Lev 4:16-18 | NET2full | STEP | Then the high priest must bring some of the blood of the bull to the Meeting Tent ,

‏ Leviticus 4:16-18

16 Then the high priest ^{▼▼tn Heb “the anointed priest” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). This refers to the high priest (cf. TEV).} must bring some of the blood of the bull to the Meeting Tent, 17 and that priest must dip his finger in the blood ^{▼▼tn The words “in the blood” are not repeated in the Hebrew text at this point, but must be supplied in the English translation for clarity.} and sprinkle ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew verb וְהִזָּה (vehizzah, Hiphil of נָזָה, nazah) does indeed mean “sprinkle” or “splatter.” Contrast the different Hebrew verb translated “splash” in Lev 1:5 (זָרָק, zaraq).} some of the blood seven times ^{▼▼tc The MT reads literally, “and the priest shall dip his finger from the blood and sprinkle seven times.” This is awkward. Compare v. 6, which has literally, “and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle from the blood seven times.” The MT appears to be a case of scribal haplography (i.e., assuming v. 6 to be the correct form, in v. 17 the scribe skipped from “his finger” to “from the blood,” thus missing “in the blood”) and metathesis (i.e., this also resulted in a text where “from the blood” stands before “sprinkle” rather than after it; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 47).} before the Lord toward the front of the curtain. ^{▼▼tn See the note on v. 6 above.} 18 He must put some of the blood on the horns of the altar ^{▼▼sn See v. 7, where this altar is identified as the altar of fragrant incense.} which is before the Lord in the Meeting Tent, and all the rest of the blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.