And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

LEVITICUS 4:35KJV
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Leviticus 4:35 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 4:35 mean?

Leviticus 4:35 describes how a priest is to remove all the fat from a lamb offered for a sin offering, burn it on the altar as with a peace offering, and then make atonement for the person’s sin so that the person is forgiven. This verse explains the final steps in the ritual for dealing with unintentional sin through a specific sacrifice.

In this passage, God is giving Moses instructions for the priests about how to handle sacrifices for sins committed unintentionally by individuals. The priest’s careful removal and burning of the fat (considered the best part) follows the same pattern as the peace offerings, showing a connection between different types of sacrifices. The main point is that the priest acts on behalf of the person, performing the ritual so that the person’s sin is covered and forgiven.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 4:35

  • חֵלֶב (chelev, “fat”): This word refers to the specific fatty portions of the animal, which were considered the best part and reserved for God. The repeated mention highlights the importance of giving the best to God in the sacrifice.
  • שֶׁלֶם (shelem, “peace offerings”): This word for “peace offerings” connects the sin offering to other types of sacrifices, showing that the process for handling the fat is consistent across different rituals.
  • כָּפַר (kaphar, “make atonement”): This verb means to cover or make atonement, emphasizing that the priest’s action is what brings forgiveness for the sin.
  • סָלַח (salach, “forgiven”): This word means to forgive or pardon, making it clear that the ritual is effective in removing the guilt of the sin.

Why Leviticus 4:35 matters

  • Leviticus 4:35 clarifies that forgiveness in ancient Israel was tied to specific rituals performed by priests, not just personal feelings or intentions.
  • The verse shows that God provided a clear, repeatable way for ordinary people to deal with unintentional sins, highlighting both God’s justice and mercy.
  • By connecting the sin offering to the peace offering, the verse helps readers see the unity and consistency in the sacrificial system described in Leviticus.