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 4:24 Parallel Commentaries

And

Leviticus 4:4 And he shall bring the bullock to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD...

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

in the place

Leviticus 1:5,11 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood...

Leviticus 3:2,8,13 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation...

Leviticus 4:4,15,29,33 And he shall bring the bullock to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD...

Leviticus 6:25 Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering...

Leviticus 7:2 In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering...

Leviticus 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil...

Exodus 29:38 Now this is that which you shall offer on the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.

it is a sin

Leviticus 4:3,21,31,35 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...