth before God.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

No deeper study linked yet.

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