UTN uW Translation Notes:

Leviticus 4 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

This chapter begins by reintroducing the narrative framing that was first used at the beginning of the book (“And Yahweh spoke to Moses …”). As such, Leviticus 4:1–5:13 should be taken as a discrete unit that is nonetheless connected to Leviticus 1–3 within the unit of Leviticus 1–7.The present chapter, Leviticus 4, gives instructions on how to offer a sacrifice that addresses the guilt incurred by unintentional sins. This sacrifice is called a purification offering because of its ability to purify sacred space and sacred objects that are dedicated to Yahweh from the impurities generated by sin. The structure of Chapter 4 is made up of four hypothetical scenarios in which a person would be required to offer this particular sacrifice, enumerated according to which individual or group has committed the sin: 1) the high priest (4:3–12), 2) the community as a whole (4:13–21), 3) a leader in the community (4:22–26), and 4) an ordinary individual member of the community (4:27–35). Structurally, the whole of 4:1–5:13 could be visually represented as follows: The Sin Offering (4:1–5:13) I. Sin Offerings for Unintentional Sins (4:1–35) i. scenario #1: The High Priest (4:3–12) ii. scenario #2: The Community (4:13–21) iii. scenario #3: A Leader (4:22–26) iv. scenario #4: An Individual (4:27–35) a. that individual offers a goat (4:27–31) b. that individual offers a sheep (4:32–35) II. The Graduated Sin Offering i. scenario #1: Guilt due to the failure to testify in court (5:1) ii. scenario #2: Guilt due to unwitting contact with an unclean animal (5:2) or unwitting contact with human uncleanness (5:3) iii. scenario #3: Guilt due to the failure to fulfill a rashly spoken vow (5:4) iv. the procedure for offering a purification offering (5:5–13) a. normal procedure (5:5–6) b. option for the poor #1: two turtledoves and two pigeons (5:7–10) c. offering for the poor #2: wheat flour (5:11–13)Because the chapter offers instructions for hypothetical situations where the purification offering is required, the instructions in Chapter 4 offer a detailed outline of the procedure for the sacrifice. The instructed steps include: 1) presenting a perfect animal to the priest (4:3, 14) a) for the high priest, a young bull (4:3) b) for the community, a young bull (4:13) c) for the leader, a male goat (4:23) d) for the individual, a male goat (4:28) or a female sheep (4:32) 2) bringing the animal to the tent of meeting (4:4, 14, 23, 28, 32) 3) laying hands on the animal (4:4, 15, 24, 29, 33) 4) killing the animal (4:4, 15, 24, 29, 33) 5) bringing the blood into the tent of meeting (4:5, 16) 6) sprinkling the blood seven times before Yahweh towards the curtain (4:6, 17) 7) putting some blood on each of the four horns of an altar (4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34) a) for the high priest and the community, the blood is applied to the horns of the incense altar (4:7, 18) b) for the leader and the individual, the blood is applied to the horns of the burnt offering altar (4:25, 30, 34) 8) pouring the rest of the blood out on the base of the burnt offering altar (4:8, 18, 25, 30, 34) 9) properly butchering the animal into the fat portions (4:9–10, 19–20, 26, 31, 35) 10) burning the fat portions and creating the pleasant-smelling smoke (4:10, 19–20, 26, 31, 35) 11) bringing the rest of the sacrificed animal outside the camp to burn them (4:11–12, 21)It should be noted that every step of this procedure is not repeated for every scenario covered by Leviticus 4. However, because the first two scenarios include a full description of each step, it is reasonable to assume that each scenario required the same procedure, even if a particular action is not included in the description of the sacrificial process.

Special Concepts in This Chapter

Several special concepts are crucial for understanding this chapter. They include 1) several instances of technical sacrificial terminology, especially the purification offering itself and the notion of mistakes or unintentional sins, 2) the three-fold use of the term “guilt,” 3) the symbolic action of sprinkling or applying blood, 4) the location and purposes of the various altars and sacred objects such as the curtain, and 5) the grounds for removing the portions of the sacrifice that are not burned as sacrifices to Yahweh.

Technical sacrificial terminology

First, several words or phrases in this chapter have a specialized meaning in the context of sacrifice. They include 1) the purification offering itself and 2) the concept of “unintentional sins.” 1) The purification offeringThis chapter offers instructions for how and when to offer a purification offering, also called a “sin offering” due to the term’s association with the word translated as “sin.” The primary purpose of the purification offering was, as the name suggests, to purify or cleanse the sanctuary and the sacred items dedicated to Yahweh from the impurity brought about by sin, even unintentional sin (as is the case in this chapter). Because of its intended purpose, the offering features the application of blood on the altar in a way that is distinct from the other sacrifices described in Leviticus 1–7 (as explained below). The purification offering not only purified or cleansed these items and spaces that had been defiled by the impurity of sin but also provided atonement and forgiveness to the individual or community who offered it. See the Book Introduction for more information. 2) The mistake or the unintentional sinThe noun translated as “mistake” 4:2, 4:22, and 4:27 and the use of the phrase “by mistake”) is related to the verb translated as “to err mistakenly.” (See 4:13.) These terms refer to actions by which a person unwittingly and unintentionally does something that incurs guilt before Yahweh. Even while they are unintentional, the actions are still considered to be sins, and so, they actively defile the sanctuary and the sacred items. (See 4:1, 4:3, 4:22, and 4:27–28.) Specifically, these actions are violations of Yahweh’s commandments, whether positive instructions or negative injunctions. (See the note on the phrase “to sin … from any of the commands of Yahweh which will not be done” in 4:2, 4:13, 4:22, and 4:27.) The unintentional nature of these actions is emphasized by the descriptions given in 4:13 and 4:23. Here it is emphasized that the purification offering is required once the individual or group becomes aware of the sinful actions. The awareness of unintentional sins leads to “guilt,” referring to both the internal feeling of having done wrong and the legal state of needing to provide restitution for one’s wrongdoing. If your language has a verb and a related noun that refer to an unintentional wrongdoing or mistake as described here, consider using it in the contexts where these terms appear.

Guilt

In Chapter 4, the author of Leviticus uses the verb “to become guilty” and the related abstract noun “guilt.” (See 4:3, 4:13, 4:22, and 4:27.) These terms refer to either the internal feeling of having done wrong or to a legal state of needing to provide restitution for one’s actions, or, since these senses are not mutually exclusive, perhaps both. If your language uses different terms for these senses, consider using them both in these contexts where the terms appear.

Ritual Action

The ritual action of splashing or sprinkling the blood of the animal on the altar is frequent in animal sacrifices in Leviticus. The laws regarding the purification offering (which begin in the present chapter) are unique in the prominence of blood required in the sacrifice. In Chapter 1 and Chapter 3, the blood is “splashed” or “splattered” against the side of the altar. (See 1:5, 1:11, 3:2, 3:8, and 3:13.) In chapters 4, 5 and 6, the blood is “sprinkled” towards the curtain that divided the courtyard of the tent of meeting from the Holy of Holies. (See 4:6, 4:17, 5:9, and 6:24.) There it is “put” on the horns of either the incense altar or the altar of the burnt offerings or “poured out” at the base of the altar of burnt offerings. (See 4:7, 4:18, 4:25, 4:30, and 4:34.) In the case of birds, the blood is “drained out” or “squeezed out” on either the side of the altar or on the base of the altar. (See 1:15 and 5:9.) As explained in previous chapters, the blood, being the life of the animal (17:11), was given by God to ritually purify, cleanse, and remove the defiling impurity brought about by the presence of sin, even unintentional sin. In this chapter, the blood acts as a ritual detergent or soap with the special ability to cleanse sacred objects and sacred spaces from the impurity of sin.

Fat and Internal Organs

In ancient times, the fat of an animal was considered the best part of the animal to eat. Therefore, certain fat portions of an animal that was sacrificed belonged exclusively to Yahweh. These were never to be eaten but rather were to be offered on the fire and converted into pleasant-smelling smoke that rose to Yahweh in heaven. As 4:10, 4:31, and 4:35 make clear, the fat portions and internal organs that were to be removed for burning in the purification offering are the same as those offered in the peace offerings. (See 3:3­–4, 3:9­–10, and 3:14–15 and the General Introduction to Chapter 3 for more information). These portions of fat were to be carefully removed by the person offering the sacrifice and presented to the priest to be burned on the altar. It may be that your language does not have specific terms for these portions of fat. If that is the case, consider using general expressions. Potential alternate translations for these phrases and terms will be offered in the notes below.

The “Clean Place” (4:12)

In Chapter 4, Yahweh instructs the people that the portions of the sacrificial animal that are not burned completely on the altar for a purification offering must be brought outside the camp of the people to a clean place 4:12 and 4:21.) The adjective translated as “clean” does not refer to a location that is physically free of dirt (as one might describe a freshly washed dish). Rather, in the context of sacrifices, the word “clean” refers to a person, animal, or object that has been kept clean from the defiling presence of sin and is fit to be used for sacred purposes or enter into sacred space. Portions of an animal that were used in sacrifices to purify a person, place, or object from the impurity of sins may have been considered to absorb the defiling sin, so to speak. As such, contact with these portions, once they had absorbed the impurity brought about by sin, may have been thought to make an individual impure or ceremonially unclean. Consequently, the location where the rest of the sacrificial animal was burned needed to be ceremonially clean in this way so that the potentially defiling presence of the sacrificial animal’s corpse could be properly disposed of and so that the camp itself did not become ceremonially unclean by virtue of its proximity to an ‘unclean’ location.

The various altars and the sacred curtain

The present chapter describes sacred objects and locations that are relevant to the purification offering. Properly understanding the geography and purpose of these items and locations is crucial for properly understanding this chapter. First, the chapter refers to the entrance to the tent of meeting, where the animal to be sacrificed would be presented, hands would be laid on it, and the animal would be killed. (See 4:3–4, 4:14–15, and 4:24–33.) The blood of the animal was then brought into the tent of meeting, into the courtyard that resided inside the outer partitions of the tent. (See 4:5, 4:16, 4:25, 4:30, and 4:34.) Once inside the courtyard, the priest would proceed to the “curtain” which divided the inner courtyard from the Holy of Holies, inside which Yahweh resided over the wings of the cherubim on the box of the covenant. The priest would dip his finger in the blood and “sprinkle” the blood seven times in the direction of that sacred curtain, which was also in the direction of Yahweh’s dwelling place among the Israelites. (See 4:6, 4:17, and 4:25.)In two cases (when the high priest or the whole community unintentionally sins), the priest would then apply blood to the four horns at the corners of the incense altar and possibly, before pouring the rest of the blood out at the base of the altar of burnt offerings. (See 4:5, 4:16, 4:25, 4:30, and 4:34.) In the case of a leader of the community and an ordinary individual’s unintentional sin, the priest would dip his finger in the blood of the animal and apply it to the four horns of the corners of the altar of burnt offerings before pouring out the rest of the blood at the base of the same altar, as in the other cases. (See 4:25, 4:30, and 4:34.) No explanation is given for this distinction. The altar of the burnt offering is described as being “at the entrance to the tent of meeting” (See 1:5, 4:7, and 4:18,) whereas the incense altar is only ambiguously located “to the face of Yahweh in the tent of meeting. (See 4:7). As such, the precise location of the incense altar is debated. This is the geography of the tent of meeting as is relevant for Leviticus 4.

Disposing of the portions of the sacrifice that are not burned

As was briefly mentioned above, in Chapter 4, Yahweh instructs the people that the portions of the sacrificial animal that are not burned completely on the altar for a purification offering must be brought outside the camp of the people to a “clean place” in (4:12 and (4:21.) These portions of the sacrifice included the skin, head, legs, innards (probably referring specifically to the intestines and stomach), and any feces of the animal. (See 4:11–12 and also 4:20.) Because these parts of the animal were neither suitable to be burned on the altar as a sacrifice to Yahweh or suitable for eating, they had to be disposed of properly. However, if ancient Israel agreed with her neighboring peoples, the people may have conceived of the sacrificial animal absorbing, so to speak, the impurities brought about by the defiling presence of sin. As such, contact with these portions, once they had absorbed the impurity brought about by sin, may have been thought to make an individual impure or ceremonially unclean. Consequently, the location where the rest of the sacrificial animal was burned needed to be ceremonially clean in this way so that the potentially defiling presence of the sacrificial animal’s corpse could be properly disposed of and so that the camp itself did not become ceremonially unclean by virtue of its proximity to an ‘unclean’ location. However, this action could not have been performed by the priest making the sacrifice, because disposing of the animal in this way could potentially cause the priest to become impure, temporarily preventing his ability to serve as a priest to Yahweh in the tent of meeting. Rather, the act of properly disposing of the animal and burning it must have been performed by another, unspecified Israelite.

Important Figures of Speech in This Chapter

This chapter includes two primary figures of speech that may prove difficult to translate but are important to understanding the chapter. They include 1) the phrase “to the face of the tent of meeting,” 2) the expression “to sins … from any of the commands of Yahweh, which will not be done,” and 3) the phrase “the sons of Aaron.”

“To the face of …”

As with the expression “to the face of Yahweh,” the expression “to the face of the tent of meeting” simply means “before” the tent of meeting. (4:14) That is, it refers to the location directly in front of the interior tent, in its courtyard. Likewise, the similar expression “the face of the curtain” simply means “the front of” the sacred curtain or perhaps “in the direction of” the curtain. (See 4:06 and 4:17.) If your language has a similar idiomatic expression, consider using it wherever this phrase occurs. However, if this expression would not be natural in your language, consider translating the expression in this chapter simply as “before the tent of meeting” or as “in front of the tent of meeting” in the first case and as “the front of the curtain” or as “toward the curtain” in the second case.

The expression “to sin … from any of the commands of Yahweh which will not be done”

Several times in this chapter, the author of Leviticus uses the expression “commands of Yahweh which will not be done” to refer to the commands of Yahweh against doing certain actions. (See 4:02, 4:13, 4:22, 4:27.) The expression refers to those commandments that proscribe certain actions or behaviors (called “negative commands”). As the expression makes clear, they have done something that Yahweh has instructed them not to do, performing an action that was forbidden. As such, their actions require restitution and have defiled the sacred space where Yahweh resided among the Israelites and the sacred items that were dedicated to him. In short, their unintentional sin has brought about a scenario in which a purification offering is required.

The expression “to lift up”

Three times in this chapter, the author of Leviticus uses the expression “to lift up” to refer to the process of removing fat from an animal that has been killed to be a sacrifice to Yahweh. (See 4:8, and 4:19.) If your language has a similar idiom to refer to the actions by which one butchers an animal and removes its fat, consider using it in the places where the expression occurs. If not, consider using a generic expression, as the alternate translations provided by the relevant notes will demonstrate.

“The anointed priest”

Three times in Chapter 4, the author of Leviticus uses the expression “the anointed priest” to refer to the high priest. (See 4:3, 4:5, and 4:16.) This expression indicates that the high priest, as the chief leader of the priesthood, has been especially anointed and dedicated for service as a priest to Yahweh and thus has special privileges and responsibilities befitting his position. The use of the word “*anointed” refers to the practice of dripping olive oil on priests to dedicate them to Yahweh. If this expression would be unclear or unnatural in your language, consider simply translating the phrase as “the high priest.”

To “burn in a way that makes smoke go up”

As in the previous chapters, the language of “causing” the sacrifice “to become smoke on the altar” pictures the sacrifice as being converted to smoke by the fire of the altar and arising to Yahweh in heaven, where he would smell the pleasant aroma of the burning sacrifice (See 4:10, 4:19, 4:26, 4:31, and 4:35.) As such, the pleasant smell was either a sign that Yahweh approved the sacrifice and would atone for the individual’s sins and forgive him or functioned as a necessary requirement for the acceptance of the individual’s offering. Either way, this term is common in Leviticus but difficult to translate cleanly. If your language has a verb that means “to turn something into smoke through fire,” consider using it here.

Other Possible Translation Difficulties in This Chapter

In addition to these important figures of speech, this chapter features several translation difficulties, including 1) the unclear referent of masculine pronouns, 2) the switching between second and third-person address, 3) the use of a verb and a related noun (cognate-accusatives), 4) the use of a future form to indicate a request or command, and 5) the use of specific, technical sacrificial language.

The referent of the masculine pronouns

Throughout this chapter, the author of Leviticus uses a third-person pronoun to refer to both the individual who offers the sacrifices and to the priest who performs the sacrifice. As such, it is often difficult (but not impossible) to infer which party performs which actions. In general, the sacrifice is presented to the priest, but the individual who presents the sacrifice is responsible for killing, properly butchering, and presenting the portions of the sacrificial animal to the priest, who will then arrange them on the altar’s fire. The UST will indicate which party is the apparent referent of the pronoun.

Second and third-person address

The entirety of chapters 1 through 7 are written as direct address to the people of God through Moses. Because in this chapter the pronouns “his” and “he” refer to the person bringing an offering to Yahweh, those terms can be translated in the second person as it is in 1:2 and as the UST models, or they can be translated in the third person, as the ULT models. In the present chapter, the author of Leviticus consistently uses third-person forms to refer to the individual who offers the sacrifices described. Despite this, we recommend that you continue to use whichever forms and pronouns you have been using in the previous two chapters, even if that means continuing the use second-person forms.

The use of a verb with a related noun (Cognate-accusatives)

For emphasis, the author of Leviticus often uses a verb with a related noun. In this chapter, the verb “to present” is used with the related noun that is translated as “offering,” just as the verb “to sin” is used with the related noun that is translated as “sin.” (See 3:1, 4:3, 4:14, 4:23, 4:28, and 4:35.) If your language can repeat words for emphasis, it would be appropriate in this context to repeat these words in a similar manner.