Leviticus 4:27-35 · Bible study
Leviticus 4:27-35 Commentary: Sin Offering for the Common People
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why a female goat or lamb for the common Israelite? Study the ritual, theology of atonement, and what this reveals about God's provision for unintentional sins.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Atonement for unintentional sins of ordinary Israelites through a female goat or lamb.
- Key words: Am ha'arets, common people; shegagah, unwittingly; samakh, lay on hand; kipper, make atonement; temimah, without defect.
- Main debate: Whether these sacrifices actually removed guilt or only prefigured Christ; whether the graded scale implies varying degrees of sin.
- Theological theme: God provides accessible atonement for all; sin needs to be dealt with even when unintended; substitutionary sacrifice as the basis of forgiveness.
- Best use: Teaching the theology of atonement in the Pentateuch and its fulfillment in the New Covenant.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
27And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt.
28When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for that sin.
29He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.
30Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
31Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
32If, however, he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he must bring an unblemished female.
33And he is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.
34Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
35And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the offerings made by fire to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
WEB World English Bible 2000
27“‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty,
28if his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has sinned.
29He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering.
30The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.
31All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from 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.
32“‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without defect.
33He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
34The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.
35He shall remove all its fat, like the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.
KJV King James Version 1769
27And 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;
28Or 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.
29And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
30And 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.
31And 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.
32And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33And 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.
34And 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:
35And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
27And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty;
28if his sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of burnt-offering.
30And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.
31And all the fat thereof shall he take away, 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 savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32And if he bring a lamb as his oblation for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt-offering.
34And 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 all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.
35And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
27`And if any person of the people of the land sin through ignorance, by his doing something against one of the commands of Jehovah regarding things which are not to be done, and hath been guilty--
28or his sin which he hath sinned hath been made known unto him, then he hath brought in his offering, a kid of the goats, a perfect one, a female, for his sin which he hath sinned,
29and he hath laid his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and hath slaughtered the sin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering.
30`And the priest hath taken of its blood with his finger, and hath put on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and all its blood he doth pour out at the foundation of the altar,
31and all its fat he doth turn aside, as the fat hath been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made perfume on the altar, for sweet fragrance to Jehovah; and the priest hath made atonement for him, and it hath been forgiven him.
32`And if he bring in a sheep for his offering, for a sin-offering, a female, a perfect one, he doth bring in,
33and he hath laid his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and hath slaughtered it for a sin-offering in the place where he slaughtereth the burnt-offering.
34`And the priest hath taken of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and hath put on the horns of the altar of the burnt-offering, and all its blood he poureth out at the foundation of the altar,
35and all its fat he turneth aside, as the fat of the sheep is turned aside from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar, according to the fire-offerings of Jehovah, and the priest hath made atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned, and it hath been forgiven him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
27And if any one of the people of the land sin through inadvertence, that he do [somewhat against] any of the commandments of Jehovah [in things] which should not be done, and be guilty;
28if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering, a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and slaughter the sin-offering at the place of the burnt-offering.
30And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put [it] on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
31And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, for a sweet odour to Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32And if he bring a sheep for his offering for sin, a female without blemish shall he bring it.
33And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and slaughter it for a sin-offering at the place where they slaughter the burnt-offering.
34And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put [it] on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
35And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, with Jehovah's offerings by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
27And if any one of the people of the land shall sin through ignorance, doing any of those things that by the law of the Lord are forbidden, and offending,
28And shall come to know his sin: he shall offer a she goat without blemish.
29And he shall put his hand upon the head of the victim that is for sin: and shall immolate it in the place of the holocaust.
30And the priest shall take of the blood with his finger, and shall touch the horns of the altar of holocaust: and shall pour out the rest at the foot thereof.
31But taking off all the fat, as is wont to be taken away of the victims of peace offerings, he shall burn it upon the altar, for a sweet savour to the Lord: and he shall pray for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32But if he offer of the flock a victim for his sin, to wit, an ewe without blemish:
33He shall put his hand upon the head thereof, and shall immolate it in the place where the victims of holocausts are wont to be slain.
34And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and shall touch the horns of the altar of holocaust: and the rest he shall pour out at the foot thereof.
35All the fat also he shall take off, as the fat of the ram that is offered for peace offerings is wont to be taken away: and shall burn it upon the altar, for a burnt sacrifice of the Lord. And he shall pray for him and his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 4:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Leviticus 4:27-35 provides for the ordinary Israelite, the am ha'arets, “people of the land”, who sins unintentionally. The offering is a female goat or a lamb, both without defect. Barnes notes that the female animal is less valuable than the male required from a ruler, making the sacrifice economically accessible. The ritual mirrors that of the ruler (vv. 22-26): the sinner lays a hand on the victim’s head, identifying with it (Gill calls this a transfer of sin), then slaughters it. The priest applies blood to the horns of the bronze altar of burnt offering, pours the rest at its base, and burns the fat on the altar as a “soothing aroma” to Yahweh. The result: “the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven” (v. 31). Clarke sees in this a type of Christ, “whose soul was made an offering for sin” (Isaiah 53:10). The passage shows that atonement was available to every Israelite, though the scale of the sacrifice reflected the person’s standing and the limited effect of the sin on the sanctuary.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God provided an accessible sacrifice for unintentional sins of ordinary Israelites, and when the ritual was completed, the priest declared the sinner forgiven.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of ‘atonement’ (kipper) in this context | Atonement covers the sin and restores the person's standing before God, resulting in forgiveness. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) see it as a type that points forward to Christ's unique sacrifice; others (e.g., Catholic) affirm that the Old Testament sacrifices truly atoned when offered in faith, though imperfectly. |
| Why a female offering for the common person | The female animal is less valuable than the male required for a ruler, reflecting economic reality. | Some commentators (Wesley, Barnes) also see a theological grading: the ruler's sin had greater social effect, so a costlier offering was required. Others focus solely on the financial accessibility. |
| Effectiveness of the ritual for forgiveness | God promised forgiveness when the ritual was performed obediently (vv. 31, 35). | Disagreement exists over whether forgiveness was automatic upon sacrifice or depended on the sinner's repentance and faith, which the laying on of hands may have expressed. |
| The ‘people of the land’ and inclusion | The term designates non-leaders, ordinary Israelites. | Some ancient traditions (e.g., rabbinic) sometimes used ‘am ha'arets pejoratively for the uneducated; modern scholars generally see it as a neutral social designation in Leviticus. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The phrase translated “common people” is literally “one soul from the people of the land” (nefesh me‘am ha'arets). In ancient Israel, this term designated ordinary citizens, farmers, laborers, craftsmen, as distinct from priests, Levites, and civil rulers (see Leviticus 20:2, 2 Kings 11:18). The law’s address to this group shows that the covenant applied to every member of the nation, not only its leaders.
The “unwitting” sin (shegagah) was an act committed in ignorance or by mistake, not in rebellion (Numbers 15:27-29 distinguishes it from “high-handed” sin). Once the sinner learned of the offense, they were to bring a female goat or a lamb, animals that were less expensive than a male, making the sacrifice attainable for a peasant household. The requirement that the animal be “without defect” (temimah) underscored that only a perfect substitute could stand for the guilty.
The laying on of hands (semikhah) was not a light touch but a firm leaning, symbolizing the transfer of the person’s sin and identity onto the animal. Slaughter took place at the north side of the altar of burnt offering (the same spot as the daily burnt offering), establishing a link between atonement and the regular worship of Israel. The priest’s application of blood to the altar’s horns and the burning of the fat on the altar completed the act of covering (kipper). Unlike offerings for the high priest or the whole congregation, the blood of this sin offering was not brought inside the sanctuary; the individual’s sin was not seen as defiling the holy place itself, only the altar in the court.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 4:27-35. The wording is consistent across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The only minor variation is in the order of the two offerings (goat then lamb), which is followed by all major translations without dispute.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters, such as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, read Leviticus 4 as a shadow of Christ’s perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 9:13-14, 10:1-4). The repeated phrase “the priest shall make atonement … and he will be forgiven” was seen as anticipating the once-for-all forgiveness Jesus secured. In the patristic period, theologians like Origen and Chrysostom used the graded offerings to illustrate that Christ’s work meets every human need, from the greatest to the least. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin emphasized that these sacrifices could not take away sin in themselves but taught the people to look for a better sacrifice. Modern scholarship (e.g., Jacob Milgrom) focuses on the purity-system function: the blood purifies the altar from the pollution of sin. Across these eras, the passage has consistently been understood to show God’s willingness to forgive unintentional wrongs and to provide a means of restoration for every member of the community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Sin happens even when we don’t intend it. The law covers “unwitting” offenses, actions done in ignorance or carelessness. This assures the congregation that God takes even hidden faults seriously and provides a remedy (Lev 4:27-28).
- Accessible atonement for the ordinary person. The common Israelite could bring a female goat or lamb, something within reach. God’s provision is not reserved for the wealthy or the powerful (vv. 28-32).
- Forgiveness requires identification and substitution. The sinner leans on the animal’s head, symbolically transferring sin, and the animal dies in his place. The priest mediates; God forgives (vv. 29-31, 33-35).
Five-point outline
- The condition: Unintentional sin by any ordinary Israelite, “one soul from the people of the land” (v. 27).
- The offering: A female goat or lamb, “without defect”, provision scaled to the person’s means (vv. 28, 32).
- The action of the sinner: Laying on the hand, slaughtering the victim, identification and confession (vv. 29, 33).
- The action of the priest: Blood on the altar horns, burning the fat, atonement made on behalf of the sinner (vv. 30-31, 34-35).
- The result: “The priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven”, God’s promised response (vv. 31, 35).
Illustration hooks
- A forgotten debt: Imagine accidentally causing damage that you only discover later. The law gives a path to make it right, not by your own effort but by a substitute.
- A family budget: A poor family could offer a lamb from their flock; the rich could not buy favor with a larger animal. The system levels the ground before God.
- A child’s mistake: A child breaks a neighbor’s window by accident. The parent both covers the cost and teaches responsibility. The sin offering does both.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about sins I didn’t even realize I committed?
- Why did ordinary people offer a female animal while leaders offered a male?
- How does this Old Testament sacrifice connect to Jesus’ death on the cross?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how ancient Israel dealt with unintentional sin. It confronts us with the seriousness of even unnoticed offenses and the gracious provision God made to restore relationship. As you discuss, consider how this system pointed forward to a final, perfect sacrifice.
Discussion questions
- Read Leviticus 4:27-35. What surprises you about the offering required for an ordinary person?
- The text says “if anyone of the common people sins unwittingly.” Why do you think the law makes a distinction between “common people” and rulers or priests? (See also Lev 4:3, 22.)
- What does the phrase “without defect” (v. 28) tell you about the kind of gift God accepts?
- The sinner lays a hand on the animal’s head before it is killed. What do you think this gesture communicated to the person doing it?
- After the blood is applied to the altar and the fat is burned, the priest makes atonement and the person “will be forgiven.” Does this mean the sacrifice itself earned forgiveness, or was it a means through which God granted it?
- How do these instructions prepare the people for the work of Christ? (Consider Hebrews 9:11-14 and 2 Corinthians 5:21.)
- In what ways might we still treat “accidental” sins as less serious than intentional ones? How does this passage challenge that view?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 12:49 | One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.” |
| Leviticus 4:2 | “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them, |
| Leviticus 4:13 | “‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; |
| Numbers 5:6 | “Speak to the children of Israel: ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul is guilty, |
| Numbers 15:16 | One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.’” |
| Numbers 15:27 | “‘If a person sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. |
| Numbers 15:29 | You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them. |
| Genesis 3:15 | I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that "the common people" refers specifically to the ordinary, laboring classes, not priests or rulers. He stresses that such sin offerings for ignorance were not complete in themselves; they pointed beyond themselves to Christ, whose soul was made an offering for sin, giving these rituals their true meaning and necessity.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to the graded requirements for sin offerings: common people brought a female sheep or goat, while rulers always offered a male goat. He further notes that the goat was preferred over the sheep for sin offerings, unlike peace or burnt offerings, and that no grain or drink offerings accompanied these sacrifices.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the sin-offering for a common person could be either a she-goat or a lamb, with the same ritual for both, yet the text treats them in separate paragraphs. This separation mirrors the pattern of the peace-offering. Uniquely, this is the only place where “a sweet savour” is mentioned for a sin-offering.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes emphasize that even sins committed unintentionally require a bloody sacrifice, not merely apology or intent. The detailed steps of the sin offering show that forgiveness requires a substitute: the worshipper lays hands on the animal, and the priest applies its blood to the altar, making atonement so the sin can be forgiven.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that no one is exempt from sin — high priest, ruler, or common person — and that Christ's sacrifice covers all kinds of sinners and all sins. The type and gender of the offered animal reflected the sinner's social status, and the sinner himself laid his hand on the sacrifice, confessing and symbolically transferring his sin to it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the sin offering for a common person used blood applied only to the bronze altar, but when a high priest or the whole congregation sinned, the blood was taken inside to the golden altar of incense. This deeper application was required because their transgression tainted the tabernacle's entire ritual. The sacrifice itself had no power to remove guilt; it foreshadowed Christ's perfect offering.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight that the sin-offering for a common Israelite, described as one of the rural people as opposed to a chief, was to be a shaggy she-goat or a ewe without blemish. The ritual itself matched that used for a he-goat, showing a careful gradation in sacrificial requirements based on social standing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange draws a careful distinction between sin and guilt: sin is the act itself, while guilt is the ripple effect of that act on the community. He reads this section as covering a transitional offering for those who share in guilt through mere association, not through their own deliberate wrongdoing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the remarkable mercy in this law: even a common person's unintentional sin requires an offering, and the same detailed atonement is provided for the poor with a lesser animal. The sinner's hand on the head transfers guilt, and the priest's actions secure forgiveness.