Limitless Word
When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished male goat as his offering.
Leviticus 4:23 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB if his sin, in which he has sinned, is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect.
  • KJV Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
  • NKJV or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.
  • NASB if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect.
  • NLT When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

When the ruler's sin becomes known, he must bring a male goat without defect. Awareness of sin calls for prompt, costly repentance.

Overview

Once the leader becomes aware of his offense, he brings a male goat, an offering more modest than the priest's bull yet still flawless. The unblemished animal pictures the purity required to deal with sin. Every such spotless sacrifice points forward to Christ, the Lamb without blemish (1 Peter 1:19).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Lev 4:14when they become aware of the sin they have committed, then the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting.
  • Lev 5:4Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.
  • Rom 8:3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
  • Num 29:19Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
  • Num 29:5Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.
  • Num 29:16Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
  • Num 7:34one male goat for a sin offering;
  • Lev 4:28When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for that sin.
  • Lev 9:3Then speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without blemish—for a burnt offering,
  • Num 29:11Include one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
  • Lev 4:3If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
  • Num 15:24and if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, then the whole congregation is to prepare one young bull as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering.
  • Num 7:16one male goat for a sin offering;
  • Num 28:15In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.
  • Num 7:28one male goat for a sin offering;
  • 2 Kgs 22:10–13Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
  • Lev 23:19You shall also prepare one male goat as a sin offering and two male lambs a year old as a peace offering.
  • Num 28:30Include one male goat to make atonement for you.
  • Num 7:22one male goat for a sin offering;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Leviticus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Leviticus 4:23YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LeviticusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.

How Leviticus 4:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.