The Meaning of Leviticus 4:15 Explained

Leviticus 4:15

KJV: And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.

YLT: and the elders of the company have laid their hands on the head of the bullock, before Jehovah, and one hath slaughtered the bullock before Jehovah.

Darby: and the elders of the assembly shall lay their hands on the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and one shall slaughter the bullock before Jehovah.

ASV: And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and the bullock shall be killed before Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the elders  of the congregation  shall lay  their hands  upon the head  of the bullock  before  the LORD:  and the bullock  shall be killed  before  the LORD. 

What does Leviticus 4:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 4:1-21 - Sin-Offerings For Priests And Congregation
The sweet savor offerings have now been considered. They are all concerned with consecration and communion. We now approach the sacrifices for sin; and first, for sins of ignorance. Here provision is made for the anointed priest, for the whole assembly, for the ruler and for one of the common people. Do we realize sufficiently the sinfulness of our sins of omission-i.e., of coming short of God's glory? See how much they cost! The innocent victim had to suffer; as afterward our Lord suffered without the gate, that He might make an atonement and sanctify His people with His own blood. We learn what the Apostle meant when he described our Lord as being "made sin for us."
After certain portions had been placed upon the altar of burned-offering, the remainder of the carcass was burned without the camp, as though it were an altogether polluted thing. Note that the sin of the priest was deemed to require a more costly offering than that of the ordinary man, because he had sinned against fuller light. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 4

1  The sin offering of ignorance
3  for the priest
13  for the congregation
22  for the ruler
27  for any of the people

What do the individual words in Leviticus 4:15 mean?

And shall lay the elders of the congregation - their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh and shall be killed the bull Yahweh
וְ֠סָמְכוּ זִקְנֵ֨י הָעֵדָ֧ה אֶת־ יְדֵיהֶ֛ם עַל־ רֹ֥אשׁ הַפָּ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁחַ֥ט הַפָּ֖ר יְהוָֽה

וְ֠סָמְכוּ  And  shall  lay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָמַךְ  
Sense: to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon.
זִקְנֵ֨י  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעֵדָ֧ה  of  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְדֵיהֶ֛ם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רֹ֥אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַפָּ֖ר  of  the  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְשָׁחַ֥ט  and  shall  be  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
הַפָּ֖ר  the  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.