Leviticus 4:20
in Leviticus 4He 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus shall he do with the bullock; as he did with the bullock of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Leviticus 4
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThe promise of remission is founded upon the atonement. It is spoken here of the forgiveness of the sin of the whole congregation, that is, the turning away of those national judgments which the sin deserved.
This site's exposition
he is to remove all the fat from it
on Leviticus 4:19-21
Verse 20 says the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven. The pair falls again at verses 26, 31 and 35, and nowhere in the verses on the anointed priest's own offering.
This site's exposition
the priest will make atonement on their behalf
The congregation's bull is handled like the priest's, including the fat of verses 8 to 10. Matthew Henry notes that the promise of forgiveness rests on the atonement. He reads the forgiveness of a whole congregation as the turning away of the national judgments its sin deserved.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The fat was the only part of the animal which was offered on the altar; for the carcass, with its appurtenances and offals, was carried without the camp, into the place where the ashes were deposited, and there consumed with fire.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָשָׂ֣ה | veasah | and he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לַפָּ֔ר | lapar | to the bull | H6499 → | 132 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂה֙ | ʾasah | he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְפַ֣ר | lefar | to [the] bull of | H6499 → | 132 times |
| הַֽחַטָּ֔את | hachatat | the sin offering | H2403 → | 295 times |
| כֵּ֖ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂה־ | yaaseh- | he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לּ֑וֹ | lo | to <the> it | ||
| וְכִפֶּ֧ר | vekhiper | and he will make atonement | H3722 → | 102 times |
| עֲלֵהֶ֛ם | ʾalehem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֖ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְנִסְלַ֥ח | venislach | and it will be forgiven | H5545 → | 46 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ | lahem | to <the> them |
וְעָשָׂ֣הand he will do
veasahH6213 →2628 times
לַפָּ֔רto the bull
laparH6499 →132 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂה֙he did
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לְפַ֣רto [the] bull of
lefarH6499 →132 times
הַֽחַטָּ֔אתthe sin offering
hachatatH2403 →295 times
כֵּ֖ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
יַעֲשֶׂה־he will do
yaaseh-H6213 →2628 times
לּ֑וֹto <the> it
lo
וְכִפֶּ֧רand he will make atonement
vekhiperH3722 →102 times
עֲלֵהֶ֛םon them
ʾalehemH5921 →5755 times
הַכֹּהֵ֖ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
וְנִסְלַ֥חand it will be forgiven
venislachH5545 →46 times
לָהֶֽם׃to <the> them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Deuteronomy 21:23
you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must…
- Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under…
- 1 Peter 1:18–21
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
- 1 Peter 2:24
Through
Leviticus 1:4He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
it leads to
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 3:8
He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood on all sides of the…
- Leviticus 4:26
Through
Leviticus 12:8But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement…
it leads to
- Leviticus 5:7
If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt…
- Leviticus 5:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Leviticus

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews.
