Leviticus 16:1-10

The Day of Atonement

1 The LORD spoke to Moses after 1the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died,
2 and the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother not to 2come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For 3I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.
3 But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: 4with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and 5a ram for a burnt offering.
4 He shall put on 6the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. 7He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.
5 And he shall take from 8the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
6 "Aaron shall 9offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall 10make atonement for himself and for his house.
7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for 11Azazel.[a]
9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering,
10 but the goat on which the lot fell for 12Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to 13Azazel.

Leviticus 16:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 16

This chapter treats of the day of atonement, and of the rites, sacrifices, and services of it, directs when Aaron should come into the holy of holies, Le 16:1,2; and in what habit he should then appear, and with what offerings both for himself, and for the people, Le 16:3-10; and that having slain his own sin offering, and that for the people, he should offer incense before the mercy seat, and sprinkle that with the blood of both, Le 16:11-15; and by these offerings make atonement for the holy place, the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, Le 16:16-19; and having done this, he was to take the live goat, lay his hands on it, confess over it, and put upon it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and then send it away by a fit man into the wilderness, Le 16:20-22; upon which he was to put off his linen garments, wash his flesh, and put them on again, and offer the burnt offering for himself, and for the people, Le 16:23-25; also he that let go the goat, and he that carried and burnt the sin offerings without the camp, were to wash themselves and clothes also, Le 16:26-28; the observance of this day, once a year, which was on the tenth of the seventh month, as a day of affliction and atonement, was to be a statute for ever to the children of Israel, Le 16:29-34.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Leviticus 10:1, 2
  • 2. [Exodus 30:10; Heb. 9:7, 12, 24, 25; Hebrews 10:19-22]
  • 3. Exodus 25:22; Exodus 40:34, 35; [1 Kings 8:10-12]
  • 4. Leviticus 4:3
  • 5. Leviticus 1:10; Leviticus 8:18
  • 6. Leviticus 6:10; Leviticus 8:7; Ezekiel 44:17, 18; See Exodus 28:39-43
  • 7. Leviticus 8:6, 7; Exodus 30:20
  • 8. Leviticus 4:14; Numbers 29:11; 2 Chronicles 29:21; Ezra 6:17
  • 9. Ezekiel 45:22
  • 10. ver. 17, 24; Hebrews 9:7">ch. Hebrews 9:7; Hebrews 7:27, 28; Hebrews 9:7
  • 11. ver. 26
  • 12. [See ver. 8 above]
  • 13. [See ver. 8 above]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The meaning of Azazel is uncertain; possibly the name of a place or a demon, traditionally a scapegoat; also verses 10, 26
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.