God’s Word Translation
Leviticus 4:13
13“If the whole congregation of Israel unintentionally does something wrong, without the assembly being aware of it, if they do even one thing that is forbidden by any of the Lord’s commands, they will be guilty.
Leviticus 4:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt,
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which should not be done, and are guilty;
Context of Leviticus 4:13
11Then he will take the entire bull (the skin, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and excrement) 12to a clean place outside the camp where the ashes are dumped. He will burn it there on a wood fire. “If the whole congregation of Israel unintentionally does something wrong, without the assembly being aware of it, if they do even one thing that is forbidden by any of the Lord’s commands, they will be guilty. 14When the wrong they have done becomes known, the congregation must sacrifice a bull as an offering for sin. They must bring it in front of the tent of meeting. 15The leaders of the congregation will place their hands on the bull’s head in the Lord’s presence. One of them will slaughter it in the Lord’s presence.
Read all of Leviticus 4Leviticus 4:13 word by word
וְאִ֨ם כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִשְׁגּ֔וּ וְנֶעְלַ֣ם דָּבָ֔ר מֵעֵינֵ֖י הַקָּהָ֑ל וְ֠עָשׂוּ אַחַ֨ת מִכָּל־מִצְוֹ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֵעָשֶׂ֖ינָה וְאָשֵֽׁמוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if the whole congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sin through ignoranceשָׁגָהshâgâh · to wanderH7686
- and the thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- be hidעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
- from the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- of the assemblyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- and they have doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- anyאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of the commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and are guiltyאָשַׁם'âsham 'âshêm · be guiltyH816
Cross-references for Leviticus 4:13
- 1 Samuel 14:32So the troops seized the Philistines’ belongings. They took sheep, cows, and calves, and butchered them on the ground. The troops ate the meat with blood still in it.
- Leviticus 4:1The Lord spoke to Moses,
- Leviticus 5:2“If you touch anything unclean —the unclean dead body of a wild or tame animal or the body of an unclean, swarming creature—and then ignore what you did, you are unclean and will be guilty.
- Numbers 15:24If it was unintentional and no one else knows about it, the whole community must sacrifice a young bull as a burnt offering, a soothing aroma to the Lord, along with the proper grain and wine offerings, and a male goat as an offering for sin.
- Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned. They have ignored the requirements that I have placed on them. They have taken what I claimed for myself and put it among their own goods. They have not only stolen, but they have also lied.
- 1 Timothy 1:13In the past I cursed him, persecuted him, and acted arrogantly toward him. However, I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief.
- Hebrews 10:26If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins.
- Leviticus 6:4you are sinning and will be guilty. Return what you stole or seized, what you were supposed to take care of, the lost item you found,
- Ezra 10:19They shook hands as a pledge that they would get rid of their wives. They sacrificed a ram from their flock as an offering for guilt because they were guilty.
- Hosea 5:15I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty. Then they will search for me. In their distress they will eagerly look for me.”
- 1 Corinthians 11:27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks from the Lord’s cup in an improper way will be held responsible for the Lord’s body and blood.
Commentaries on Leviticus 4:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13If the whole congregation of Israel sin - This probably refers to some oversight in acts of religious worship, or to some transgression of the letter of the law, which arose out of the peculiar circumstances in which they were then found, such as the case mentioned 1 Samuel 14:32, etc., where the people, through their long and excessive fatigue in their combat with the Philistines, being faint, flew on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slew…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Congregation assembly - Each of the Hebrew words signifies the people in a collected body. It does not appear that there is any difference between them in the connection in which they are here used.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-21Verses 13-21 If the leaders of the people, through mistake, caused them to err, an offering must be brought, that wrath might not come upon the whole congregation. When sacrifices were offered, the persons, on whose behalf they were devoted, were to lay their hands on the heads of the victims, and to confess their sins. The elders were to do so, when the sacrifices were offered for the whole congregation. The load of sin was supposed then to be borne by…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-21These verses describe two types of sin offerings: The offering for the sin of the high priest (Leviticus 4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13). The offering for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any common person (4:27). The first type required a bull, a large and expensive animal. It was not eaten (6:30) but completely burned (4:12, 21). The priests presented some of its blood in the Holy Place (4:6–7, 17–18). The second type required a…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2113-21. if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance--In consequence of some culpable neglect or misapprehension of the law, the people might contract national guilt, and then national expiation was necessary. The same sacrifice was to be offered as in the former case, but with this difference in the ceremonial, that the elders or heads of the tribes, as representing the people and being the principal aggressors in misleading the congregation…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 4:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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