Leviticus 4:12

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Leviticus 4:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.
Leviticus 4:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Leviticus 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp, etc.] The Jewish writers interpret it without the three camps f97, the camp of the tabernacle, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of the Israelites; when the temple was built, such sacrifices were carried and burnt without the city of Jerusalem; there were three places for burning; one was in the midst of the court, where they burnt such sacrifices as were unfit and rejected; the other was in the mountain of the house called Birah, where they burnt such as any accident befell them, after the carrying of them out of the court; and the third place was without Jerusalem, called the place of ashes f98: this was typical of Christ…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“A clean place where the ashes are poured out See Leviticus 1:16 note. It was a place free from impurities, not like those referred to in Leviticus 14:40, Leviticus 14:45. The flesh, though it was burned in an ordinary way, and not sent up in the fire of the altar (see Leviticus 1:9 note), was not to be confounded with carrion, but was associated with the remains of the sacrifices. The priests could not eat the flesh of this victim or of that offered for the sin of the congregation, as they ate that of other sin-offerings Leviticus 6:26. Compare Leviticus 10:17-18, because they were in these cases in the position of offerers. Leviticus 16:27; Hebrews 13:11. The same rule was observed in…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The whole bullock - So no part of this was to be eaten by the priests, as it was in other sin - offerings. The reason is plain, because the offerer might not eat of his own sin - offering, and the priest was the offerer in this case, as also in the sin - offering for the whole congregation below, of which the priest himself was a member. Shall be carried forth - Not himself, which would have defiled him, but by another whom he shall appoint for that work. Without the camp - To signify either, The abominable nature of sin, especially in high and holy persons, or when it overspreads a whole people. Or, The removing of the guilt or punishment of that sin from the people. Or, That Christ should…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“without the camp: Heb. to without the camp, This was intended, figuratively, to express the enormity of this sin, and the availableness of the atonement. The sacrifice, as having the sin of the priest transferred from himself to it, by his confession and imposition of hands, was become unclean and abominable, and was carried, as it were, out of God's sight; and thus its own offensiveness was removed, with the sin of the person in whose behalf it was offered. Lev 13:46; Num 5:3, Num 15:35, Num 19:3 the ashes: Lev 6:10, Lev 6:11 burn him: Exo 29:14; Num 19:5; Heb 13:11 where the ashes are poured out: Heb. at the pouring out of the ashes Leviticus 4:13”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification