Numbers 15:25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD an offering made by fire and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

◄ Numbers 15:25 ►

New International Version
The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have presented to the LORD for their wrong a food offering and a sin offering.

New Living Translation
With it the priest will purify the whole community of Israel, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven. For it was an unintentional sin, and they have corrected it with their offerings to the LORD—the special gift and the sin offering.

English Standard Version
And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, because it was a mistake, and they have brought their offering, a food offering to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their mistake.

Berean Standard Bible
The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD a food offering and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

King James Bible
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

New King James Version
So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their unintended sin.

New American Standard Bible
Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an unintentional wrong, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their unintentional wrong.

NASB 1995
‘Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

NASB 1977
‘Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be pardoned; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to Yahweh, and their sin offering before Yahweh, for their error.

Amplified Bible
Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven, for it was an error and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

Christian Standard Bible
The priest will then make atonement for the entire Israelite community so that they may be forgiven, for the sin was unintentional. They are to bring their offering, a food offering to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The priest must then make atonement for the entire Israelite community so that they may be forgiven, for the sin was unintentional. They are to bring their offering, one made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

American Standard Version
And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their oblation, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, and their sin-offering before Jehovah, for their error:

Contemporary English Version
Then the priest will pray and ask me to forgive you. And since you did not mean to do wrong, and you offered sacrifices,

English Revised Version
And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their oblation, an offering made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The priest will make peace with the LORD for the whole community of Israel. Then they will be forgiven because the wrongdoing was unintentional and they brought these two offerings to the LORD for their sin: an offering by fire and an offering for sin.

Good News Translation
The priest shall perform the ritual of purification for the community, and they will be forgiven, because the mistake was unintentional and they brought their sin offering as a food offering to the LORD.

International Standard Version
Then the priest is to make atonement for the entire community of the Israelis, and they will be forgiven for inadvertent sins. They are to bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, as well as their sin offering, into the LORD's presence on account of their error.

Majority Standard Bible
The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD a food offering and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

NET Bible
And the priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their purification offering before the LORD, for their unintentional offense.

New Heart English Bible
The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error:

Webster's Bible Translation
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

World English Bible
The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin offering before Yahweh, for their error.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the priest has made atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and it has been forgiven them, for it [is] ignorance, and they have brought in their offering, a fire-offering to YHWH, and their sin-offering before YHWH for their ignorance;

Young's Literal Translation
And the priest hath made atonement for all the company of the sons of Israel, and it hath been forgiven them, for it is ignorance, and they -- they have brought in their offering, a fire-offering to Jehovah, even their sin-offering before Jehovah for their ignorance;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the priest expiated for all the assembly of the sons of Israel, and it was forgiven to them; for it is an error; and they brought their offering a sacrifice to Jehovah, and their sin before Jehovah, for their error.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the priest shall pray for all the multitude of the children of Israel: and it shall be forgiven them, because they sinned ignorantly, offering notwithstanding a burnt offering to the Lord for themselves and for their sin and their ignorance:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the priest shall pray for the entire multitude of the sons of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, because they did not sin willfully. Nevertheless, they shall offer incense to the Lord for themselves, and for sin, as well as for their error.

New American Bible
Then the priest shall make atonement for the whole Israelite community; and they will be forgiven, since it was inadvertence, and for their inadvertence they have brought their offering: an oblation to the LORD as well as their purification offering before the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it was an error; and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering to the LORD for their folly;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Priest shall make atonement for all of the assembly of the children of Israel and it shall be forgiven to them, because it is an error, and they shall bring their offering a gift to LORD JEHOVAH, and that in the place of their sin, as an offering to LORD JEHOVAH for their fault.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their error.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the trespass shall be forgiven them, because it is involuntary; and they have brought their gift, a burnt-offering to the Lord for their trespass before the Lord, even for their involuntary sins.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Offerings for Unintentional Sins
…24and if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, then the whole congregation is to prepare one young bull as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering. 25The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD an offering made by fire and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin. 26Then the whole congregation of Israel and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, since it happened to all the people unintentionally.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Leviticus 4:20
He shall offer this bull just as he did the bull for the sin offering; in this way the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven.

Leviticus 4:26
He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the peace offerings; thus the priest will make atonement for that man’s sin, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 4:31
Then 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.

Leviticus 4:35
And 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 food offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 5:6
and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.

Leviticus 5:10
And the priest must prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 5:13
In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”

Leviticus 16:30
because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:34
This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Hebrews 9:7
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:10
And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:12
But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 10:14
because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

Treasury of Scripture

And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

the priest

Leviticus 4:20,26
And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them…

Romans 3:25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

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.

forgiven them

Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Acts 13:39
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

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Numbers 15

1. The law of the meat offering, and the drink offering
14. The stranger is under the same law
17. The law of the first of the dough
22. The sacrifice for sins of ignorance
30. The punishment of presumption
32. He who violated the Sabbath is stoned
37. The law of tassels

Berean Study Bible

And the priest is to make atonement
This phrase underscores the central role of the priest in the sacrificial system of ancient Israel. The Hebrew word for "priest" is "kohen," which signifies one who mediates between God and the people. The priest's duty to "make atonement" (Hebrew: "kaphar") involves covering or purging sin, symbolizing reconciliation with God. This act prefigures the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ, our High Priest, who intercedes on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25).

for the whole congregation of the Israelites
The phrase highlights the communal aspect of sin and atonement. In ancient Israel, the community was seen as a collective entity, and sin affected the entire group. The Hebrew term "edah" for "congregation" emphasizes unity and shared responsibility. This reflects the biblical principle that believers are interconnected, as seen in the New Testament's depiction of the Church as the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

and they will be forgiven
Forgiveness is a central theme in Scripture, and the Hebrew word "salach" used here conveys the idea of pardon and release from the burden of sin. This divine forgiveness is not earned but granted by God's grace, foreshadowing the New Testament teaching of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). It reassures believers of God's willingness to forgive and restore.

because it was unintentional
The distinction between intentional and unintentional sin is significant in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word "shagah" indicates an error or mistake, highlighting human fallibility. This provision for unintentional sin underscores God's justice and mercy, recognizing human weakness while maintaining the standard of holiness. It points to the need for a Savior who can atone for all sin, intentional or not.

and they have brought their offering
The act of bringing an offering (Hebrew: "korban") signifies the worshiper's acknowledgment of sin and desire for reconciliation with God. Offerings were a tangible expression of repentance and faith, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. This practice teaches the importance of approaching God with a contrite heart and the assurance that He accepts our sincere offerings of repentance.

an offering made by fire to the LORD
The phrase "offering made by fire" (Hebrew: "isheh") refers to sacrifices that were wholly or partially burned on the altar, symbolizing the complete surrender to God. Fire represents God's holiness and purifying presence. This imagery is fulfilled in the New Testament, where believers are called to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

and their sin offering before the LORD
The "sin offering" (Hebrew: "chatat") was a specific sacrifice for atonement, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the need for purification. The phrase "before the LORD" indicates that the offering is made in God's presence, acknowledging His sovereignty and holiness. This foreshadows Christ's sacrifice, which was made once for all in the presence of God, securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) For it is ignorance.--Rather, for it is a sin of ignorance, or an error. So also at the end of the verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The priest
הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

is to make atonement
וְכִפֶּ֣ר (wə·ḵip·per)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

for
עַֽל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the entire
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

congregation
עֲדַ֛ת (‘ă·ḏaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5712: A stated assemblage

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

so that they may be forgiven;
וְנִסְלַ֣ח (wə·nis·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5545: To forgive, pardon

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the sin
הִ֔וא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

was unintentional,
שְׁגָגָ֣ה (šə·ḡā·ḡāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7684: A mistake, inadvertent transgression

and they
וְהֵם֩ (wə·hêm)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

have brought
הֵבִ֨יאוּ (hê·ḇî·’ū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to the LORD
לַֽיהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

an offering
קָרְבָּנָ֜ם (qā·rə·bā·nām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7133: Something brought near the altar, a sacrificial present

made by fire
אִשֶּׁ֣ה (’iš·šeh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 801: A burnt-offering, a sacrifice

and a sin offering,
וְחַטָּאתָ֛ם (wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

[presented] before
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

for
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their unintentional sin.
שִׁגְגָתָֽם׃ (šiḡ·ḡā·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7684: A mistake, inadvertent transgression

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OT Law: Numbers 15:25 The priest shall make atonement for all (Nu Num.)