What Does the Bible Say About Ignorance?

“And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:”

“And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.”

“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.”

“But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. a man's: Heb. married to an husband”

“But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?”

“Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. integrity: or, simplicity, or, sincerity”

“And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.”

“Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.”

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:”

“If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.”

“And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.”

“And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:”

“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.”

“And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

“And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,”

“And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,”

“As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.”

“And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,”

“Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. without: Heb. to without the camp where: Heb. at the pouring out of the ashes”

“And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;”

“When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.”

“And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.”

“And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:”

“And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.”

“And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

“And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.”

“And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.”

“And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.”

“When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;”

“Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:”

“And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.”

“And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.”

“And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.”

“And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; any one: Heb. any soul common: Heb. people of the land”

“Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.”

“And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.”

“And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.”

“And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.”

“And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.”

“And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.”

“And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:”

“And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.”

“Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.”

“And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:”

“And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.”

“And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. he be: Heb. his hand cannot reach to the sufficiency of a lamb”

“And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:”

“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.”

“And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. manner: or, ordinance”

“But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.”

“Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering.”

“And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.”

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

“If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:”

“And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.”

“And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.”

“And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.”

“It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.”

“And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.”

“And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,”

“Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;”

“Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. without: Heb. from the eyes manner: or, ordinance”

“And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:”

“And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.”

“And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.”

“And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.”

“Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. sinneth: Heb. doth”

“(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) nothing: Heb. not”

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?”

“It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? as high: Heb. the heights of heaven”

“For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. vain: Heb. empty”

“But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?”

“Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.”

“Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?”

“Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. air: or, heaven”

“Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.”

“Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?”

“God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.”

“Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?”

“Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?”

“Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.”

“Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.”

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

“For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,”

“And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, the youths: Heb. the sons”

“Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,”

“In the twilight, in the evening , in the black and dark night: in the evening: Heb. in the evening of day”

“And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.”

“(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:”

“Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)”

“So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, with: Heb. she strengthened her face and said”

“I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. I have: Heb. Peace offerings are upon me”

“Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.”

“I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.”

“I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.”

“Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.”

“For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:”

“He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. with: Heb. in his hand the day: or, the new moon”

“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.”