1. Leviticus 4:12 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is significant about the structure of verse 12?

Leviticus 4:12 (ESV)

12 all the rest of the bull he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up.

It may be noted that the very first paragraph lacks the normal closing phrase, the priest shall make atonement...and he shall be forgiven. This is because the priest is the worshipper and he therefore cannot pronounce his own forgiveness.