Bible Strands
Leviticus 4:6
The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrative instructs the anointed priest on the precise ritual procedure immediately after he brings the bull’s blood into the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 4:5) and before he applies it to the incense altar (Leviticus 4:7).
The words — The Hebrew verb טָבַל (ṭaval) denotes the physical act of dipping, while הִזָּה (hizzah) specifies the ritual action of spattering the liquid. Both terms anchor the ceremony in exact manual gestures rather than abstract concepts.
The thread — The sevenfold spattering before the sanctuary veil recurs in later purification rites, where the priest similarly sprinkles blood seven times to cleanse and consecrate sacred objects (Leviticus 16:19). This structural pattern also matches the anointed priest’s blood application on the mercy seat during the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:14).
Why it lands — The text requires strict compliance with a fixed sequence of physical actions to process the offering. A reader must observe that ritual precision, not emotional response, constitutes the demanded obedience.
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 the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 14:18 The rest of the oil in his palm, the priest is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD.
- Leviticus 16:14 And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.
- Leviticus 16:19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
- Leviticus 26:18 And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins.
- Leviticus 26:24 then I will act with hostility toward you, and I will strike you sevenfold for your sins.
- Leviticus 26:28 then I will walk in fury against you, and I, even I, will punish you sevenfold for your sins.
- Joshua 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.
- Joshua 6:8 After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
- Leviticus 4:17 and he is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil.
- Leviticus 4:25 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.