Leviticus 4:12

all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he must burn it on a wood fire on the ash heap.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The text records a directive given to the priest concerning the disposal of the sin offering bull. This instruction occurs within a regulatory sequence addressing unintentional violations of the LORD’s commands by the congregation.

The words — The Hebrew verb הוֹצִיא (ho.Tzi') means "he will bring out," commanding the physical removal of the remains. It is paired with מִחֻץ (mi./Chutz), "outside," which strictly locates the disposal beyond the camp perimeter.

The thread — This disposal protocol appears in Exodus 29:14 for consecration offerings and Leviticus 6:10 regarding ash management. Hebrews 13:11 later references this exact practice to describe Christ’s execution outside the city walls.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that sin offerings must be completely removed from the community’s center. The command establishes a fixed boundary separating the sanctuary from the processed remains of atonement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

Cross-references

Hebrews 13:11 Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp.
Exodus 29:14 But burn the flesh of the bull and its hide and dung outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
Leviticus 6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen robe and linen undergarments, and he shall remove from the altar the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed and place them beside it.
Leviticus 16:27 The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung must be burned up.
Leviticus 13:46 As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.
Numbers 5:3 You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”
Numbers 15:35 And the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.”
Numbers 19:3 Give it to Eleazar the priest, and he will have it brought outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence.
Numbers 19:5 Then the heifer must be burned in his sight. Its hide, its flesh, and its blood are to be burned, along with its dung.