In the tent of meeting, the priest is the representative of the people of Israel. Wenham (p.97) observes, “Here we have the idea that one man's action can affect the whole nation.” If he were to commit an unintentional sin while carrying out his responsibilities, it would have a negative effect on the entire community. The sin of the anointed priest would cause the entire nation to incur guilt. In this instance, the priest would not only be responsible for the sin he had committed, but also for the guilt he brought on the covenant people of God.
3 if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.