Bible Strands
Leviticus 4:33
And he is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text instructs the priest and the worshiper during the sin offering ritual for a person who brought a lamb. It occurs at the moment the animal is presented and prepared for sacrifice.
The words — The verb סָמַךְ (sa.maKh) literally means "to lean" or "to lay upon," describing the physical act of placing a hand on the offering's head. The verb שָׁחַט (sha.Chat) means "to slaughter" or "cut the throat," specifying the method of killing the animal.
The thread — This ritual sequence appears in Leviticus 4:4 for the high priest's bull offering and in Leviticus 4:29 for the leader's lamb sin offering. The repeated placement of the hand and the mandated slaughter location anchor individual atonement to the centralized altar system.
Why it lands — The text requires the worshiper to physically transfer responsibility to the animal before it is killed at a designated location. The reader must follow the exact ritual sequence without altering the prescribed method or place of sacrifice.
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
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 4:4 He must bring the bull to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the LORD.
- Leviticus 4:29 He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.