Leviticus 4:22

“When a ruler hath sinned, etc.] Or “prince”, the “nasi”, one that is lifted up above others in honour, power, and authority, or that bears the weight of government: the word comes from one which signifies to lift up, or to bear; it may be understood of a governor of a family, or of a tribe, as Aben Ezra observes; and so in the Talmud f105 it is said, it means the prince of a tribe, such as Nachson the son of Amminadab, prince of the tribe of Judah. Maimonides f106 says a king is designed, over whom none has power; and so Gersom on the place, who observes, that David the king is called a prince, (<263424>Ezekiel 34:24 46:2) and done [somewhat] through ignorance [against] any of the…”

“When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments--Whatever was the form of government, the king, judge, or subordinate, was the party concerned in this law. The trespass of such a civil functionary being less serious in its character and consequences than that either of the high priest or the congregation, a sin offering of inferior value was required--"a kid of the goats"; and neither was the blood carried into the sanctuary, but applied only to the altar of burnt offering; nor was the carcass taken without the camp; it was eaten by the priests-in-waiting.”

“Ruler - Either the head of a tribe Numbers 1:4-16, or the head of a division of a tribe (Numbers 34:18; compare Joshua 22:30). return to 'Top of Page'”

“4:22-35 The sin offerings described in this passage atoned for laypersons, whether leaders or other Israelite citizens. These offerings could be eaten (contrast 4:3-21), and they involved lesser animals. The blood of the offering was disposed of in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and not carried to the Holy Place. As with the peace offering (ch 3), the fat and certain internal organs were burned on the altar. However, the rest of the meat from these offerings was given to the priest as food for himself and the males in his family (6:29), and it was to be eaten in a holy place (6:26; cp. 10:16-20). A lay leader was to offer a male goat (4:23), while a common layperson could offer a female…”

“a ruler hath sinned: Under the term nasi, that is, one preferred or elevated above others, from nasa, to exalt, it is probable that any person is meant who held any kind of political dignity among the people; and it evidently means the head of a tribe as in Num 1:4, Num 1:16; Num 7:2. But the Rabbins generally understand it of the prince of the great sanhedrin, who, when they were under the regal form of government, was the king. A kid of the goats was the sacrifice in this case; and the rites were nearly the same as in the preceding, only the fat was burnt as that of the peace offering ( Lev 4:26). Exo 18:21; Num 16:2; Sa2 21:1-3, Sa2 24:10-17 and done: Lev 4:2, Lev 4:13 Leviticus 4:23”

“The sin of a ruler. - Lev 4:22. אשׁר: ὅτε, when. נשׂיא is the head of a tribe, or of a division of a tribe ( Num 3:24, Num 3:30, Num 3:35). Lev 4:23-26 "If (או, see Ges. 155, 2) his sin is made known to him," i.e., if any one called his attention to the fact that he had transgressed a commandment of God, he was to bring a he-goat without blemish, and, having laid his hand upon it, to slay it at the place of burnt-offering; after which the priest was to put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, and then to burn the whole of the fat upon the altar, as in the case of the peaceoffering (see Lev 3:3-4), and…”