Sacrifices for Unintentional Sins

4 Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael, saying: If anyone sins unintentionally in any of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, and commits any one of them ³ —or if the anointed kohen sins so as to bring guilt on the people—then let him offer for his sin which he has committed, a young bull without blemish to Adonai for a sin offering. ⁴ He is to bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before Adonai, lay his hand on the head of the bull, and slaughter it before Adonai. ⁵ The anointed kohen should take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ The kohen is to dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Adonai, before the curtain of the Sanctuary. ⁷ The kohen should put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Adonai, which is in the Tent of Meeting, and he is to pour out all of rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ⁸ He is to take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering off of it, the fat that covers the innards, all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁹ the two kidneys and the fat that is over them which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys, ¹⁰ just as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. The kohen should burn them up as smoke on the altar of burnt offering. ¹¹ The bull’s hide, all its flesh, with its head, along with its legs, its innards and its dung— ¹² the entire bull—he is to carry outside the camp to a clean place, where the fat ashes are poured out, and burn it over wood in the fire. It is to be burned on top of the place of pouring fat ashes.

¹³ “Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins, but the deed is hidden from the eyes of the community, yet they have done one of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, then they are guilty. ¹⁴ When the sin that they committed becomes known, then the community is to offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁵ The elders of the congregation are to lay their hands on the head of the bull before Adonai, and the bull is to be slaughtered before Adonai. ¹⁶ The anointed kohen should bring some of the blood from the bull to the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁷ Then the kohen is to dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Adonai, before the curtain. ¹⁸ He is to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before Adonai, in the Tent of Meeting, and the rest of the blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁹ He is to take all its fat from it, and burn it up as smoke on the altar. ²⁰ He is also to do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering—he must do the same with it. So the kohen shall make atonement for them—and they will be forgiven. ²¹ Then he is to carry the bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the community.

²² “When a ruler sins and unwittingly does one of the mitzvot of Adonai his God that are not to be done, then he is guilty. ²³ When his sin that he committed is made known to him, he is to bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish. ²⁴ He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering before Adonai. It is a sin offering. ²⁵ The kohen should take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He is to pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. ²⁶ He is to burn all its fat on the altar, just like the fat of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. So the kohen shall make atonement for him concerning his sin—and he will be forgiven.

²⁷ “When anyone of the common people sins unwittingly by doing one of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, then he is guilty. ²⁸ When his sin that he committed is made known to him, then he is to bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin that he committed. ²⁹ He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and then slaughter it at the place of burnt offering. ³⁰ The kohen is to take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He is to pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ He is to take away all its fat, just like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. And the kohen should burn it on the altar for a soothing aroma to Adonai. So the kohen is to make atonement for him—and he will be forgiven.

Sin Offerings

³² “Now if he brings a lamb as his sacrifice for a sin offering, he is to bring a female without blemish. ³³ He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where they slaughter the burnt offering. ³⁴ The kohen should take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. Then all the rest of its blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar. ³⁵ He must remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. Then the kohen is to burn them on the altar, on Adonai’s offerings by fire. So the kohen shall make atonement for him over the sin that he committed—and he will be forgiven.