'Pleads' in the Bible

"'Whenever a leader, by straying unintentionally, sins and violates one of the commandments of the Lord his God which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty,

"'If an ordinary individual sins by straying unintentionally when he violates one of the Lord's commandments which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty

and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?