Leviticus 4:27

And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORD’s commandments, he incurs guilt.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The passage addresses the Israelites through Moses, outlining the sin offering procedure immediately after describing the priest’s atonement ritual and before specifying the required animal sacrifice.

The words — תֶּחֱטָ֥א (te.che.Ta') means "it will sin," and בִ/שְׁגָגָ֖ה (vi/sh.ga.Gah) translates as "by inadvertence," explicitly classifying the transgression as unintentional.

The thread — This provision for unintentional transgression appears in Leviticus 4:2, Leviticus 4:13, and Numbers 15:27, each repeating the requirement to bring a specified animal when divine commands are violated without deliberate intent.

Why it lands — The text states that any prohibited act commits the offender to a state of guilt, requiring the reader to follow the prescribed sacrificial protocol to resolve that status and secure forgiveness.

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

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if נֶ֧פֶשׁNe.fesha person אַחַ֛ת'a.Chatone תֶּחֱטָ֥אte.che.Ta'it will sin בִשְׁגָגָ֖הvi/sh.ga.Gahby/ inadvertence מֵעַ֣םme./'Amone of/ [the] people of הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land בַּ֠עֲשֹׂתָהּBa./'a.so.ta/hwhen/ does/ it אַחַ֨ת'a.Chatone מִמִּצְוֹ֧תmi./mitz.Votof/ [the] commandments of יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahweh אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich לֹא־lo'-not תֵעָשֶׂ֖ינָהte.'a.Sei.nahthey will be done וְאָשֵֽׁם׃ve./'a.Shemand/ he will be guilty

King James Version

And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;

Cross-references

Leviticus 4:2 “Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:
Numbers 15:27 Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering.
Leviticus 4:13 Now if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly so that they violate any of the LORD’s commandments and incur guilt by doing what is forbidden,
Numbers 5:6 “Tell the Israelites that when a man or woman acts unfaithfully against the LORD by committing any sin against another, that person is guilty
Numbers 15:29 You shall have the same law for the one who acts in error, whether he is a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.
Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.”
Numbers 15:16 The same law and the same ordinance will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing with you.”