SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:13
¶ Y si toda la congregación de Israel hubiere errado, y el negocio estuviere oculto a la congregación, y hubieren hecho algo contra alguno de los mandamientos del SEÑOR en cosas que no se han de hacer, y hubieren pecado;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Leviticus 4:13
Verse 13. If the whole congregation of Israel sin] This probably refers to some oversight in acts of religious worship, or to some transgression of the letter of the law, which arose out of the peculiar circumstances in which they were then found, such as the case mentioned 1 Sam. xiv. 32, &c., where the people, through their long and excessive fatigue in their combat with the Philistines, being faint, flew on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and did eat with the blood; and this was partly occasioned by the rash adjuration of Saul, mentioned 1 Sam. xiv. 24: Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening. The sacrifices and rites in this case were the same as those prescribed in the preceding, only here the elders of the congregation, i. e., three of the sanhedrim, according to Maimonides, laid their hands on the head of the victim in the name of all the congregation.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance , etc.] That is, all Israel, or the greatest part of them, as Gersom interprets it, through the ignorant teaching of the judges, who by their instruction cause the people to err, and commit sins of ignorance, as Baal Hatturim on the place observes, and Maimonides elsewhere f102 ; wherefore Jarchi, and some others, by the congregation of Israel understand the sanhedrim, or the bench of judges, consisting of seventy one. Ainsworth remarks on the words, that the church may err: and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly ; congregation or church, so that they do not know that it is a sin which they have committed: and they have done [somewhat against] any of the commandments of the Lord, [concerning things] which should not be done ; transgressed negative precepts: and are guilty ; of sin, though as yet they know it not.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-21 - If the leaders of the people, through mistake, caused them to err, a offering must be brought, that wrath might not come upon the whol congregation. When sacrifices were offered, the persons, on whose behalf they were devoted, were to lay their hands on the heads of the victims, and to confess their sins. The elders were to do so, when the sacrifices were offered for the whole congregation. The load of sin wa supposed then to be borne by the guiltless animal. When the offering i completed, it is said, atonement is made, and the sin shall be forgiven. The saving of churches and kingdoms from ruin, is owing to the satisfaction and mediation of Christ.
Original Hebrew
ואם 518 כל 3605 עדת 5712 ישׂראל 3478 ישׁגו 7686 ונעלם 5956 דבר 1697 מעיני 5869 הקהל 6951 ועשׂו 6213 אחת 259 מכל 3605 מצות 4687 יהוה 3068 אשׁר 834 לא 3808 תעשׂינה 6213 ואשׁמו׃ 816
