The Meaning of Leviticus 4:6 Explained

Leviticus 4:6

KJV: And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.

YLT: and the priest hath dipped his finger in the blood, and sprinkled of the blood seven times before Jehovah, at the front of the vail of the sanctuary;

Darby: and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah before the veil of the sanctuary;

ASV: and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, before the veil of the sanctuary.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the priest  shall dip  his finger  in the blood,  and sprinkle  of the blood  seven  times  before  the LORD,  before  the vail  of the sanctuary. 

What does Leviticus 4:6 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 4:6 mean?

and shall dip the priest - his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh in front of the veil of the sanctuary
וְטָבַ֧ל הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־ אֶצְבָּע֖וֹ בַּדָּ֑ם וְהִזָּ֨ה מִן־ הַדָּ֜ם שֶׁ֤בַע פְּעָמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה פְּנֵ֖י פָּרֹ֥כֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ

וְטָבַ֧ל  and  shall  dip 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָבַל  
Sense: to dip, dip into, plunge.
הַכֹּהֵ֛ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
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.
אֶצְבָּע֖וֹ  his  finger 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
בַּדָּ֑ם  in  the  blood 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
וְהִזָּ֨ה  and  sprinkle 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָזָה 
Sense: to spurt, spatter, sprinkle.
מִן־  some 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַדָּ֜ם  of  the  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
שֶׁ֤בַע  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
פְּעָמִים֙  times 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
פְּנֵ֖י  in  front 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
פָּרֹ֥כֶת  of  the  veil 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: פָּרֹכֶת  
Sense: curtain, veil.
הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ  of  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.