Leviticus 4:11-12
But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung— all the rest of the bull—he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the surprising inclusion of the "dung." In other offerings, the skin and flesh were for the priests, but for this sin offering, everything—even the dung—was burned outside the camp. This emphasizes that when dealing with sin, even the most repulsive and unwanted parts must be completely removed and utterly destroyed, pointing to the complete and utter destruction of sin by Christ's sacrifice.
This passage details the process for dealing with the carcass of the bull offered for the high priest's unintentional sin. Unlike other sacrifices where the skin was kept by the priests, this entire bull, including its skin, flesh, head, legs, entrails, and even its dung, was to be removed from the sanctuary. It was then completely burned outside the camp, signifying the complete removal and rejection of the sin that it represented.
In the sin offering, even the 'unpleasant' parts of the bull were not discarded. What does this tell us about the nature of sin and atonement?
The sin offering in Leviticus 4 was incredibly thorough. The bull, including its skin, flesh, head, legs, inwards, and even its dung, was entirely consumed.
A Complete Picture of Sin
This wasn't just a symbolic gesture; it painted a vivid picture:
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Why would a sin committed in ignorance, especially by the high priest, require such a drastic offering?
Leviticus 4 distinguishes between different sins and sinners, and the sin of ignorance, especially for those in leadership, carried significant weight.
Sin That Blinds
The term for this kind of sin (shegagah) isn't just about a lack of knowledge, but often about an error in judgment or an oversight that happens without malicious intent, yet still has consequences.
The Priest's Greater Responsibility
Understand the original words
par · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a male bovine, often used in sacrificial contexts as a representative of strength, value, and vitality, frequently required for high-level atonement rituals.
basar · Hebrew Noun
In a cultic sense, referring to the physical remains of the sacrificial animal, specifically parts that are not consumed on the altar but are carried outside the camp as part of the ritual disposal.
qereb · Hebrew Noun
Referring to the interior organs of a sacrificial animal, highlighting the requirement for the total, internal honesty and completeness of the offering.
machaneh · Hebrew Noun
The designated area outside the perimeter of the Israelite camp where ritual waste or defiled items were taken, signifying the removal of sin from the community's midst.
deshen · Hebrew Noun
The place where the remains of the sacrifice are consumed by fire, representing the final, total transformation of the offering into ashes, signifying the completion of the ritual.
This passage directly connects the burning of the sin offering outside the camp, which includes its flesh and dung, to Jesus suffering outside the city gates, highlighting the complete removal of sin.
1 Corinthians 5:7Paul instructs believers to 'purge out the old leaven' because Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, echoing the theme of removing the 'whole' offering, symbolizing the complete removal of sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21This verse explains that God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, directly relating to the concept of the sin offering bearing the totality of sin, even to its unclean parts.
Romans 8:3God condemned sin in the flesh through sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, mirroring the complete destruction of the sin offering, including its 'flesh' and 'dung,' outside the camp.
calvinLeviticus 4:1-35: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
Loquere ad filius Israel, dicendo, Anima quum peccaverit per errorem ab omnibus praeceptis Jehovae qusa non sunt facienda, feceritque quidpiam de uno ex illis:
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of th…
jfbLeviticus 4:3-35: "If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering."
Le 4:3-35. Sin Offering for the Priest.3. If the priest that is anointed do sin—that is, the high priest, in whom, considering his character as typical mediator, and his exalted office, the people had the deepest interest; and whose transgression of any part of the divine law, therefo…
What's easy to miss here is the surprising inclusion of the "dung." In other offerings, the skin and flesh were for the priests, but for this sin offering, everything—even the dung—was burned outside the camp. This emphasizes that when dealing with sin, even the most repulsive and unwanted parts must be completely removed and utterly destroyed, pointing to the complete and utter destruction of sin by Christ's sacrifice.
This passage details the process for dealing with the carcass of the bull offered for the high priest's unintentional sin. Unlike other sacrifices where the skin was kept by the priests, this entire bull, including its skin, flesh, head, legs, entrails, and even its dung, was to be removed from the sanctuary. It was then completely burned outside the camp, signifying the complete removal and rejection of the sin that it represented.
This passage details the process for dealing with the carcass of the bull offered for the high priest's unintentional sin. Unlike other sacrifices where the skin was kept by the priests, this entire bull, including its skin, flesh, head, legs, entrails, and even its dung, was to be removed from the sanctuary. It was then completely burned outside the camp, signifying the complete removal and rejection of the sin that it represented.
"But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung— all the rest of the bull—he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash…" — What's easy to miss here is the surprising inclusion of the "dung." In other offerings, the skin and flesh were for the priests, but for this sin offering, everything—even the dung—was burned outsi…
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