Study Desk

" 'Now if you unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the LORD gave Moses-

any of the LORD's commands to you through him, from the day the LORD gave them and continuing through the generations to come-

and if this is done unintentionally without the community being aware of it, then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering as an aroma pleasing to the LORD , along with its prescribed grain offering and drink offering, and a male goat for a sin offering.

The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have brought to the LORD for their wrong an offering made by fire and a sin offering.

The whole Israelite community and the aliens living among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.

" 'But if just one person sins unintentionally, he must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.

The priest is to make atonement before the LORD for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven.

One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien.