Leviticus 4:31

4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

KJV

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All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet smell to the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

4:32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.

What does Leviticus 4:31 mean?

Leviticus 4:31 is a verse in the book of Leviticus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include סוּר (çûwr), חֶלֶב (cheleb), זֶבַח (zebach). It connects to 33 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

shall

take

awayסוּרçûwr/soor/H5493to turn off (literal or figurative)

all

the

fatחֶלֶבcheleb/kheh'-leb/H2459fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part

thereof,

the

fatחֶלֶבcheleb/kheh'-leb/H2459fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part

taken

awayסוּרçûwr/soor/H5493to turn off (literal or figurative)

from

off

the

sacrificeזֶבַחzebach/zeh'-bakh/H2077properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)

peace

offerings;שֶׁלֶםshelem/sheh'-lem/H8002properly, requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks

and

the

priestכֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/H3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

shall

burnקָטַרqâṭar/kaw-tar'/H6999to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)

upon

the

altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach/miz-bay'-akh/H4196an altar

for

sweetנִיחוֹחַnîychôwach/nee-kho'-akh/H5207properly, restful, i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delight

savourרֵיחַrêyach/ray'-akh/H7381odor (as if blown)

unto

the

LORD;יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

and

the

priestכֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/H3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

shall

make

atonementכָּפַרkâphar/kaw-far'/H3722to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel

for

him,

and

shall

forgivenסָלַחçâlach/saw-lakh'/H5545to forgive

him.

Commentary on Leviticus 4:31

HENRY_FULL · Leviticus 4:27–35

27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord ; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. 32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. 33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: 35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord : and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him. I. Here is the law of the sin-offering for a common person, which differs from that for a ruler only in this, that a private person might bring either a kid or a lamb, a ruler only a kid; and that for a ruler must be a male, for the other a female: in all the circumstances of the management of the offering they agreed. Observe, 1. The case supposed: If any one of the common people sin through ignorance, v. 27 . The prophet supposes that they were not so likely as the great men to know the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God ( Jer. v. 4 ), and yet, if they sin through ignorance, they must bring a sin-offering. Note, Even sins of ignorance need to be atoned for by sacrifice. To be able to plead, when we are charged with sin, that we did it ignorantly, and through the surprise of temptation, will not bring us off if we be not interested in that great plea, Christ hath died, and entitled to the benefit of that. We have all need to pray with David (and he was a ruler) to be cleansed from secret faults, the errors which we ourselves do not understand or are not aware of, Ps. xix. 12 . 2. That the sins of ignorance committed by a single person, a common obscure person, did require a sacrifice; for, as the greatest are not above the censure, so the meanest are not below the cognizance of the divine justice. None of the common people, if offenders, were overlooked in a crowd. 3. That a sin-offering was not only admitted, but accepted, even from one of the common people, and an atonement made by it, v. 31 , 35 . Here rich and poor, prince and peasant, meet together; they are both alike welcome to Christ, and to an interest in his sacrifice, upon the same terms. See Job xxxiv. 19 . II. From all these laws concerning the sin-offerings we may learn, 1. To hate sin, and to watch against it. That is certainly a very bad thing to make atonement for which so many innocent and useful creatures must be slain and mangled thus. 2. To value Christ, the great and true sin-offering, whose blood cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away. Now, if any man sin, Christ is the propitiation ( 1 John ii. 1, 2 ), not for Jews only, but for Gentiles. And perhaps there was some allusion to this law concerning sacrifices for sins of ignorance in that prayer of Christ's, just when he was offering up himself a sacrifice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 29:18

And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Leviticus 1:9

But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leviticus 1:13

But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leviticus 1:17

And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leviticus 3:3

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, fat: or, suet

Leviticus 3:5

And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leviticus 3:9

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

Leviticus 3:14

And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

Leviticus 4:8

And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

Leviticus 4:19

And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.

Leviticus 4:26

And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 4:35

And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 8:21

And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Ezra 6:10

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. of sweet: Chaldee, of rest

Job 42:8

Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. him: Heb. his face, or, person

Psalms 40:6

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. opened: Heb. digged

Psalms 40:7

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Isaiah 42:21

The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. it: or, him

Isaiah 53:10 Matthew 3:17 Ephesians 5:2 Hebrews 1:3 Hebrews 9:12 Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 9:15 Hebrews 10:12 Hebrews 10:14 1 Peter 2:4 1 Peter 2:5 1 John 1:7 1 John 4:9 1 John 4:10 Revelation 5:9

Topics

Atonement Atonement, Under the Law Ignorance Offerings Sacrifices Sin Offering

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Leviticus 4:31.

Leviticus 4:35

Leviticus 3:16

And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD'S.

Leviticus 3:9

Leviticus 4:10

As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:26

And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

Exodus 29:13

And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. the caul: it seemeth by anatomy, and the Hebrew doctors, to be the midriff

Exodus 29:18

And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Exodus 29:25

And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Frequently asked questions

What does Leviticus 4:31 say?

Leviticus 4:31 (King James Version) reads: "And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him."

Is Leviticus 4:31 in the Old or New Testament?

Leviticus 4:31 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Leviticus.

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