February 17: Leviticus 4:1 – Leviticus 6:30

Laws for Sin Offerings – Leviticus 4

• God tells Moses that if an anointed priest sins (bringing guilt on the people), he should offer a bull from the herd as a sin offering. The man will bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting, lay his hand on the bull's head, and then kill the bull. The priest will then take some of the bull's blood and sprinkle it in front of the veil of the sanctuary seven times. The priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, and the rest of the blood will be poured at the base of the altar. All that fat, the kidneys, and the long lobe of the liver will be removed from the bull and burned on the altar, while the rest of the bull will be carried to the ash heap outside the camp and burned on a wood fire. The same is to happen if the entire congregation of Israel sins unintentionally.
• If a leader sins unintentionally, he will bring a male goat without blemish to the tent of meeting, lay his hand on the goat's head, and then kill the goat. The priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, and the rest of the blood will be poured at the base of the altar. All of the animal's fat will then be burned on the altar.
• If a common person sins unintentionally, he will bring a female goat without blemish to the tent of meeting, lay his hand on the goat's head, and then kill the goat. The priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, and the rest of the blood will be poured at the base of the altar. All of the animal's fat will then be burned on the altar. If he brings a lamb instead, it will be a female lamb, and it will be prepared in the same way as the female goat.
• If a man unknowingly fails to give testimony, preventing justice from being done, or if he touches an unclean animal or human uncleanness, or if he utters a rash oath, when he realizes his sin, he must bring a female from the flock (either a lamb or goat) for atonement. If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to bring two turtledoves or two pigeons, and if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, he must bring an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.

Laws for Guilt Offerings – Leviticus 5 and 6

• God tells Moses that if a man commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any things of the Lord, he will bring a ram without blemish from the flock for a guilt offering. He will make restitution and add one-fifth, and he will be forgiven.
• God tells Moses that if a man deceives his neighbor of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed his neighbor or found something lost and lied about it, he must restore what was lost in full and add one-fifth to it. He will then bring a ram to the priest for a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.

The Priests and the Offerings

• God tells Moses that Aaron and his sons must keep the fire burning in the hearth of the altar all night long, and in the morning they will burn wood on it for the offerings. For grain offerings, Aaron's sons will offer them before the Lord in front of the altar. They will take a handful of the flour with its oil and frankincense, and burn it. The rest of the grain offering will be for Aaron and his sons to eat after baked without leaven. Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it,
• God tells Moses of the offering to be made by Aaron and his sons at the inauguration of the priesthood. A tenth of a ephah of flour will be mixed with oil and cooked on a griddle. All of it will be burned, and none of it will be eaten.
• God tells Moses of the sin offering to be made by Aaron and his sons (the remainder not burned on the altar). The animal is to be killed where the burnt offering is made, and the priest who makes the offering will eat it in the holy place. Whatever touches its flesh will be made holy, and if any of its blood is splashed on a garment, it will be washed. The earthenware vessel in which it was boiled will be broken (or scoured and rinsed if the vessel was bronze). All the priests may then eat of it, and none of the blood is to leave the holy place.