God’s Word Translation
Leviticus 4:2
2“Tell the Israelites: If a person unintentionally does something wrong—even one thing that is forbidden by any of the Lord’s commands—this is what he must do.
Leviticus 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
- New International Version (NIV)“Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands—
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord's commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them,
Context of Leviticus 4:2
1The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: If a person unintentionally does something wrong—even one thing that is forbidden by any of the Lord’s commands—this is what he must do. 3“If the anointed priest does something wrong and brings guilt on the people, he must bring a bull that has no defects as an offering for sin to the Lord. 4He must bring the bull into the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He will place his hand on the bull’s head. He will then slaughter the bull in the Lord’s presence.
Read all of Leviticus 4Leviticus 4:2 word by word
דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל לֵאמֹר֒ נֶ֗פֶשׁ כִּֽי־תֶחֱטָ֤א בִשְׁגָגָה֙ מִכֹּל֙ מִצְוֹ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֣א תֵעָשֶׂ֑ינָה וְעָשָׂ֕ה מֵאַחַ֖ת מֵהֵֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- If a soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: personH5315
- shall sinחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- through ignoranceשְׁגָגָהshegâgâh · sin of errorH7684
- against any of the commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- which ought not to be doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- against anyאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of themהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
Cross-references for Leviticus 4:2
- Leviticus 5:15“If any of you fail to do your duty by unintentionally doing something wrong with any of the Lord’s holy things, bring a guilt offering to the Lord. It must be a ram that has no defects or its value in silver weighed according to the official standards of the holy place.
- Numbers 15:22“Suppose you unintentionally do something wrong by not obeying all these commands the Lord gave Moses.
- Deuteronomy 19:4A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life.
- 1 Samuel 14:27Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father forced the troops to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth, his eyes lit up.
- Psalms 19:12Who can notice every mistake? Forgive my hidden faults.
- 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 5:2The chief priest can be gentle with people who are ignorant and easily deceived, because he also has weaknesses.
- Hebrews 9:7But only the chief priest went into the second part of the tent. Once a year he entered and brought blood that he offered for himself and for the things that the people did wrong unintentionally.
- Leviticus 4:27“If a common person unintentionally does something wrong—even one thing forbidden by the Lord’s commands—he will be guilty.
- Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldn’t have done this to me.”
- James 3:10Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen!
Commentaries on Leviticus 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2If a soul shall sin through ignorance - That is, if any man shall do what God has forbidden, or leave undone what God has commanded, through ignorance of the law relative to these points; as soon as the transgression or omission comes to his knowledge, he shall offer the sacrifice here prescribed, and shall not suppose that his ignorance is an excuse for his sin. He who, when his iniquity comes to his knowledge, refuses to offer such a sacrifice, sins…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-35The sin offering is called khatta’t in Hebrew, from the root khata’. It means "to lack, fall short, miss, fail." The people made this offering when they unintentionally violated specific commands of God (see also Numbers 15:22–29). The purpose of this offering was to repair a loss or fix a failure (for example, Leviticus 5:1–4). Although all Christians sin, God will forgive us if we confess them (Galatians 6:1; 1 John 1:8–9). Yet, the Scripture warns…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2Le 4:1, 2. Sin Offering of Ignorance. 2. If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord--a soul--an individual. All sins may be considered, in a certain sense, as committed "through ignorance," error, or misapprehension of one's true interests. The sins, however, referred to in this law were unintentional violations of the ceremonial laws,--breaches made through haste, or inadvertency of some negative precepts, which, if…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 4:2
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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