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Book of Leviticus - Chapter 5 - Verse 9

5:9
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.

Meaning

In this verse, it describes the process by which the blood of the sin offering is to be handled during the ritual. The priest is instructed to sprinkle some of the blood on the side of the altar, symbolizing the purification of the altar and the atonement for sin. The remainder of the blood is to be poured out at the base of the altar, signifying the completion of the offering. This act of sprinkling and pouring out the blood is a way of symbolically transferring the sins of the people onto the sacrificial animal and then offering that animal as a sacrifice to atone for those sins. By following these precise instructions, the priest demonstrates obedience to God's commandments and ensures that the sin offering is carried out in a manner that is both meaningful and effective in achieving forgiveness for the sins of the people.

Theological Overview

In this verse from Leviticus 5:9, the act of sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar is significant in the context of ancient Jewish sacrificial rituals. The blood symbolized the life of the animal being offered, and by sprinkling it on the side of the altar, the sins of the people were symbolically transferred to the offering. The action of wringing out the rest of the blood at the bottom of the altar further emphasized the idea of the complete atonement for sin. This act of sprinkling and wringing out the blood was a physical representation of the spiritual cleansing that was believed to take place through the sacrificial system. The repetition of sin offerings in the Old Testament pointed towards the need for a perfect sacrifice to fully atone for sins, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Through this imagery, Christians can understand the concept of atonement and redemption in a deeper theological sense.

American Standard Version

and he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin-offering.
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