Leviticus 5:9, commentary and pictures

The sinner who had become guilty brought a clean animal without blemish to the door of the tabernacle, laid a hand upon its head in confession as his substitute, and slew it as acknowledging his own desert of death. The priest then took its blood, in which life is represented, to make atonement by sprinkling part upon the side of the altar and wringing out the rest at its base, and the sin was forgiven. By that applying of the blood the guilt was transferred in figure from the offerer through the sacrifice into the sanctuary, where it remained until the yearly Day of Atonement removed it. The slaying was done by the offerer, but this priestly work with the blood is the pattern of Christ's work as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, to which the blood rites pointed forward in faith in the coming Redeemer who would bear the penalty for sin. The offering was graded to what each could bring, from bullock or lamb to two pigeons or even a handful of flour, so that mercy reached the poorest and yet every sinner must bring something, for every person has sinned and true worship costs something.

Words and Ritual Procedure

This verse gives part of the manner of the sin offering, which is one of five kinds of offerings — burnt, meal, peace, sin, and trespass — each with its own purpose and manner. The word for sprinkle is definitely to sprinkle, rendered sprinkle in English and rhanei in Greek from the Hebrew nah-zah, with wording matching its uniform rendering throughout the Old Testament. It contains no idea of dipping or immersing in it, just as the word for dip contains no idea of sprinkling, so it cannot mean to immerse. The soul that brings such a sin offering is a person performing the offering, not a separate, immortal part of a person.

In the individual ritual the sinner who bore iniquity brought a clean beast without blemish to the door of the tabernacle. He laid a hand on its head confessing sins and accepting it as substitute, then slew it after confession and restitution where required, acknowledging personal worthiness of death. The priest then used the blood, in which life is represented, to make atonement. He sprinkled some of the blood upon the side of the altar and applied it before the altar of incense and upon the horns of the altar, and the rest was wrung out and poured at the bottom of the altar. The sin was forgiven and the person freed from that iniquity.

By this sprinkling and applying of the blood the guilt of the individual was transferred in figure through the sacrifice to the sanctuary. The victim and its blood represented the offerer’s sin and guilt brought inside, with the blood carried into the sanctuary and sprinkled there. Where the blood was not taken into the sanctuary the same transfer was made by eating the flesh in the holy place. This blood service left the forgiven sins symbolically in the sanctuary.

The sin offering was graded to what a person could bring, mingling justice with mercy so its benefits reached the poorest of the poor. The rich were to bring the most costly, a bullock or heifer, goat or sheep, calf, kid or lamb, while poverty allowed two pigeons such as a turtle dove or young pigeon, even wild turtle-doves caught by one too poor to own them. Extreme poverty allowed a little meal or fine flour, a tenth part of an ephah, about three quarts, within reach of every person however low. Yet every person must bring something, because every person has sinned. Such individual offerings formed part of the daily and yearly sanctuary service brought during the year, keeping remembrance of sin before the people. This blood service continued through the year until completed by the yearly Day of Atonement, when the sins were removed from the sanctuary.

Shadow of Christ's Work

Like the other details of the sacrifices, this detail of sprinkling some of the blood on the side of the altar and pouring out the rest at its base had meaning, and its fuller meaning is found in the sacrifice, life, and work of Jesus Christ. The instructions for offerings in Leviticus 1–7 show that sin demands a penalty, and those offerings are shadows of Jesus Christ as the greater reality. This sacrifice, like the other sacrifices in Leviticus 1–8, has a type concerning the work of Jesus Christ.

The earthly sanctuary and its service were a pattern and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary and Christ's priestly work, so studying these instructions helps explain that work and is useful for teaching and instruction in righteousness. Its building, priesthood, and offerings, with the yearly service of the Levitical sanctuary to which this verse belongs, were types of Christ's priesthood and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. The offerer slew the animal, but the priest performed the sanctuary service with its blood at the altar to make atonement for sin, and this priestly work with the blood, rather than the slaying itself, is the pattern for Christ's work of atonement as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.

Individual sin offerings were brought as an expression of faith in the coming Redeemer, and their blood rites pointed forward to the future sacrifice of Christ. They formed part of the daily sanctuary service and kept remembrance of sin before the people, showing that sin demands a penalty met in him. God's provision reached even the poorest, for one too poor to offer a lamb could bring two pigeons, and one too poor to own two pigeons could catch two wild turtle-doves, and one too feeble even to capture wild doves could bring a small portion of fine flour. The crushed grain of that flour offering typifies the broken body of the Saviour. A handful of the flour was burned, corresponding to the burning of the fat and typifying the final destruction of sin, and the remainder was eaten by the priest, typifying the bearing of sins by the Saviour.

The one who brings the flour offering receives full forgiveness and stands in just the same relation to God as the one able to bring a bullock.

Doctrine and Practical Lessons

Leviticus 5:9 stands within Leviticus 3-7 as part of the ceremonial law instituted in consequence of sin. It belongs to the definite instruction given to Israel regarding worship, sacrifices, and how to obtain forgiveness of sin.

That provision for dealing with sin shows that sin remains sin whether or not a person recognizes it or intended it. A good intention does not make a wrong act right, nor does an uninformed conscience excuse it. When sin is recognized it must be confessed, repented of, and put away. Leviticus 5 gives the law for sin-offerings, along with peace-offerings and thank-offerings, and the offerings it requires cost the offerer something. The cost varied with the wealth or position of the one making the offering, showing that true worship requires tangible giving. To profess religion for years while contributing nothing is disreputable.