Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16:1

Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron’s sons when they approached the presence of the LORD.

Leviticus 16:1 · BSB

Leviticus 16:2

And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:2 · BSB

Leviticus 16:3

This is how Aaron is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:3 · BSB

Leviticus 16:4

He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them.

Leviticus 16:4 · BSB

Leviticus 16:5

And he shall take from the congregation of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:5 · BSB

Leviticus 16:6

Aaron is to present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household.

Leviticus 16:6 · BSB

Leviticus 16:7

Then he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Leviticus 16:7 · BSB

Leviticus 16:8

After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat,

Leviticus 16:8 · BSB

scape goats Heb. Azazel , that is , the goat-gone-away , The Hebrew עזאזל has been supposed by some to be the name of a place , either a mountain or cliff , to which the goat was led. But no place of that name has ever been pointed out , except a mountain near Sinai , which was too distant for the goat to be conducted there from Jerusalem. Other learned men think it was the name of the devil , who was worshipped by the heathen in the form of a goat. But Bp. Patrick justly objects to this opinion; for it is difficult to conceive , that when the other goat was offered to God , this should be sent among demons. The more probable opinion seems to be , that it was name given to the goat itself , on account of his being let go; from aiz , a goat , and azal , to depart. So LXX בנןנןלנביןע , and Vulgate emissarius , sent away; Aquila and Symmachus פסבדןע בנוסקןלוםןע , or בנןכוכץלוםןע . the goat going away , or dismissed.

Leviticus 16:9

he shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD and sacrifice it as a sin offering.

Leviticus 16:9 · BSB

fell Heb. went up

Leviticus 16:10

But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:10 · BSB

Leviticus 16:11

When Aaron presents the bull for his sin offering and makes atonement for himself and his household, he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering.

Leviticus 16:11 · BSB

Leviticus 16:12

Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.

Leviticus 16:12 · BSB

Leviticus 16:13

He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die.

Leviticus 16:13 · BSB

Leviticus 16:14

And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:14 · BSB

Leviticus 16:15

Aaron shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and bring its blood behind the veil, and with its blood he must do as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.

Leviticus 16:15 · BSB

Leviticus 16:16

So he shall make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the impurities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting which abides among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities.

Leviticus 16:16 · BSB

remaineth Heb. dwelleth

Leviticus 16:17

No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.

Leviticus 16:17 · BSB

Leviticus 16:18

Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.

Leviticus 16:18 · BSB

Leviticus 16:19

He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.

Leviticus 16:19 · BSB

Leviticus 16:20

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.

Leviticus 16:20 · BSB

Leviticus 16:21

Then he is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to put them on the goat's head and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man appointed for the task.

Leviticus 16:21 · BSB

a fit man Heb. a man of opportunity , The man that took the scape-goat into the wilderness , and they that burned the sin offering , were to be looked upon as ceremonially unclean , and must not come into the camp till they had washed their clothes and bathed their flesh in water , which signified the defiling nature of sin; even the sacrifice which was made sin , was defiling . also the imperfection of the legal sacrifices , they were so far from taking away sin , that they left some stain even upon those that touched them.

Leviticus 16:22

The goat will carry on itself all their iniquities into a solitary place, and the man will release it into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:22 · BSB

Leviticus 16:23

Then Aaron is to enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there.

Leviticus 16:23 · BSB

Leviticus 16:24

He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people.

Leviticus 16:24 · BSB

Leviticus 16:25

He is also to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

Leviticus 16:25 · BSB

Leviticus 16:26

The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

Leviticus 16:26 · BSB

Leviticus 16:27

The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung must be burned up.

Leviticus 16:27 · BSB

Leviticus 16:28

The one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.

Leviticus 16:28 · BSB

Leviticus 16:29

This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work—whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you—

Leviticus 16:29 · BSB

Leviticus 16:30

because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:30 · BSB

Leviticus 16:31

It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute.

Leviticus 16:31 · BSB

Leviticus 16:32

The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments

Leviticus 16:32 · BSB

Leviticus 16:33

and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the assembly.

Leviticus 16:33 · BSB

Leviticus 16:34

This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Leviticus 16:34 · BSB