Sin of the whole congregation. - This is still further defined, as consisting in the fact that the thing was hid (נעלּם)

(Note: In the correct editions נעלּם has dagesh both here and in Leviticus 5:2, Leviticus 5:4, as Delitzsch informs me, according to an old rule in pointing, which required that every consonant which followed a syllable terminating with a guttural should be pointed with dagesh, if the guttural was to be read with a quiescent sheva and not with chateph. This is the case in ויּאסּר in Genesis 46:29; Exodus 14:6, תּעלּים in Psalm 10:1, and other words in the critical edition of the Psalter which has been carefully revised by Bהr according to the Masora, and published with an introduction by Delitzsch. In other passages, such as בּכל־לּבּי Psalm 9:2, על־לּשׁנו Psalm 15:3, etc., the dagesh is introduced to prevent the second letter from being lost in the preceding one through the rapidity of reading. - Ewald's conjectures and remarks about this "dagesh, which is found in certain MSS," is a proof that he was not acquainted with this rule which the Masora recognises.)

from the eyes of the congregation, i.e., that it was a sin which was not known to be such, an act which really violated a commandment of God, though it was not looked upon as sin. Every transgression of a divine command, whether it took place consciously or unconsciously, brought guilt, and demanded a sin-offering for its expiation; and this was to be presented as soon as the sin was known. The sin-offering, which the elders had to offer in the name of the congregation, was to consist of a young ox, and was to be treated like that of the high priest (Leviticus 4:14-23 compared with Leviticus 4:3-12), inasmuch as "the whole congregation" included the priesthood, or at any rate was on an equality with the priesthood by virtue of its calling in relation to the Lord. חטא with על signifies to incur guilt upon (on the foundation of) sin (Leviticus 5:5, etc.); it is usually construed with an accusative (Leviticus 4:3, Leviticus 4:28; Leviticus 5:6, Leviticus 5:10, etc.), or with בּ, to sin with a sin (Leviticus 4:23; Genesis 42:22). The subject of ושׁחט (Leviticus 4:15) is one of the elders. "The bullock for a sin-offering:" sc., the one which the anointed priest offered for his sin, or as it is briefly and clearly designated in Leviticus 4:21, "the former bullock" (Leviticus 4:12).

Leviticus 4:20 Parallel Commentaries

with the

Leviticus 4:3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he has sinned...

an atonement

Leviticus 4:26 And he shall burn all his fat on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings...

Leviticus 1:4 And he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Leviticus 5:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock...

Leviticus 6:7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD...

Leviticus 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering...

Leviticus 14:18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour on the head of him that is to be cleansed...

Exodus 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up to the LORD...

Numbers 15:25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them...

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined on your people and on your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins...

Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written...

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power...

Hebrews 2:17 Why in all things it behooved him to be made like to his brothers...

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God...

Hebrews 10:10-12 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another...

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth...