God’s Word Translation
Leviticus 4:23
23When he is told about what he has done wrong, he must bring a male goat that has no defects as his offering.
Leviticus 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
- New International Version (NIV)and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect.
- English Standard Version (ESV)or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish,
- New King James Version (NKJV)or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.
Context of Leviticus 4:23
21Then he will take the bull outside the camp and will burn it the same way he burned the first bull. It is an offering for sin for the community. 22“When a leader unintentionally does something wrong—even one thing that is forbidden by any of the commands of the Lord his God—he will be guilty. When he is told about what he has done wrong, he must bring a male goat that has no defects as his offering. 24He will place his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it in the Lord’s presence where he slaughters animals for burnt offerings. It is an offering for sin. 25Then the priest will take some of the blood of the offering for sin with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour the rest of the blood at the bottom of the altar for burnt offerings.
Read all of Leviticus 4Leviticus 4:23 word by word
אֽוֹ־הוֹדַ֤ע אֵלָיו֙ חַטָּאת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖א בָּ֑הּ וְהֵבִ֧יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֛וֹ שְׂעִ֥יר עִזִּ֖ים זָכָ֥ר תָּמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Or if his sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- wherein he hath sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- come to his knowledgeיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- he shall bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- his offeringקׇרְבָּןqorbân qûrbân · offeringH7133
- a kidשָׂעִירώâ‛îyr ώâ‛ir · he-goatH8163
- of the goatsעֵז‛êz · goatH5795
- a maleזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
- without blemishתָּמִיםtâmîym · unblemishedH8549
Cross-references for Leviticus 4:23
- Leviticus 4:14When 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.
- Leviticus 5:4“If you hastily take a vow about what you will or will not do (as some people do) and then ignore it (although you know what you said), you will be guilty.
- 2 Kings 22:10Then the scribe Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it to the king.
- Leviticus 9:3Also tell the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat as an offering for sin, a calf and a lamb (each one year old and without defects) as a burnt offering,
- Leviticus 23:19Also sacrifice one male goat as an offering for sin and two one-year-old lambs as a fellowship offering.
- Numbers 7:16a male goat as an offering for sin;
- 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.
- Numbers 28:15In addition to the daily burnt offering with its wine offering, one male goat must be offered to the Lord as an offering for sin.
- Numbers 29:5Also bring one male goat as an offering for sin to make peace with the Lord.
- Romans 8:3It is impossible to do what God’s standards demand because of the weakness our human nature has. But God sent his Son to have a human nature as sinners have and to pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature.
Commentaries on Leviticus 4:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Or if his sin - Rather, And if his sin. Come to his knowledge - i. e. when he had become conscious of his sin. A kid of the goats - A shaggy he-goat, in distinction from a smooth-haired he-goat. It was the regular sin-offering at the yearly festivals Leviticus 16:9, Leviticus 16:15; Numbers 28:15, Numbers 28:22, Numbers 28:30, and at the consecration of the priests Leviticus 9:3; while the smooth-haired goat appears to have been generally offered for the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-26Verses 22-26 Those who have power to call others to account, are themselves accountable to the Ruler of rulers. The sin of the ruler, committed through ignorance, must come to his knowledge, either by the check of his own conscience, or by the reproof of his friends; both which even the best and greatest, not only should submit to, but be thankful for. That which I see not, teach thou me, and, Show me wherein I have erred, are prayers we should put up to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The male goat offered by a leader from the common people was less than the priest's required offering. A priest must offer a bull. But the leader must offer more than a common person's requirement (see Leviticus 4:28, 32). Yet, like all offerings for atonement, the animal could not have any defects (see 1:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2622-26. When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments--Whatever was the form of government, the king, judge, or subordinate, was the party concerned in this law. The trespass of such a civil functionary being less serious in its character and consequences than that either of the high priest or the congregation, a sin offering of inferior value was required--"a kid of the goats"; and neither was the blood…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 4:23
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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